- Published onNovember 28, 2022
- In Endless Origins
Real-time databases are perfect for storing and syncing data for monitoring and streaming services.
- by Mohit Pandey
Listen to this story
While relational databases have been around for a long time, real-time databases have been on the rise because they allow storing and syncing of data in real-time with almost zero latency. Streaming platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, and others, along with companies for managing large influx of data rely on databases that can be monitored and also provide high security and encryption, and to that end, real-time databases are the preferred way.
Check out the top 7 real-time databases that are being used for big organisations; with some with a small architecture that can be used for startups as well!
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One of the most popular and reliable real-time databases for speed and simplicity, Redis has a highly scalable caching layer for best enterprise performance. It can also handle identifying data using the AI-based transaction scoring for easier fraud detection. It is most commonly used for cache, message brokers, and deployment of databases across clouds and hybrid environments.
Redis boasts its latency for 1GB/s network with 200 microseconds. It runs on macOSX, Linux, Windows, and BSD and is supported in all languages.
A Google Developers’ product, Firebase is the rising star for real-time storing and syncing of data. It is a cloud-hosted NoSQL database that enables querying app data at a global scale. It ships with mobile and web SDKs for building serverless applications and users can also execute backend code to receive responses from triggered events of the database.
Along with offering strong security with authentication, Firebase is also optimised for offline use by storing data on local cache which is then uploaded and synchronised online when the device is connected. Compared to Redis and others, Firebase has a higher latency of around 100 milliseconds.
Enabling organisations to work across billions of transactions in seconds, Aeropike is another popular NoSQL real-time database. It is built for multi-cloud, leveraged on large-scale JSON documents and also for SQL use cases. Owing to its patented Hybrid Memory Architecture, it has the lowest footprint.
For storing 2 TB of data, Aerospike has less than 1 millisecond latency, but it does not store data in the memory. While compared to other real time databases, it requires 80% less infrastructure to work and is therefore preferable for smaller organisations.
The open-source, scalable database, RethinkDB, makes the process of building apps dramatically easier and makes the cumbersome process of managing data a lot easier. It allows you to query JSON documents with dozens of languages and build modern apps with technologies like Socket.io or SignalR.
The intuitive web UI allows you to scale your app clusters in merely a few clicks with a simple API for precise control. RethinkDB performed a 16-node cluster with a latency of 3 milliseconds—making it faster than a lot of its competitors.
An open-sourced distributed event streaming platform with high performance pipelines, streaming analytics, and data integration. With built-in stream processing, Kafka can work with Postgres, JMS, Elasticsearch, AWS, and many more.
With a latency of less than 2 milliseconds for clusters of machines, Kafka is extremely scalable and can be integrated on various other real-time databases like Hazelcast and RethinkDB, among others.
Making it easier to process and analyse collected and real-time data, Amazon’s Kinesis, is managed on the AWS server, which proves its scalability. It allows buffering of data and runs fully managed on the streaming applications. The most notable application for this database is for building video analytics applications.
Kinesis is very efficient for building application monitoring, fraud detection, and showcasing live leaderboards.
Hazelcast, a real-time data stream processing platform enables you to build applications and take actions immediately. It can be coded on languages like Java, Node.js, Python, C++, and Go. Hazel can be used for many use cases like retail banking, AI ops, supply–chain logistics, among many other data management applications.
It is cloud agnostic and has an average latency of Hazelcast is around 2 milliseconds for 18k/s throughput.
Mohit dives deep into the AI world to bring out information in simple, explainable, and sometimes funny words. He also holds a keen interest in photography, filmmaking, and the gaming industry.
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As an enthusiast with a demonstrable understanding of real-time databases, I can speak to the depth of knowledge required to appreciate the nuances of these systems. Real-time databases have gained prominence due to their ability to store and sync data with minimal latency, making them crucial for monitoring and streaming services. The article dated November 28, 2022, in Endless Origins, authored by Mohit Pandey, explores the significance of real-time databases and highlights the top 7 databases used by big organizations and startups alike.
Let's delve into each concept and database mentioned in the article:
-
Redis:
- Redis is acknowledged as one of the most popular and reliable real-time databases, renowned for its speed and simplicity.
- It features a highly scalable caching layer for optimal enterprise performance.
- Redis employs AI-based transaction scoring for fraud detection, enhancing its security capabilities.
- Notably used for cache, message brokers, and deploying databases across clouds and hybrid environments.
- Runs on macOSX, Linux, Windows, and BSD, supporting all major programming languages.
- Boasts low latency of 200 microseconds for a 1GB/s network.
-
Firebase:
- Developed by Google, Firebase is a cloud-hosted NoSQL database designed for real-time storing and syncing of data.
- It offers global scalability and provides mobile and web SDKs for building serverless applications.
- Firebase ensures security with authentication and supports offline use by storing data on local cache, syncing when the device is connected.
- Features a higher latency of around 100 milliseconds compared to Redis.
-
Aerospike:
- Aerospike is a NoSQL real-time database capable of handling billions of transactions in seconds.
- Built for multi-cloud, it leverages large-scale JSON documents and is suitable for SQL use cases.
- Its patented Hybrid Memory Architecture results in a minimal footprint, requiring 80% less infrastructure compared to other real-time databases.
- Boasts less than 1 millisecond latency for storing 2 TB of data.
-
RethinkDB:
- RethinkDB is an open-source, scalable database simplifying app development and data management.
- Enables querying of JSON documents with support for multiple languages and modern app-building technologies.
- Features an intuitive web UI for easy scaling of app clusters and demonstrated a latency of 3 milliseconds in a 16-node cluster.
-
Apache Kafka:
- Kafka is an open-sourced distributed event streaming platform designed for high-performance pipelines, streaming analytics, and data integration.
- Offers less than 2 milliseconds latency for clusters of machines, making it extremely scalable.
- Compatible with various real-time databases, including Hazelcast and RethinkDB.
-
AWS Kinesis:
- Amazon's Kinesis is a managed real-time data processing and analytics platform on AWS.
- Known for scalability, it allows buffering of data and runs fully managed on streaming applications.
- Primarily used for building video analytics applications, application monitoring, fraud detection, and live leaderboards.
-
Hazelcast:
- Hazelcast is a real-time data stream processing platform supporting multiple programming languages.
- Cloud-agnostic, it can be used for various applications, including retail banking, AI ops, and supply-chain logistics.
- Demonstrates an average latency of around 2 milliseconds for 18k/s throughput.
This comprehensive overview showcases the diverse landscape of real-time databases, each catering to specific needs and preferences in the dynamic realm of data management and analytics.
