May 2015 Summaries

Recently, the paper "ForestDB: A Fast Key-Value Storage System for Variable-Length String Keys" was accepted for publication in the prestigious IEEE Transactions on Computers, marking a significant achievement for Jung-Sang Ahn, Chiyoung Seo, and their team after over two years of dedicated work. ForestDB, which is being integrated into Couchbase Server and Couchbase Mobile, promises to enhance read and write performance while paving the way for new capabilities. Committed to open source, the team has made ForestDB available on GitHub, along with a benchmarking tool. A detailed guide is provided to help users install and benchmark ForestDB on CentOS, emphasizing the need for g++ 4.7 or higher and detailing the installation and benchmarking process, while also noting that benchmark results can vary depending on the hardware used.

The article "Database Scalibility Redefined" covers the upcoming features of Couchbase Server 4.0, specifically its extension of scalability models for database workloads. The author invites readers to explore how various architectural designs such as libraries and corporate headquarters are optimized to support high-performance databases like Couchbase. The article provides an in-depth look at the challenges and solutions related to multi-dimensional scaling, aiming to redefine traditional notions of database scalability.

At a recent Couchbase London meetup, LinguSocial, a service specializing in translating voice and text conversations, was showcased. The service is constructed using Couchbase Server and Couchbase Mobile, and its founder, Marcel Goya, provided insights into how these technologies form the backbone of LinguSocial's operations.

Deploying a multi-node Couchbase Server cluster on public cloud platforms can be complex, but the Azure Resource Manager (ARM) simplifies this process on the Azure cloud with a powerful template. Traditionally, setting up such a cluster involved multiple operations using REST calls or client tools, such as Azure PowerShell or the Cross-Platform CLI, to provision resources like VMs and storage accounts. However, ARM allows for a more streamlined, declarative approach to provisioning resources, initially limited to certain services but now expanded to include Compute, Networking, and Storage resources. Full Scale 180 collaborated with Microsoft to create templates for deploying realistic solutions, including a Couchbase cluster template, which can be accessed on GitHub. These templates enable users to deploy clusters while following best practices for both Azure and Couchbase. More information and tips on ARM templating are available on Full Scale 180's blog.

The Couchbase .NET SDK 2.1.0 GA release includes several new features such as support for the Task Asynchrony Pattern (async and await keywords) and non-blocking IO for all Key/Value operations, enabling developers to write asynchronous code using the SDK. Additionally, the release introduces new extension points for creating "pluggable" Transcoders, Serializers, and Converters, allowing users to customize their experience with the SDK. Other notable features include per connection TCP KEEP_ALIVE settings, official support for a "key exists" method, and improvements to query-request engines and bug fixes.

Cloudera has announced new initiatives to support open source test frameworks that aid developers in certifying integrations with Apache Kafka, Apache Sqoop, and Apache Flume, emphasizing their commitment to open standards and API compatibility. These frameworks aim to streamline the adoption of open source technologies, reducing the time developers spend on integrating newer technologies and ensuring future compatibility, which allows more focus on innovative solutions that provide competitive advantages. By making these test frameworks free and open, Cloudera ensures a level playing field for vendors and developers, fostering contributions and participation from both new and established technologies. As enterprises increasingly shift from rigid relational technologies to more agile software stacks for web, mobile, and IoT applications, open source stacks, including NoSQL and Hadoop, are becoming essential for their flexibility and responsiveness. This development encourages developers and enterprises to confidently experiment with new solutions, and Cloudera looks forward to contributing to these and other open source projects to facilitate the deployment of open source architectures.

Cloud computing, big data, and mobile technology are prompting enterprises to redefine their software stacks, with open source playing a significant role due to its rapid innovation, community support, and flexibility. Open source software typically innovates faster than proprietary software, benefiting from contributions by a large number of developers and users, which accelerates the delivery of essential features and ecosystem developments. This approach allows enterprises to explore and experiment with new technologies without initial financial commitments, offering a more controlled and less risky adoption process compared to the traditional top-down, proprietary software model. Additionally, open source communities, characterized by their supportive and collaborative nature, provide valuable resources and engagement opportunities that enhance the user experience. Open source software also offers the advantage of reduced vendor lock-in, allowing customers to revert to free versions if the paid versions do not meet their expectations.

The Big Data track at Couchbase Connect 2015 focuses on integration, architecture, and solutions for popular big data technologies like Spark, Kafka, Hadoop, and NoSQL. The event will feature presentations from technical staff at LinkedIn and PayPal, as well as experts from Couchbase, Hortonworks, Confluent, and other organizations. Sessions include topics such as the role of NoSQL in a Hadoop ecosystem, blueprints for big data architectures, importing and exporting data to Hadoop with Apache Sqoop, and stream processing with Apache Spark and Apache Storm.

As the NoSQL industry continues to mature, consolidation is expected to occur over the next 18-24 months, prompting concerns about risks for developers and operations engineers who invest in these technologies. The process of industry maturation involves a cycle where early adopters face uncertainty and risk, followed by leaders emerging with better market traction, increased funding, and larger investments. Currently, three NoSQL players - Couchbase, DataStax, and MongoDB - have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, indicating a period of significant growth and investment for these companies.