How Fivetran Solved Database Replication

Fivetran's journey from a modest beginning to becoming a key player in data pipelines involved significant development of their database connectors, marked by numerous trials and innovations. Initially, their connector efforts were basic, akin to simple data pipelines, lacking sophisticated data extraction methods and unable to capture deleted data or maintain historical data records. This approach, called "snapshot-style replication," faced limitations such as inefficiency and an inability to track changes or deletions comprehensively. To overcome these challenges, Fivetran transitioned to log-based replication, particularly utilizing Postgres's write-ahead log (WAL), which records all data manipulation operations. This method enables incremental updates, avoids the need for cumbersome workarounds like date columns, and allows for tracking deletions and full history of changes in tables, thus enhancing the performance and capability of the connectors significantly.

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