Database as a Service (DBaaS) in the cloud 1
Database as a Service (DBaaS) in the cloud
Dakota Price
Liberty University
CSIS 325: Database Management Systems (002)
Prof. Kipreos
11/19/23
a. Introduction
Database as a Service (DBaaS) in the cloud 2
Databases serve as a gateway to managing information within organizations in a more
effective manner. However, it's important to understand that in today’s age of technology, cloud
storage is increasing in popularity. “It is crucial to modernize database systems in the cloud era,
so that next generation cloud native databases may run like legos–they are adaptive, flexible,
reliable, and smart towards dynamic workloads and varying requirements” (Li 2023). A solution
offered by cloud service providers to bridge the gap between cloud storage and database
management is through Database as a Service (DBaaS). “Database as a Service (DBaaS) is a
cloud platform that converts traditional architectures into cloud architectures” (Khan 2023). This
essay highlights the challenges to be assessed through DBaaS system implementation and the
goals for research. This essay also takes into account the many implications from an
industry/manager perspective, as well as the implications from a Biblical worldview perspective.
b. Problem statement
i. What is the research paper attempting to solve?
This research focuses on solving the challenges organizations face when effectively
establishing flexibility and scalability within their management of data. Alongside the
assessment of cloud Database as a System (DBaaS), this paper will look to see if DBaaS can
provide solutions to these issues. At the same time, from an industry perspective, this paper will
look into how managers can provide effective cost management, data availability, and
confidentiality within DBaaS systems.
ii. What are the implications of a Biblical worldview on the problem?
When considering the Biblical worldview, there are a couple of key concepts concerning
data management that can be looked into. One of these key concepts seen in the Bible is
accountability. This can be linked to how managers/organizations handle data through the
Database as a Service (DBaaS) in the cloud 3
management of cloud technology. The other key concept seen in the Bible is integrity. This can
be linked to how managers/organizations handle data security.
c. Purpose statement
i. What are the goals of the research paper?
The main goal of this research is to investigate the impact that DBaaS has within the
realm of data scalability and flexibility. To help assess this goal, important information on
DBaaS usage will be highlighted; specifically through the investigation of the different DBaaS
types, other cloud services compared to DBaaS, and the challenges posed when implementing
DBaaS within the cloud. This research also aims to provide various implications from industry
and Biblical worldview perspectives. Through this research, organizations are provided insight
into how to implement DBaaS within their cloud system(s) effectively.
d. Literature review
i. Review of related research relevant to the problem
Before assessing the challenges of implementing DBaaS, it’s important to highlight the
differences between NoSQL DBaaS and SQL DBaaS. Within SQL databases, there are various
types of functionalities across DBaaS. An example highlighted by Khan mentions that “The
Database as a Service (DBaaS) paradigm utilized by the Azure SQL database also features the
Microsoft SQL server’s same functionalities and provides cloud services” (Khan 2023). The
majority of DBaaS features within SQL databases are not open source, but instead, rely on the
cloud service provider setting up the database for the organization through a purchase by the
organization. Simply put, cloud DBaaS related to SQL is usually found within relational
database architecture. “In the early stage of cloud data services, customers can choose the data
service offered by the cloud vendors (i.e., databases as a service (DBaaS)), then pay for the on-
Database as a Service (DBaaS) in the cloud 4
demand resource fee based on the service level agreement (SLA)” (Li, 2022). In contrast to SQL
DBaaS, NoSQL DBaaS provides most of its cloud functionalities as open source. Because of
this, it’s recommended that when utilizing cloud DBaaS within a NoSQL database, the
architecture is distributed multi-model instead of relational (Khan 2023).
Alongside the assessment of these DBaaS types, it’s important to highlight the pros and
cons of DBaaS within the cloud. Regarding NoSQL DBaaS, one pro that can be identified is the
fact that software developers can utilize DBaaS to host their data and applications at a highly
scalable/available rate. (Khan 2023). Another advantage of DBaaS usability is the option to
implement cloud-native databases. Not only do cloud-native databases improve elasticity and
save resources, but “the foremost innovation is the disaggregation of compute and storage
architecture, which decouples the storage from the compute nodes, then connects the compute
nodes to shared storage through a high-speed network” (Li, 2022). Regarding SQL DBaaS, one
con that can be identified is that when implementing DBaaS in the cloud, “the providers regard
the deployed databases as a general kind of software without any underlying optimizations” (Li,
2022). Another con within DBaaS usability is data porting (the movement between different
clouds). “Data porting in DBaaS, which can occur between SQL and NoSQL databases as well
as inside each type of NoSQL database, can potentially be problematic due to the interoperability
issue” (Khan 2023). The interoperability issue in simple terms is the fact that NoSQL and SQL
databases cannot utilize the same type of DBaaS.
With this information on DBaaS types and the challenges of implementation assessed,
let’s compare DBaaS to other cloud services. The cloud services that we’ll look into are
Infratstuture as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS),
Function as a Service (FaaS), and Storage as a Service (the definitions of each service will be
Database as a Service (DBaaS) in the cloud 5
referenced from Ajitha Purnima). IaaS provides virtualized computing resources over the
internet, PaaS provides a platform allowing customers to manage applications without dealing
with the complexity of building/maintaining the underlying infrastructure, SaaS delivers
software applications over the internet on a subscription basis, FaaS allows developers to run
individual functions or pieces of code in response to specific events without managing servers,
and Storage as a Service provides scalable/secure cloud storage solutions. DBaaS differs from
IaaS because IaaS components within a pay-as-you-go basis as opposed to a one-time pay basis
provided by DBaaS (Purnima 2023). DBaaS differs from PaaS because PaaS doesn’t offer
database management services that are directly in the cloud; instead, it offers tools for assistance
(Purnima 2023). DBaaS differs from SaaS because SaaS is offered on a subscription basis while
DBaaS isn’t (Purnima 2023). DBaaS differs from FaaS because FaaS users are billed based on
how much the services are being used while DBaaS users aren’t (Purnima 2023). DBaaS differs
from Storage as a Service because the capacity of storage can be requested on demand while
DBaaS doesn’t require a demanded request of maintenance (Purnima 2023).
With this information on DBaaS types and the challenges of implementation assessed,
it’s important to highlight the impact that it can bring to scalability and flexibility within an
organization. Utilizing a DBaaS approach can provide organizations with vast flexibility because
it allows the cloud environment “to collect information from very diverse data sources, storing
them in the Cloud database (with DBaaS paradigm) and feeding many different applications”
(Ferrari 2020). Database providers handle maintenance tasks, ensure data security, and great
availability within a DBaaS; which provides organizations with further flexibility (Purnima
2023). DBaaS, When discussing the scalability of an organization regarding DBaaS, it’s
important to look into the context of IIoT, which is defined as the industrial Internet of Things.
Database as a Service (DBaaS) in the cloud 6
The reason why this specific context is important is because of the challenges faced within the
realm of IIoT applications. Cloud DBaaS provides solutions to these challenges and as a result,
provides scalability within the cloud environment. A set of experiments that were conducted by
Paolo Ferrari confirmed that most industrial applications utilize cloud storage and leverage the
DBaaS approach.
e. Implications of the research paper
i. Relevant to a Biblical worldview
From a Biblical worldview perspective, it’s important to understand the implications of
DBaaS data management, specifically regarding accountability and integrity. Hebrews 13:17 is a
scripture that correlates to these Biblical worldview implications: “Have confidence in your
leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give
an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit
to you.” Accountability is a commonly seen concept in the Bible and it’s defined as taking
responsibility for your actions. When managing data within the cloud, managers should be held
accountable for the measures they make that affect others' data and the organization as a whole.
Integrity is another commonly seen concept in the Bible and it’s defined as the sincerity or
truthfulness of one’s actions. Alongside the establishment of a DBaaS system, organizations
should establish ethical codes and principles to make sure that integrity is implemented.
ii. Relevant to industry and managers
In regards to the establishment of a DBaaS system, there are three key implications that
are relevant to industry/managers. One of these implications is cost management. Regarding the
cost management of DBaaS, “the cost of offered services is mainly determined by the writing
speed (in terms of transaction per second), the storage size, and the available computation
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capability” (Ferrari 2020). To optimize the cost of a DBaaS system, one solution can be to utilize
a Hybrid Storage System (HSS). When establishing an HSS, “the main issue is to decide where
to place data to satisfy customers’i/o requirements and provide the best performance at lower
cost” (Boukhelef 2019). In a study conducted by Djillali Boukhelef, it was found that the
utilization of the H-COPS (ad-hoc heuristic) algorithm was the most beneficial regarding
customer satisfaction and provided 50% better cost than other algorithms.
Another key implication for the establishment of a DBaaS system is availability. A major
risk to look for within a DBaaS system is unavailability. “The huge risk of unavailability is that
the Database is not under the control of the client, therefore, the client can do nothing” (Alrefai
2021). There are a couple of different solutions that can be utilized within a DBaaS in order to
improve availability. One of these solutions is providing redundancy of data on the service
provider’s side (Alrefai 2021). “Another solution is to clone the Database over a local server on
the client-side, this clone will still idle but up-todate with data and used in emergent cases like
unavailability of the cloud service, surely will cost the client but still as a plan b for similar
cases” (Alrefai 2021).
The final implication for the establishment of a DBaaS system is confidentiality. In
regards to the management of data, “data confidentiality is the biggest concern for the client due
to any type of data loss, or leakage would cause financial and customer loss to the client,
especially for the client who has sensitive data such as financial data or medical records, etc”
(Alrefai 2021). To resolve this concern, there are three statuses of data that all require separate
solutions to data encryption: Data at rest, Data in motion, and Data in use (Alrefai 2021). The
solution for Data at rest is Transparent Data Encryption (TDE), which protects data against
internal intruders (Alrefai 2021). The solution for Data in motion is Transport Layer Security
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(TLS), which protects data against data intrusion, ensuring communication security (Alrefai
2021). The solution for Data in use is Client-side encryption, which ensures that sensitive data is
not prone to internal or external data breaches (Alrefai 2021).
f. Conclusion
In conclusion, this research paper dives into the rise of Database as a Service (DBaaS) in
the age of cloud computing, emphasizing its challenges and opportunities. By comparing DBaaS
with other cloud services, we have gained a better understanding of what DBaaS has to offer
within an organization's cloud. To manage data in a more efficient manner, we learned that
organizations should adopt cloud-native databases to manage data in a more efficient manner.
We also identified the nuances of DBaaS types, including the distinctions between SQL and
NoSQL databases. From a Biblical worldview perspective, this research highlights the
importance of accountability and integrity in data management. The scripture from Hebrews
13:17 stands as a guiding principle, emphasizing that managers should be held accountable and
ethical considerations of integrity should strongly resonate with organizations implementing
DBaaS. Regarding industry implications, this research brings forth highlights three key
considerations (cost management, availability, and confidentiality) to provide an effective outline
implementation of DBaaS. Simply put, this research provides organizations with useful insights
into the multilayered landscape of DBaaS, offering guidelines for successful implementation
while considering both the dynamics of the industry and ethical considerations structured
through a Biblical worldview. As technology continues to advance, it’s important to show the
emergence of DBaaS; not merely as a technical solution, but as a strategic outline for
organizations looking to resolve some of the challenges within the modern era of data
management.
Database as a Service (DBaaS) in the cloud 9
References
Alrefai, M., Haya, A., Fawareh, H., & Khafajeh, H. (2021). Database as a Service
(DBAAS) challenges and solutions. 2021 22nd International Arab Conference on
Information Technology (ACIT). https://doi.org/10.1109/acit53391.2021.9677127
Database as a Service (DBaaS) in the cloud 10
Boukhelef, D., Boukhobza, J., Boukhalfa, K., Ouarnoughi, H., & Lemarchand, L. (2019).
Optimizing the cost of DBaaS object placement in hybrid storage systems. Future
Generation Computer Systems, 93, 176–187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.future.2018.10.030
Ferrari, P., Sisinni, E., Depari, A., Flammini, A., Rinaldi, S., Bellagente, P., & Pasetti, M.
(2020). On the Performance of Cloud Services and Databases for Industrial IoT Scalable
Applications. Electronics, 9(9), 1435. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics9091435
Hebrews 13:17 - Compare Bible verse translations. (n.d.). Bible Study Tools.
https://www.biblestudytools.com/hebrews/13-17-compare.html
Khan, W., Kumar, T. A., Cheng, Z., Raj, K., Roy, A. M., & Luo, B. (2023). SQL and NoSQL
Database Software Architecture Performance Analysis and Assessments—A Systematic
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Li, F. (2023). Modernization of Databases in the Cloud Era: Building Databases that Run Like
Legos. Proceedings of the VLDB Endowment, 16(12), 4140–4151.
https://doi.org/10.14778/3611540.3611639
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Purnima, M. A., & Devendran, D. R. (2023). Security Issues And Challenges In Cloud
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