Azure Cosmos DB: A Scalable, Globally Distributed NoSQL Database

 

What is Azure Cosmos DB?

Azure Cosmos DB is a fully managed NoSQL, relational, and vector database that delivers single-digit millisecond response times, automatic scalability, and guaranteed performance at any scale.

What is NoSQL?

NoSQL databases are flexible, scalable databases that handle various data formats like documents or key-value pairs, unlike traditional SQL databases with fixed schemas.

Key Features:

  • Global Distribution: Available in 54+ regions with seamless multi-region distribution.
  • High Availability: 99.999% uptime for reads and writes.
  • Elastic Scalability: Scale effortlessly from thousands to millions of requests per second.
  • Low Latency: Sub-10ms response times for reads and writes.
  • Flexible Consistency: Multiple consistency levels to suit your needs.
  • Schema-Agnostic: No schema management required for dynamic data.

    • Concept related to Cosmos DB:

    Data Format: Data sent to Azure Cosmos DB via Dapr (a distributed application runtime) must be in JSON-serialized format, emphasizing the importance of JSON for Cosmos DB's NoSQL API.

    Database: Each account can contain one or more Databases. A database is a logical unit of management for containers in Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL.

    Containers: Containers are the core units of scalability in Cosmos DB, where the provision throughput and settings are managed like indexing and time-to-live (TTL) policies.

    Items: It refers to the documents stored within containers in JSON format. Cosmos DB supports these JSON documents natively and ensures atomicity in write operations.

    Partition Keys: Every container requires a partition key, which Cosmos DB uses to logically partition data for scalability and performance.

    Partitioning and Horizontal Scaling: Azure Cosmos DB scales using partitioning, which divides data into logical partitions based on a partition key. For example, if UserID is the partition key, items with different UserID values are grouped into separate logical partitions. These logical partitions are then distributed across physical partitions, which manage the actual data and throughput.

    Indexing in Azure Cosmos DB: Cosmos DB automatically indexes all properties of items without requiring schema management. It also can customize indexing policies to include or exclude specific paths.

    Azure Cognitive Search: Azure Cognitive Search is designed to work with both structured and unstructured data. It supports indexing and searching over a wide variety of data types.

    For more in-depth details, please explore the Azure Cosmos DB Page.

    What is SQL?

    Azure SQL Database is a fully managed relational database service that offers high availability, security, and performance. Includes built-in intelligence, advanced security, automatic backups, and scaling capabilities.

    Use Cases and Applications:

    When to Use SQL: 

  • Structured Data: Best for applications with well-defined schema and relationships.
  • Complex Queries: Suitable for scenarios involving complex joins, aggregations, and transactions.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Offers built-in features for role-based access control, auditing, and encryption.

    • When to Use CosmosDB:

  • Unstructured Data: Ideal for applications with flexible or semi-structured data requirements.
  • Global Distribution: Supports low-latency, high-throughput access across multiple regions.
  • High Scalability: Automatically scales to handle large volumes of reads and writes.
    •  

    Comparison:

    Type of Database: 

    •  SQL: Relational database, supports ACID transactions.
    • Cosmos DB: NoSQL database, supports multiple data models (document, key-value, graph).

    Scalability:

    • SQL: Scales vertically with more compute power.
    • Cosmos DB: Scales horizontally with partitioning and global distribution.

    Availability:

    • SQL: 99.995% for SQL Database, 99.99% for Managed Instances.
    • Cosmos DB: 99.99% for single-region, 99.999% for multi-region setups.

    Pricing:

    • SQL: The resources are billed hourly at at fixed rate based on the services tier.
    • Cosmos DB: The cost of all database operations is normalized and expressed as request units.


    Comments

    Post a Comment

    Popular posts from this blog

    Introduction to Copilot in PowerApps

    With just a few prompts in natural language, Power Apps Copilot can develop an app with a user interface, data tables, and backend logic. All you need to do is describe in natural language, “Build an app to onboard new employees and share an induction invitation email with clear instructions.” Copilot lets you build multi-screen apps, update user interfaces, add buttons, and customize colors. According to Microsoft, makers using Copilot have a success rate 60% higher than those who don’t incorporate Copilot and are 65% more satisfied with their overall experience. Copilot can help makers build apps over data from Excel 80% faster than before. Let’s take a quick look at an example of Copilot: How Copilot can help you build apps faster and more efficiently Increased productivity: Copilot automates repetitive coding tasks, allowing you to focus on more important aspects of app development.  Faster coding: Copilot generates entire code snippets and provides smart formula suggestio...
    Read more

    Still using Classic SharePoint Sites?

    Image
      Still using Classic SharePoint Sites? Oh! No worries, we got your back. There is one tool “ SharePoint Modernization Scanner ”. Now you must be wondering what it is? How it works? What all data you need to execute this tool? Hold on! Hold on! We will walk through all your questions one by one. Let’s Dive… Scanner is a key tool to use if you want to prepare for modernizing your classic sites as it will give you factual data about how easy  it is to modernize your site. Using the data generated on the dashboard by the scanner you will be able to drill down on the modernization readiness of your sites and plan the require work to be done where it is needed. Using this Scanner, you can prepare you classic sites for modernization. You can use to drive the planning, remediation, and migration. You will be prepared for the following modernization efforts.           The compatibility of the lists and libraries for modern user interface. Connecting these...
    Read more

    SharePoint Consulting Services in Canada & USA

    Image
    SharePoint Consulting Services in Canada, USA Description: - Desire Info Web, the top SharePoint Consulting Services in Canada, USA offers expert consulting services to help your organization enhance operations with SharePoint. In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, organizations need efficient tools and technologies to streamline their operations, enhance collaboration, and manage content effectively. SharePoint, a powerful platform developed by Microsoft, stands as a leading solution for enterprises to meet these needs. At Desire Infoweb, we take pride in delivering top-notch SharePoint consulting services in Canada, USA tailored to help businesses unlock the full potential of this versatile platform. Why Choose SharePoint for Your Business? SharePoint is more than just a content management system; it’s a comprehensive platform designed to foster collaboration, automate workflows, and centralize information. Here are some key benefits of using SharePoint: ...
    Read more