Today’s business world is built on information stored in databases. The challenge is to use the right database with the right structure to store the information you need and the ability to easily access that data. Of course, deciding on this is not easy.

There are many options for a database platform, each of which allows you to retrieve data sets in different ways. And there are many different priorities that can affect the database architecture, whether it’s query speed, storage format, security, or even integration issues.

Many people are familiar with a basic set of columns and rows of a simple database, such as one created in Microsoft Access, but these days databases can be layered, use different query languages and work with different storage formats, such as even XML.

The biggest challenges are likely to be performance and end-user experience. If business owners and employees are struggling to get the information they need from a data set, then the database is not working for them. The same goes for speed, as today’s requirements expect data to be presented in seconds, not days.

1. Microsoft Azure Cloud

Pampered for database management choices.

Industry veteran. Multiple database formats.

Microsoft’s Azure cloud offers a wide range of database management software and options, which is not surprising since Microsoft has been the leading database developer for decades.

While home users may (or may not!) be familiar with Access, which is included in the Office 365 suite of applications, MySQL is one of Microsoft’s most valuable gifts to the open source community.

While MySQL increasingly competes with other types of databases, not least PostgreSQL and non-relational databases such as NoSQL, Microsoft can meet these and other needs with its Azure cloud offering.

Microsoft’s Azure Cloud platform is already an industry-leading service, but databases and database management remain the core of it. And while some users may feel overwhelmed by the plethora of options in Azure, one that allows full database management can help.

2. Autonomous Oracle Database.

DBaaS self-healing self-healing cloud.

Automation for administrators. Multiple management options. Enhanced security. Low maintenance costs.

Oracle Standalone Database is a database-as-a-service (DBaaS) platform that runs in the cloud and has central capabilities for delivering Oracle cloud services. It aims to provide a wide range of benefits for enterprises and database administrators.

For starters, it aims to increase flexibility and innovation, speed time to market, reduce risk and lower costs compared to traditional on-premises databases. It’s also designed to withstand hardware failures and offers a full suite of software, firmware, clustering and virtualization patches. Performance and capacity can be easily scaled as needed.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) means that many routine functions can be automated, reducing the burden on database administrators and allowing them to focus on more important tasks.

What’s more, Oracle provides an “always free” tier with its cloud services, which includes the use of two standalone Oracle databases as well as access to tools such as Oracle Application Express (APEX) and Oracle SQL Developer…

There is also a 30-day free trial to help companies test their systems with Oracle Cloud Services, which includes 5TB of storage to work with.

3. TeamDesk

A customizable database solution.

Are you looking for a powerful database solution that is also easy to use, then this is TeamDesk. It gives you the tools to quickly create custom databases without any prior technical knowledge…

The advantage of TeamDesk is that it runs in the cloud through its own secure servers, so you don’t have to invest in your own hardware. According to the company, over the past six years, its uptime rate has been 99.96%, making it a reliable choice.

The software works on PC, Mac, iPhone, Android and Windows Phone. To customize your database, you can choose from a library of predefined templates or create your own from scratch. Once you’ve done that, you have the ability to remove and add functionality as your business grows.

4. Knack

A robust database application

Knack is one of the most diverse and easy-to-use database management solutions for organizations of all sizes. The cloud platform is used by thousands of companies worldwide, including Fortune 500 companies, startups, educational institutions and charities.

It offers a range of tools designed to transform the way you organize business data. You can structure it based on metrics such as names and email addresses, link records together and get a better idea of your data through a series of formulas and equations. What’s more, the interface is easy to use and requires no knowledge of code.

To get real-time data, you can set up dashboards with charts, graphs, and summary tables. You can also search through data sets and use flexible filters. And just like TeamDesk, there are many ready-made templates, which means you can quickly customize advanced databases.

5. TablePlus

Powerful database software for Mac users

Looking for a local database management platform? Then look no further than TablePlus. Available for Mac, it lets you create and manage multiple relational databases from a single user interface, including MySQL, SQLite, Redis, Amazon Redshift and Postgres.

It makes it easy to create, query, edit, and save databases from within your own application, which is fast and easy to use. However, one of the defining features of this software is that it comes with its own TLS encryption to ensure that important business data never gets into the wrong hands…

As for other features, there are multi-tab and multi-window modes, so you can get a quick overview of different data sets. And you can track changes that are made to your databases with a feature called Code Review. You can also tabulate your databases and highlight different data sets to improve productivity.

This software is used by large companies and organizations such as Spotify, Apple, Intel, FastMail, Stanford University, Shutterstock and Rocket Internet. You can purchase TablePlus for $59.