October 2016 Summaries

The article highlights common anti-patterns in container usage, which can make applications fragile and harder to manage. It advises against storing data or logs in containers, relying on IP addresses for communication between containers, running a single process in a container, using `docker exec`, keeping images lean by removing unnecessary files, creating images from running containers, storing security credentials in Docker images, using the `latest` tag without specifying version, and publishing all exposed ports. The article also warns against impedance mismatch between environments, running as the root user, and having dependency issues between containers. By avoiding these anti-patterns, developers can create more maintainable and scalable containerized applications.

Ensuring the security of password data is a crucial concern for both users and developers, emphasizing the importance of not storing passwords in plain text within databases. The tutorial discussed here demonstrates the process of enhancing password security by hashing them using Java and BCrypt before storing them in Couchbase, which significantly enhances data protection with minimal additional effort. This best practice is recommended for any organization aiming to safeguard sensitive information. For further information on utilizing the Couchbase Java SDK, the developer portal is a resourceful destination.

A tutorial video has been released demonstrating how to create an API with Node.js and Couchbase using the Object Document Mapper (ODM) tool Ottoman, which simplifies the process of mapping data layers to Node.js objects while handling queries and document relationships. This approach offers an alternative to using N1QL for querying, similar to how Mongoose functions as an ODM for MongoDB. Viewers are encouraged to watch both the Ottoman and N1QL tutorial videos to understand the different methods of integrating Couchbase with Node.js and to decide which method suits their needs best. For further exploration of Node.js and Couchbase functionalities, the Couchbase developer portal is suggested as a resource.

The release of the second major version of the Couchbase Spark Connector introduces compatibility with the Apache Spark 2.0.x series, thanks to contributions from community members Luca Rosellini and Shivansh Srivastava. This version enhances support for Spark Streaming and introduces initial support for Structured Streaming, utilizing a new low-overhead, production-ready DCP-client for dynamic scaling and automatic flow control. While the API remains largely unchanged, users can now handle node failures more effectively and start streaming from the current system state. Although Structured Streaming support currently only streams document changes, further developments are anticipated to include deletion handling and improved efficiency. The connector can function as both a source and sink, supporting schema-based data streaming and storage back into Couchbase. Users are encouraged to explore the provided samples repository for practical demonstrations and attend related talks at Spark Summit Europe and Couchbase Connect for deeper insights.

Genymotion is a fast and efficient Android emulator that replaces the standard Android emulator, providing a better development experience for serious developers. Genymotion achieves its speed by running an x86 version of Android in Virtualbox, which has implications for networking modes, including host-only devices that allow connecting to the host machine through a virtual interface named "vboxnet0". To use Google Play Services with Genymotion, one can install an OpenGApps bundle containing both ARM and x86 versions of GP. The installation process is relatively easy, involving downloading a zip package from http://opengapps.org/ and dragging it to the virtual device in Genymotion. With this setup, developers can take advantage of the Couchbase Mobile Training for NoSQL mobile development.

Couchbase Server 4.5.1 introduces significant improvements in N1QL, focusing on enhancing functionality, usability, and performance to facilitate the transition from traditional relational databases to a NoSQL/JSON data model. Key updates include the introduction of the SUFFIXES() function, which optimizes LIKE queries with leading wildcards by generating an array of suffix substrings, significantly improving search performance, particularly in applications with search boxes. Additionally, enhancements in N1QL's UPDATE syntax allow for more efficient navigation and updating of nested arrays in JSON documents, supporting complex data structures common in enterprise applications. These advancements, alongside the use of Array Indexing and other performance features, illustrate Couchbase's commitment to delivering sophisticated and efficient database solutions.

Couchbase Server 4.5.1 introduces a range of enhancements in N1QL, which are designed to improve functionality, usability, and performance for enterprise applications. One notable feature is the new query setting called "pretty," which enables or disables the pretty formatting of JSON query results. While pretty formatting makes JSON more human-readable, it increases the data size and resource consumption, so disabling it can significantly enhance performance, especially for large result sets. The update also extends dynamic object construction capabilities in N1QL, allowing both names and values of object fields to be arbitrary expressions, thereby enriching query results and flexibility. Additionally, the release includes a new array function, ARRAY_INTERSECT(), which returns the intersection of input arrays, adding to the tools available for data manipulation. These improvements aim to address critical customer issues and facilitate a smoother transition from RDBMS to Couchbase, with the version being production-ready and field-tested by partners and customers.

The eleventh episode of The NoSQL Database Podcast has been published and is available on popular podcasting networks including iTunes, Pocket Casts, TuneIn, and Stitcher. In this episode titled Data for Mobile Developers, Cesare Rocchi, a mobile developer and author, joins the host to discuss solutions for storing and managing data in Android and iOS applications. The episode is now live on all major platforms. Direct listeners can also access it through iTunes and Pocket Casts directly. For questions or comments, advocates can reach out to couchbase.com. Those who missed the previous episode about Hazelcast's data grids can find it here.

Couchbase Server 4.5 introduces a range of new features and enhancements, particularly focusing on array indexing capabilities. The update includes performance improvements in N1QL queries through covering array indexes, which optimize queries by avoiding unnecessary data retrieval trips. To create covering array indexes, the array must be included as an index key in the CREATE INDEX statement, allowing N1QL to evaluate predicates effectively. The release also supports additional N1QL operators like UNNEST and ANY AND EVERY for array indexes, enhancing query flexibility. Using a covered array index significantly boosts query performance, as demonstrated by a query that executes 375 times faster when utilizing the new indexing features. The update further allows the use of keywords such as DISTINCT ARRAY and ALL to define array indexes and introduces rules for index selection to ensure queries leverage the most suitable index. Overall, Couchbase 4.5 aims to offer improved efficiency and functionality in managing complex data structures.

Couchbase 4.5 introduces significant enhancements in array indexing, allowing for more efficient querying and indexing of individual elements within arrays in NoSQL documents. This update addresses challenges faced in previous versions, such as the inefficiency of indexing entire arrays as single scalar values, which made specific data searches cumbersome and storage-intensive. By supporting partial indexes, nested arrays, and operators like DISTINCT ARRAY, Couchbase 4.5 enables more precise and compact indexing, improving query performance by allowing targeted indexing of array subsets. This enhancement results in a substantial performance boost, exemplified by a test where an array index query performed nearly nine times faster than a traditional index. The new features offer improved query processing and flexibility, as users can now create indexes on specific elements or attributes within arrays, optimizing storage space and search efficiency.

The release of a .NET Core compatible SDK by Couchbase marks a significant development for the .NET community, providing an open-source, cross-platform implementation of the .NET framework. This developer preview version supports both .NET Framework 4.5 and .NET Core 1.0, offering backward compatibility with existing projects unless converted to .NET Core. The version bump to 2.4.X introduces new features such as cluster-level authentication and a data structures API, although these are still under development. The SDK is primarily geared towards asynchronous methods, aligning with Microsoft's shift away from synchronous APIs, though synchronous calls can still be made using Task.Result. The preview was developed with significant community contributions, notably from Brant Burnett, and users are encouraged to contribute or report bugs through the provided GitHub repository and Jira. The SDK can be installed via NuGet, and a step-by-step guide is available for setting up a simple console application on Ubuntu.

In this blog post, the author discusses the final steps in building the CouchCase, a portable Couchbase Server cluster housed in a briefcase, which is set to be showcased at the CodeMash conference in January 2017. The networking setup involves assigning specific IP addresses to Intel Compute Sticks connected to a router, and clustering is achieved by installing Couchbase Server on additional machines and joining them to the existing cluster using the initial node's IP address and credentials. The process of rebalancing the cluster, necessary for optimal document distribution among nodes, is explained as a seamless background operation that doesn't require downtime. The author invites further interaction via Twitter for questions or suggestions.

Couchbase Server can be used to store a variety of data types, including JSON documents, XML data, and binary data. Storing JSON documents is straightforward using the N1QL query language and the .NET SDK, which automatically serializes the document type. Storing XML data requires additional steps, such as serializing an object into an XML string and then inserting it into Couchbase. Binary data can be stored as a byte array, but this format is limited to being deserialized back into a .NET object. While storing non-JSON data in Couchbase offers flexibility, it also means that those values cannot be easily indexed or queried using N1QL operations.

Tom Coates, a Senior Principal Architect at Nuance Communications, has been chosen as the newest Couchbase Community Champion. He is based in Seattle, WA, and splits his time between system design and coding for his company's Enterprise Proactive Engagement team. Tom chose Couchbase due to its scalability and ease of use, particularly its bi-directional XDCR feature, which enabled him to re-architect his company's monolithic platform into a suite of RESTful services that are largely backed by Couchbase. The new architecture has resulted in an order of magnitude increase in throughput with a smaller overall footprint. Tom credits XDCR for making high availability and rebalancing of GSIs possible, and wishes for automatic high availability of GSIs, rebalancing of GSIs, and MOIs and standard GSIs on the same cluster. In his free time, Tom enjoys reading, camping, fishing, and snowboarding. He is a fan of Jim Butcher's "The Dresden Files" series, which he finds to be an enjoyable escapism with a flawed hero and humor.

The video tutorial provides a comprehensive guide to creating a RESTful API using Node.js, focusing on the development of four endpoints for CRUD operations and utilizing SQL-like N1QL queries to interact with a NoSQL Couchbase database. By the end of the tutorial, viewers should feel confident in using Couchbase NoSQL with N1QL for their RESTful Node.js API projects. This video is the first part of a series, with the next installment aiming to achieve similar objectives using an ODM akin to MongoDB's Mongoose instead of N1QL. For further skill enhancement, viewers are encouraged to explore additional resources on the Couchbase developer portal.

Couchbase Server version 4.5.1 has been released as the first maintenance update in the 4.5.x series, addressing over 145 stability, performance, and security issues across various services including the data service, query service, GSI, XDCR, and ForestDB. This release introduces several N1QL enhancements aimed at improving performance and easing the transition from RDBMS to NoSQL, such as the SUFFIXES function for faster string pattern matching, ARRAY_INTERSECTION for finding common items between arrays, and new capabilities for constructing objects and updating nested array elements. Additionally, the non-blocking streaming DISTINCT operator has been implemented to enhance query performance by emitting distinct values while minimizing memory consumption. Users are encouraged to provide feedback via Jira Issues, blog posts, and social media.

The speaker will be traveling to New York on October 8th and to Texas from October 10th to October 13th to present on topics related to NoSQL and Couchbase. The itinerary includes speaking engagements at various tech groups and conferences, such as Code Camp NYC, where they will present on "Full Stack Development with .NET and NoSQL," and similar topics at the Austin .NET User Group and Houston .NET User Group. Additionally, they will discuss "Full Stack Development with Node.js and NoSQL" at the Austin Node.JS User Group and "I Have a NoSQL Toaster" at Houston.js, a session inspired by Matthew Revell. Attendees can expect to receive stickers and other promotional items, potentially including the CouchCase.

The text discusses the process of building a desktop application using Gluon and Couchbase Lite, as an alternative to JavaFX for Java desktop applications. Gluon is highlighted for its support for Android and iOS, although the focus here is on desktop applications. The guide outlines the requirements for building a Gluon application, such as JDK 1.7+, IntelliJ IDEA, and Couchbase Sync Gateway for synchronization, even though the latter is not a strict requirement unless synchronization is needed. The process involves creating a Gluon project in IntelliJ, setting up a two-page application structure with Gradle, and designing a data layer using Couchbase Lite. The application includes a view for listing data and another for saving data, with instructions on managing navigation and data display using XML and Java code. The synchronization aspect is addressed by configuring Couchbase Sync Gateway and incorporating synchronization support into the application to enable bi-directional data sync. The text provides a comprehensive guide to developing a functional desktop application with Gluon and Couchbase Lite, emphasizing the ease of adding synchronization and the potential for expanding the application to Android platforms.

Sync Gateway is an integral component of the Couchbase Mobile stack, serving as a mechanism for organizing and securing document access through channels. Channels allow for efficient categorization and control of document flow, enabling users to assign documents to multiple channels for structured data management. The default sync function in Sync Gateway automatically creates channels based on document properties, but clients can request specific channels during replication, with access being determined by user authentication or assigned roles. The relationship between clients and Sync Gateway is not symmetrical, which can result in clients being able to write documents they cannot read. Additionally, Sync Gateway handles scenarios where access to documents is lost by creating a tombstone revision, which signifies removal rather than deletion, ensuring that clients like Couchbase Lite behave as if the document no longer exists. Understanding these nuances is crucial for effectively utilizing Sync Gateway to address complex data synchronization and offline use challenges within Couchbase Mobile.