As data creation and processing explodes, new means of cataloging, storing, and service information for processing are required. Scalability and flexibility are necessary in any data cataloging service to ensure quick accessibility and fast analytic processing of data. As a result, highly scalable, cloud-based solutions—which are easily expandable on-demand—are growing in popularity. Database-as-a-Service (DBaaS), which enables cloud-based data management, is a service that's quickly risen in popularity in the Anything-as-a-Service (XaaS) market.

Stratecast | Frost & Sullivan's new analysis, Database-as-a-Service: The Buyer's Introduction and Guide, provides users with a comprehensive comparison of the capabilities and features of 13 DBaaS providers.

Enterprises using DBaaS only pay for the cloud database resources that they subscribe to and can easily increase their databases based on the amount of data to be organized and stored. In addition, customers using DBaaS services no longer need to manage the database itself; providers handle software updates, data replication, security of data, and other operational tasks that allow functionality of the service.

"As enterprises seek to add or grow their data analytics programs, or leverage data from the Internet of Things, they need new ways to manage the data that is created from these programs," notes Stratecast | Frost & Sullivan Cloud Computing Services Industry Analyst Karyn Price. "Enterprises need to employ both a highly scalable database and easily expandable infrastructure to support it. DBaaS meets both criteria."

DBaaS offerings are also a boon for providers and partners that wish to capitalize on the growing XaaS trend. As providers seek to deepen their relationships with cloud customers and move further up the cloud stack, DBaaS offers a necessary function that few enterprises are able to operate without, using a consumption-based delivery method that liberates staff for innovation, while driving down costs.

"DBaaS services are a win-win for both providers and enterprises," states Price. "DBaaS services enable easy scalability of data for enterprises, as well as pay-as-you-go cost models and easier administration, by offloading those functions to providers. It is also an attractive service for cloud providers that seek to move up the cloud stack with value-added cloud services."