July 2017 Summaries

BYOS (Bring Your Own Spark) is a feature of DSE Analytics that allows connecting from external Apache Spark™ systems to DataStax Enterprise with minimal configuration efforts. It extends the DataStax Spark Cassandra Connector with DSE security features such as Kerberos and SSL authentication, and includes drivers for accessing DSE Cassandra File System (CFS) and DSE File System (DSEFS). BYOS supports Hadoop 2.x HDFS file systems and can be used in conjunction with Spark Kerberos authentication. The feature is designed to work seamlessly with DataStax Enterprise, allowing users to leverage the power of Apache Spark while maintaining DSE's security features.

The DataStax Enterprise (DSE) Advanced Replication feature underwent significant changes between DSE 5.0 and DSE 5.1, improving its design and performance characteristics. Built on Apache Cassandra's multi-datacenter support, it enables selective or "hub and spoke" replication scenarios. The latest version is designed to handle sporadic connectivity often found in environments like retail, oil-and-gas remote sites, and cruise ships. Key improvements include the use of Cassandra Change Data Capture (CDC) feature instead of triggers for capturing mutations, offloading the queue outside DSE using local files, and support for multiple destinations with prioritization and flexible replication options. The new implementation also ensures data integrity, redundancy, and efficient transmission of mutations through deduplication techniques based on an understanding of token ranges, gossip, and mutation structures.