Database Development
for Australian businesses.

Schema design for new applications. Tables, relationships, indexes, constraints, and data types planned before code is written. The database structure reflects the business domain, not the framework conventions.

Normalised schemas for transactional applications. Denormalised structures for reporting and analytics. Hybrid approaches where the operational database feeds an analytics layer. The design matches the workload.

MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, or MongoDB: the database engine selected based on the application requirements, team expertise, hosting platform, and budget. No default choice. We pick the right tool for the job.

Moving data between platforms: Access to SQL Server, MySQL to PostgreSQL, on-premises to cloud (RDS, Azure SQL), or between cloud providers. Schema mapping, data transformation, and validation.

Access database replacement is one of our most common requests. Australian businesses still running critical operations on Microsoft Access databases (inventory, CRM, job tracking, compliance) that need migrating to a proper web-based system with a real database backend.

Zero-data-loss migrations with validation checks. Row counts, checksums, and business rule verification before cutover. Parallel running periods where both systems operate simultaneously.

Slow database? We profile queries, analyse execution plans, add missing indexes, fix N+1 query patterns, implement caching, and tune the database configuration. Most slow applications have a database problem, not an application problem.

Common fixes: missing indexes on frequently-queried columns, unoptimised ORM queries generating excessive JOINs, full table scans on large tables, missing pagination on API endpoints, and connection pool exhaustion.

Results are measurable. We benchmark before and after: query execution time, page load time, API response time. Typical outcome: 60–90% improvement in response times for slow endpoints.

Managed database services on AWS and Azure. RDS for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server. Aurora for high-performance MySQL/PostgreSQL. Azure SQL Database. DynamoDB and Cosmos DB for NoSQL workloads.

Managed databases mean automated backups, point-in-time recovery, patching, monitoring, and failover, without managing database servers. Your database runs reliably on infrastructure designed for it.

Australian data centres (AWS Sydney, Azure Melbourne/Sydney). Data stays in Australia for compliance requirements. Sub-10ms latency to application servers in the same region.

Access databases, flat-file systems, Excel-based data stores, and outdated database platforms modernised to proper relational or cloud databases. The data is preserved, the platform is upgraded.

This is the messy work that makes a real difference. A ten-year-old Access database with 200,000 records and thirty linked forms is critical infrastructure, even if IT does not treat it that way. We take it seriously, migrate it properly, and build a web application on top.

SQL Server Compact, FoxPro, dBase, FileMaker: we have migrated from all of them. The destination is usually PostgreSQL or MySQL on a cloud-managed service, with a Laravel or .NET web application replacing the desktop interface.