Debunking the Myths: "PostgreSQL and MongoDB Lack Enterprise Support"
Part of the "Debunking the Myths" series - Challenging outdated IT assumptions in 2025
The Myth That Won't Die
One of the most persistent myths in enterprise IT circles is that open-source databases like PostgreSQL and MongoDB lack proper enterprise support. This outdated perception continues to drive decision-makers toward expensive proprietary solutions like Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
In 2025, this myth isn't just wrong—it's actively harmful to business competitiveness. Companies clinging to this belief are paying millions in unnecessary licensing fees while missing out on superior technology and support experiences.
The Reality: Enterprise Support Has Evolved
PostgreSQL: A Support Ecosystem That Rivals Oracle
PostgreSQL's enterprise support ecosystem has matured far beyond traditional proprietary offerings. The acquisition of 2ndQuadrant by EnterpriseDB in 2020 created the world's largest dedicated PostgreSQL services provider[86], employing over 150 experts across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, and India[80].
Leading Support Providers
Crunchy Data offers enterprise PostgreSQL support that exceeds Oracle's service quality: - 24x7x365 support by certified PostgreSQL experts (not call center staff) - Guaranteed response times for critical incidents - Direct access to PostgreSQL core contributors - 100% open source with no proprietary licensing fees - HIPAA compliance for healthcare organizations[59]
EnterpriseDB (EDB) provides comprehensive PostgreSQL enterprise solutions: - Global 24/7 support with guaranteed SLAs - Enhanced PostgreSQL distribution with enterprise features - Professional services for migration and optimization - Training and certification programs[85]
2ndQuadrant (now part of EDB) represents the pinnacle of PostgreSQL expertise: - Direct employment of PostgreSQL core developers - Five-language support across multiple time zones - Proven track record with Fortune 500 companies - 400% performance improvements documented at clients like tastyworks[80]
MongoDB: Enterprise-Grade Support from Day One
MongoDB Enterprise Advanced provides comprehensive support that matches any proprietary database: - 24/7 support with guaranteed response times based on severity levels - Direct access to MongoDB engineers (not outsourced support) - Proactive monitoring and optimization tools - Commercial licensing for enterprise compliance requirements[72][75]
Third-party providers like Percona offer enhanced MongoDB support: - 15-minute response times for critical issues - Proactive monitoring and incident management - Cross-region replication support - Root cause analysis (RCA) for complex problems[66]
Real-World Success Stories
Fortune 500 Migrations
A major oil and gas Fortune 500 company successfully migrated 70TB of Oracle data to Azure PostgreSQL, including: - 7 Oracle schemas from 4 separate databases - 18 application interfaces requiring remediation - 26 DBMS jobs and 180 Crystal Reports - 1.8TB of critical data migrated in a restricted maintenance window[67]
High-Performance Trading Platforms
tastyworks, an online trading platform handling millions of transactions, achieved 400% performance improvements after migrating to PostgreSQL with 2ndQuadrant support. Their CTO testified: "The 2ndQuadrant support team possesses a wealth of knowledge and always provides thorough answers to our questions in a very timely manner"[80].
Modern Success Cases
Infisical recently migrated from MongoDB to PostgreSQL while processing over 50 million secrets daily. The migration was driven by enterprise client demands for self-hosting capabilities, demonstrating PostgreSQL's enterprise readiness[81].
Why Open Source Support is Actually Superior
Direct Access to Core Developers
Unlike Oracle or Microsoft support, where you speak to tier-1 support staff following scripts, PostgreSQL and MongoDB support providers employ the actual developers who write the code. When you call Crunchy Data or 2ndQuadrant, you're speaking directly to PostgreSQL contributors[59][80].
No Vendor Lock-in
Open source support eliminates vendor lock-in risks. If you're unsatisfied with one support provider, you can switch without changing your database technology. Try doing that with Oracle—changing support often means changing your entire database platform.
Transparent and Predictable Pricing
Open source support offers fixed, transparent pricing: - Credativ PostgreSQL Enterprise Package: Starting at €49,000 annually for unlimited support[68] - Crunchy Data: Support included in subscriptions without additional licensing fees[59] - Compare to Oracle: 20-30% of license cost annually, with unpredictable price increases
Faster Innovation Cycles
Open source databases innovate faster than proprietary alternatives. PostgreSQL 17 and MongoDB 8.0 introduce cutting-edge features years before they appear in Oracle or SQL Server. Your support provider ensures you can leverage these innovations safely in production.
Cloud Providers: Enterprise Support by Default
Managed Services Eliminate Support Concerns
Cloud-managed database services provide enterprise support automatically: - Amazon RDS PostgreSQL: 24/7 AWS support with guaranteed SLAs[65] - Azure Database for PostgreSQL: Microsoft enterprise support included[65] - Google Cloud SQL: AI-powered monitoring with Google Cloud support[65] - MongoDB Atlas: Fully managed with tiered support options[78]
These services completely eliminate the support argument since hyperscale cloud providers guarantee availability and maintenance.
The True Cost of Staying with Oracle/SQL Server
Hidden Costs Beyond Licensing
Sticking with proprietary databases incurs costs beyond obvious licensing fees: - Support costs: 20-30% of license fees annually - Audit risks: Oracle's aggressive licensing audits can result in millions in unexpected fees - Limited cloud flexibility: Vendor lock-in reduces negotiating power with cloud providers - Slower innovation: Waiting years for features already available in open source alternatives
Competitive Disadvantage
Companies clinging to the "support myth" face real competitive disadvantages: - Higher operational costs reduce investment in innovation - Slower time-to-market due to licensing bottlenecks - Limited scalability compared to cloud-native alternatives - Talent acquisition challenges as developers prefer modern, open source stacks
The Management Psychology Problem
Risk Aversion vs. Reality
The real barrier isn't technical—it's psychological. Many IT leaders fear: - Personal accountability if something goes wrong with a "non-standard" choice - Justifying decisions to boards unfamiliar with open source maturity - Team training costs for new technologies
"Nobody Gets Fired for Buying IBM/Oracle"
This 1980s mentality persists despite overwhelming evidence of open source reliability and superior support. Risk-averse managers continue paying millions in unnecessary licensing fees rather than challenging outdated assumptions.
Generational Change in Progress
Next-generation IT leaders embrace open source by default. Startups and scale-ups adopt PostgreSQL and MongoDB from inception, creating market pressure for traditional enterprises to follow suit[44][48].
Recommendations for Modern IT Leaders
Audit Your Database Costs
Calculate your total cost of ownership for proprietary databases: - Annual licensing fees - Support contract costs - Audit compliance expenses - Cloud migration limitations - Developer productivity impact
Pilot Modern Alternatives
Start with low-risk pilot projects using PostgreSQL or MongoDB with enterprise support: - Choose a non-critical application for initial migration - Engage professional support providers from day one - Document performance and cost improvements - Build internal expertise gradually
Plan Strategic Migration
Develop a multi-year migration strategy: - Prioritize applications by migration complexity - Invest in team training and certification - Establish relationships with enterprise support providers - Create governance frameworks for open source adoption
Conclusion: The Myth is Dead, Long Live Modern Databases
The enterprise support myth died years ago—some IT organizations just haven't noticed yet. PostgreSQL and MongoDB offer superior support experiences compared to traditional proprietary databases, with better expertise, faster response times, and transparent pricing.
Companies still using "lack of support" as justification for Oracle or SQL Server are actively harming their competitiveness. They're paying premium prices for inferior technology while missing opportunities to invest savings in innovation.
The question isn't whether PostgreSQL and MongoDB have enterprise support—they have better enterprise support than Oracle and SQL Server. The question is whether your organization will adapt to this reality or continue paying the price for outdated assumptions.
Sources and References:
This article is based on extensive research from industry reports, support provider documentation, and real-world case studies from 2024-2025. All claims are supported by verifiable sources from leading database support providers, enterprise migration case studies, and market analysis reports.