And how easy is it to get it back out of that database once you’ve decided to move on to the next cool IT product? How many IT managers work an exit strategy at the same time they’re developing their acquisition strategy? If you buy a proprietary product, do you know what data rights you have and how you’ll get out of that product when the time comes?
Because it will. (By the way, the answer is generally ‘no’-it’s hard enough to get the product up and running while telling your vendor and company leadership that you’re already planning (and spending funds on) its demise.) OK, so who has the data (where is your database actually located and who manages it?