April 2018 Summaries

DataStax has introduced the OpsCenter LifeCycle Manager (LCM) Upgrade Service, designed to simplify and automate the process of upgrading DataStax Enterprise (DSE) clusters. The Upgrade Service allows users to easily clone their existing Config Profile, modify it as necessary for compatibility with targeted DSE versions, and control which nodes are upgraded based on cluster topology and application requirements. It also automatically installs required packages, proxies downloads, and provides comprehensive job progress and history views. The new feature aims to eliminate manual upgrade processes and reduce the need for custom tooling and development.

DataStax has introduced significant performance enhancements in its latest version, DataStax Enterprise (DSE) 6. These improvements include a new architectural design that utilizes thread-per-core and asynchronous operations for better scalability and reduced contention. The storage engine has also been optimized to improve latency and compaction performance. Additionally, DSE Advanced Performance offers enhanced analytics read performance through Continuous Paging and a bulk loader utility that outperforms current Cassandra load/unload utilities. These upgrades aim to provide faster data ingestion and serving capabilities while improving efficiency and resilience for demanding workloads.

DataStax Enterprise (DSE) 6 introduces DSE NodeSync, a new feature designed for operational simplicity in managing repair operations within a DataStax cluster. Unlike traditional anti-entropy repair mechanisms, NodeSync is ground-up rethinking of how to resolve entropy in the cluster. It automatically starts running in the background once DSE 6 is installed and requires minimal user input. NodeSync divides tasks into smaller units, tracks progress, and acts as a checkpoint mechanism for resiliency. Additionally, it prioritizes synchronization based on data freshness and failure history. OpsCenter 6.5 allows administrators to monitor NodeSync progress. This feature aims to simplify operations management in DataStax clusters, allowing administrators more time for other important tasks.

DataStax Enterprise (DSE) 6 is announced as a major win for customers requiring an always-on, distributed database to support their modern real-time applications in hybrid cloud environments. DSE 6 offers the best distribution of Apache Cassandra™ and represents the only hybrid cloud database capable of maintaining and distributing data in any format, anywhere – on-premise, in the cloud, multi-cloud, and hybrid-cloud. The latest release includes DSE Advanced Performance, which dramatically increases performance over its foundational open source components as well as its competitors; DSE NodeSync for seamless synchronization of data across clusters; DSE TrafficControl for advanced resiliency that ensures DSE nodes stay online under extreme workloads; and DSE Upgrade service for automated help with patch upgrades. Additionally, DataStax Studio 6 provides notebook support for Spark SQL, enabling a visual and intelligent interface and query builder to write Spark SQL queries and review the results.

DataStax Academy offers a guided tour of DataStax Enterprise 6 using Official DataStax Docker Images approved for non-production use. Since 2014, DataStax has been exploring orchestration technologies and providing best-practice guidance for integrating DataStax Enterprise (DSE) into Docker. They have made their Docker images widely available for non-production use by hosting them in Docker Hub. The company uses Docker internally for testing, reducing testing times from 15+ hours to 20-60 minutes. They also use the DataStax images to power their reference application, KillrVideo. Examples of projects built using these images are available on GitHub, and users can contribute by creating a pull request. The company provides simple configuration options through environment variables and advanced configuration management through a mechanism that allows changes or modifications without replacing or customizing containers. Adoption and feedback will drive the approval for production use.

The European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which goes into effect on May 25, brings significant changes to data protection policies. The GDPR applies to any data pertaining to EU citizens, whether the data is being handled inside or outside the EU. Penalties for non-compliance have been increased to up to 4% of annual global turnover or €20 million (whichever is greater). Companies must now obtain clear and easily accessible consent from individuals for processing their data and make it easy for them to withdraw that consent. DataStax offers tools, features, and consultancy services to help businesses using DataStax Enterprise stay compliant with the GDPR.