Database Integration

You might currently be using many systems already for which you are not aware you are creating multiple entries:

• Email Address Book
  (e.g. Outlook)
• Personal Desktop Assistant, or "PDA" 
  (e.g. Palm Pilot, Handspring, Blackberry)
• Spreadsheet
  (e.g. Excel)
• Customer Relationship Manager, or "CRM"
  (e.g. ACT!)
• Office Database
  (Access, SQL)

Chances are, you have this data stored differently in each system.

Database integration involves the complex process of merging these sources of data together -- and selecting the right technologies available to approach the problem. It involves:

• Determining a solution that will best handle your needs:
  • 3rd party application
  • open source technology
  • custom application
• Designing a new data model -- or designing the way that data will relate to each other inside of the database (also called relational database design)
• Migrating data from all existing systems into the target database. This may involve some programming.
• Normalizing the data, or rather, efficiently organizing data in a database so that it makes sense. For example, making Zip Code come AFTER City and State. It also includes eliminating duplicate data.
• Testing the integrity of the data
• Training you to use the new database