Overview

The database is where an application's real value sits. We design schemas that model the business accurately, keep migrations safe and reversible, tune the queries that hurt, and put backup and recovery on a footing you can trust.

This is offered both as part of a build and as standalone work on an existing database that has grown slow, inconsistent or fragile.

Typical starting points

  • Queries and reports that have become painfully slow
  • A schema that has drifted and now holds inconsistent data
  • Migrations done by hand, with fear of the next one
  • Backups that exist but have never been restored

Typical stack: PostgreSQL, MySQL/MariaDB, SQLite, MongoDB, Redis, migration frameworks, EXPLAIN/query profiling, automated backup tooling.

Problems We Solve

The data problems that get worse if left alone.

Slow queries under real load

We profile the actual slow paths, add the right indexes, fix N+1 patterns, and reshape queries or schema where needed.

Inconsistent or duplicated data

Constraints, keys and validation are added so the database enforces the rules, not just the application.

Risky schema changes

Versioned, tested, reversible migrations with a rollback plan, run the same way in every environment.

Untested backups

Automated backups plus a documented, rehearsed restore with a known recovery time and data-loss window.

Capabilities

Schema Design & Modelling

Normalised, well-keyed schemas that model the domain and leave room to grow.

Migrations & Refactoring

Safe, incremental change to a live schema without long downtime or data loss.

Performance Tuning

Query profiling, indexing strategy, and caching or denormalisation where it earns its place.

Data Cleanup & Deduplication

Finding and fixing bad data, then adding the constraints that stop it recurring.

Backups & Replication

Automated backups, point-in-time recovery, and read replicas or failover where uptime demands it.

Reporting Views & Warehousing

Read models and a small warehouse so analytics does not slow the operational database.

Our Process

1

Review

We examine the schema, the slow paths, the data quality and the backup situation.

2

Plan

A prioritised set of changes, each with its migration and rollback approach.

3

Apply

Changes made on staging, verified against real data volumes, then rolled to production.

4

Verify & Document

Backups tested, performance re-measured, and the schema and procedures documented.

Deliverables

Schema + migration scripts

The updated schema, all migrations version-controlled, and seed or fixture data where relevant.

Backup & recovery runbook

How backups run, how to restore, the tested recovery time, and the performance baseline.

Related Services

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you tune performance without a full redesign?

Usually yes. Most slow databases improve significantly from indexing, query fixes and a few targeted schema changes, well short of a rewrite.

Will there be downtime for migrations?

We favour online, incremental migrations that avoid downtime. Where a brief window is unavoidable, it is planned, timed and communicated in advance.

SQL or NoSQL, which should we use?

For most business applications a relational database is the right default. We recommend NoSQL only where the access pattern genuinely calls for it, and say so plainly.

Do you offer ongoing database management?

Yes, as part of a maintenance and support plan, covering monitoring, backups, capacity and periodic tuning.

Database slow, messy or fragile?

Tell us what you are running and where it hurts, and we will scope the work.

Let's Build It