Obsolete programs are powering 97% of US database systems - and the reason why won't surprise anyone

Obsolete Software in US Database Systems

Nearly all US database administrators say they're running at least some outdated software as security risks rise. An overwhelming majority (97%) are running obsolete software, according to the latest State of Open Source Database Management Report by Percona.

The High Cost of Upgrading

But organizations aren't neglecting upgrades. The report warns that upgrading a production database can be a major and risky project that may even impose more operational risks than running unsupported software.

For many, the cost alone is a major obstacle, with substantial engineering time, testing, infrastructure changes, and cloud changes all adding to the total cost of change.

Why the Obsolescence Persists

Percona highlighted that upgrading a database isn't as simple as installing a software update. In most cases, it requires an entire cross-stack migration involving other pieces of software and subscriptions.

Key barriers cited in the report include:

• Cloud costs (31%)
• Licensing costs (23%)
• Tool sprawl (17%)
• Vendor lock-in (12%)

The report cites MySQL as a key example, highlighting how the major architectural changes involved with version 8.0 made it a technical nightmare for 5.7 users to upgrade.

Security Risks vs. Upgrade Risks

While the change itself can be costly and massive, remaining on unsupported database management software creates its own security risks. This is especially pronounced because databases can often contain an organization's most valuable and confidential information.

Current Drawbacks Driving Motivation

There is a motive to upgrade, though. 42% of Percona's respondents cited inefficiency as a current drawback, with downtime (40%) and latency (35%) also slowing them down.

Looking Ahead

The first stage is for companies to actually plan their migrations rather than continue to postpone them. It's only by starting the ball rolling that they can begin to explore how to consolidate stacks and improve overall efficiency and costs.