Database Design: The Foundation of Good Software

You can't see a database, but it's the heart of every business application. Poor database design leads to slow performance, data inconsistencies, and systems that can't scale. Here's what business leaders should know.

Why Database Design Matters

Performance

A well-designed database returns results in milliseconds. A poorly designed one makes users wait seconds or minutes—and gets worse as data grows.

Data Integrity

Good design prevents impossible scenarios: customers with negative balances, orders without products, duplicate records that create confusion.

Scalability

Systems that work great with 1,000 records can fail spectacularly at 1,000,000. Design determines whether you can scale.

Reporting

Data organized correctly makes reporting easy. Poorly organized data makes simple questions hard to answer.

Red Flags in Database Design

• Same data stored in multiple places (and getting out of sync)
• Queries that take more than a few seconds
• Performance degrading as data grows
• Difficulty generating reports
• Data cleanup projects required regularly
• Developers saying "we can't do that" frequently

Questions to Ask Your Development Team

1. How will the database handle 10x more data?
2. What prevents duplicate or inconsistent data?
3. How is sensitive data protected?
4. What's the backup and recovery strategy?
5. Can we easily migrate to a different database if needed?

Database Security Basics

• Encryption at rest: Protect data on disk
• Encryption in transit: Protect data moving over networks
• Access control: Limit who can see what
• Audit logging: Track who accessed what when
• Regular backups: With tested restoration

Our Approach

At Aslan, database design is a core competency, not an afterthought. Every project includes:

• Data modeling before coding begins
• Performance testing with realistic data volumes
• Security review for sensitive data
• Documentation for future maintenance
• Migration planning from existing systems