YugabyteDB is a distributed SQL database that supports full 4-byte UTF8 encoding from the outset, unlike MySQL which only started supporting this in version 5.5.3 due to incorrect initial implementation. When a node cannot communicate with another node in a cluster, the UI marks the node as dead if it's the leader, but not otherwise. YugabyteDB generates self-signed certificates for SSL/TLS encryption and supports using native backup commands instead of EBS snapshots for backups. The platform has released new documentation, blogs, tutorials, and videos on topics such as PostgreSQL row-level security, change data capture, and distributed databases. YugabyteDB is hiring software engineers, developer advocates, and technical writers to join its growing team. Users can get started with YugabyteDB by visiting the quickstart page or contacting the company for licensing information.