Trino on Ice III: Iceberg Concurrency Model, Snapshots, and the Iceberg Spec

The blog post, part of the "Trino on Ice" series, outlines the advantages of using the Apache Iceberg table format with the Trino query engine, focusing on the Iceberg concurrency model, snapshots, and its specification. It highlights how Iceberg addresses the shortcomings of the Hive model by storing metadata and data in the same datastore, which simplifies handling commit failures and improves data integrity through optimistic concurrency control. This approach allows writers to perform independent operations, coordinating only during the commit phase, akin to a git workflow. The post also discusses the snapshot feature, which facilitates time travel and rollback capabilities by capturing immutable data states at specific points in time. Additionally, the Iceberg specification is praised for providing a structured framework that encourages community collaboration and standardization, setting it apart from Hive and fostering confidence in its scalability and reliability. The blog promises further exploration of Iceberg's technical details in subsequent posts.