Replacing Oracle DBMS : A Feasibility Study

Abstract

As open-source Database Management Systems gains competitiveness over the years, companies using proprietary databases such as Oracle Database are attracted by the low-cost and competency of the open-source alternatives. This thesis was commissioned to study the feasibility of replacing Oracle Database open-source databases to reduce cost while maintaining utility. This thesis studied the factors that impact the feasibility of replacing Oracle Database by reviewing literature and conducting interviews with personnel of the commissioning company. A method specialized to the company’s situation was proposed to migrate all the company’s Oracle database to lower-cost open-source alternatives, and the costs and returns of the proposed method were analyzed. Additionally, the possibility to host databases on the cloud was discussed. In conclusion, the migration to open-source DBMS was feasible and profitable. The company will be able to utilize the findings in this thesis to guide its business operation and improve efficiency. Other companies in similar situations may check the feasibility factors against their own situations, and potentially use the proposed migration method to guide their migrations.