Questions to ask a database supplier

For many businesses a relational database management system (RDBMS) can be a long term commitment. Therefore it is important to choose your supplier carefully - choosing the wrong one could be very expensive and might even jeopardise your business. You will be using the information contained in your RDBMS to run your day-to-day operations, so it will be very important for your business success.

Before implementing a solution based on RDBMS technology, you might find it useful to ask any potential suppliers the following key questions:

  • How long has the supplier been established?
  • What are the specific costs associated with its product, ie a one-off purchase price, on-going costs, upgrades, etc?
  • How much is charged for technical support?
  • Does the supplier provide consultancy and, if so, at what rates?
  • Is the system scalable? If you suddenly increase your product line by 200 per cent could the system grow automatically to cope with the expansion?
  • Does the supplier offer training in the RDBMS and, if so, at what typical cost?

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