NoSQL
NoSQL databases, also known as “not only SQL” databases, were created to address the explosive growth of data in recent years. As the amount of data being created and stored continues to increase, it is becoming evident that traditional relational databases such as MySQL are having trouble keeping up due to flexibility and scalability limitations. In order to overcome these limitations, NoSQL databases were developed to be non-relational, which means that they are not schema-based like their counterparts. In addition, NoSQL databases run a myriad of programming languages, hence the name “not only SQL” (“NoSQL Databases”). Due to these differences, they are much more malleable than traditional databases and have the ability to easily adapt to the growing influx of data that requires storage and processing .
NoSQL relates to our study of database management systems (DBMS) in MIS2502. Over the course of the semester, we focused on relational databases within the MySQL DBMS. We covered an array of topics, including how to create and implement entity relationship diagrams as database schemas, how to retrieve valuable data from a database, and how to load information into a database. As a result, we learned how to effectively store, organize, and manipulate large amounts of complex data within the MySQL server, an established and widely-used DBMS. NoSQL builds on these concepts because it is the “next step” in the world of DBMS. NoSQL aims to bypass the flexibility and scalability limitations of relational databases and allow users to get the most out of their data.
Many major companies are employing NoSQL platforms to address their business needs. For example, Amazon.com developed a key-value NoSQL platform called Dynamo in 2007. Dynamo was created because Amazon’s traditional relational databases were having scalability issues and were unable to keep up with company growth. Similarly, Google uses BigTable, a column-based NoSQL system. Google developed BigTable specifically to manipulate its enormous collection of data on multiple machines (Perdue).
Works Cited
“NoSQL Databases Defined & Explained.” Planet Cassandra. Planet Cassandra. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.
Perdue, Tim. “NoSQL Databases Overview.” About Tech. About.com. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.