Cassandra

Definition

Cassandra is a highly scalable, distributed NoSQL database designed to handle large amounts of structured data across many servers, providing high availability with no single point of failure. It excels in environments requiring quick write and read operations while ensuring fault tolerance, making it a strong choice for big data applications and real-time analytics.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Cassandra was developed at Facebook to handle their inbox search feature and was open-sourced in 2008, becoming a popular choice for businesses needing scalable solutions.
2. It uses a peer-to-peer architecture, meaning all nodes in the cluster are equal and communicate with each other, which helps eliminate single points of failure.
3. Cassandra employs a tunable consistency model, allowing developers to balance between consistency and availability based on application needs.
4. Data in Cassandra is organized into column families, which are similar to tables in relational databases but allow for dynamic schema changes.
5. Cassandra is optimized for write-heavy workloads, making it suitable for use cases like logging, event tracking, and real-time analytics.

Review Questions

• How does Cassandra's distributed architecture contribute to its high availability and fault tolerance?
  • Cassandra's distributed architecture allows it to operate without a single point of failure by using a peer-to-peer model where all nodes share equal responsibility. This means that if one node goes down, others can continue to operate without interruption. The data is automatically replicated across multiple nodes, which ensures that even if some nodes fail, the data remains accessible, contributing to high availability.
• Discuss the implications of Cassandra's tunable consistency model on application performance and reliability.
  • Cassandra's tunable consistency model allows developers to choose the level of consistency needed for specific operations, which can range from eventual consistency to strong consistency. This flexibility enables applications to prioritize performance or reliability based on their specific requirements. For instance, an application can opt for faster responses by accepting eventual consistency during peak loads while ensuring strong consistency for critical transactions.
• Evaluate the role of Cassandra in modern big data architectures and how it integrates with other technologies.
  • Cassandra plays a crucial role in modern big data architectures due to its ability to handle large volumes of data across distributed environments efficiently. Its integration with tools like Apache Spark for real-time analytics enhances its capability by allowing complex processing on data stored within Cassandra. Additionally, it works well with other NoSQL databases and data lakes, providing organizations with a flexible infrastructure for managing diverse datasets and supporting various analytical workloads.

Related terms

NoSQL: A type of database that provides a mechanism for storage and retrieval of data that is modeled in means other than the tabular relations used in relational databases.

Distributed Database: A database that consists of two or more files located in different sites, allowing data to be stored across multiple servers or locations, enhancing accessibility and reliability.

Cluster: A set of servers that work together as a single system to provide redundancy and increased performance for applications like Cassandra.