Research and One Page Write Up on NoSQL
This project required us to research a topic currently impacting the MIS industry and describe it. We also connected the topic to what we had previously learned in class. The topic that I chose was NoSQL databases, which differ from the SQL databases that we had primarily worked with in class. The final project can be seen below and also on my community website under the “Research” tab.
NoSQL Databases
Finishing up my lower-level MIS classes, NoSQL Databases sounded like a completely foreign subject. SQL had been taught as a useful way to interact with relational databases. Data was stored in schemas, which kept it structured and consistent. In classes, though, SQL was used for small applications; websites with few users, collecting little data. SQL worked perfectly when collecting data for these smaller applications, however, companies collecting large amounts of data are shying away from SQL and other relational databases. Instead, the popularity of NoSQL databases is increasing. NoSQL databases are databases that store data less rigidly than relational databases, allowing for more flexibility and speed. Data can be stored without schemas, which allows for fast access and the ability to store various types of data.
Applications today are being created to serve millions of people and collect immense quantities of data. This data is constantly changing, and comes in many different forms, some of which SQL databases cannot work with (Serdar, “What is NoSQL”). Developers might feel limited by the fact that SQL databases can only store similar types of data in a table because of the corresponding row-column storage method. An example of a type of NoSQL database that works around this issue is a Wide Column Store, which stores data in columns, as opposed to the rows more commonly used with SQL. This means that data formats can vary in the same row, allowing different types of data to be stored in the same table. Netflix, for example, uses the Wide Column Store Cassandra for much of its data, since it is constantly growing and updating. Netflix was initially worried about losing the consistency provided by SQL databases, but ultimately determined that NoSQL would allow their data to be more available and accessed more quickly (“NoSQL at Netflix”).
Despite their increasing popularity, NoSQL databases can have their drawbacks. While they are faster and able to process more data than SQL databases, they tend to lack the “ACID” properties that developers often look for in data: Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability (‘ACID Properties). These properties ensure that data transactions are complete and reliable. When comparing SQL and NoSQL databases, developers should consider their needs. SQL databases provide more structure and reliability, while NoSQL databases provide speed and the ability to work with larger, varying amounts of data.
Works Cited
“ACID Properties.” Microsoft, https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa480356.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396. Accessed 26 Apr. 2018.
“NoSQL at Netflix.” Netflix Tech Blog, https://medium.com/netflix-techblog/nosql-at-netflix-e937b660b4c. Accessed 26 Apr. 2018.
Yegulalp, Serdar. “What is NoSQL? NoSQL databases explained.” InfoWorld, 7 Dec. 2017, https://www.infoworld.com/article/3240644/nosql/what-is-nosql-nosql-databases-explained.html. Accessed 26 Apr. 2018.