Data Analytics – NoSQL Report
NoSQL, which is often referenced as Not only SQL, are databases that are non-relational or distributed. NoSQL includes a selection of database technologies as a result to the increase in data that is now collected, stored, and accessed. The databases used in NoSQL are based on a collection of document based, key-value pairs, graph databases or wide-column stores. In document databases each key is paired with a document (complex data structure), and it sorts, retrieves, and manages the document oriented information. The key-value store is the simplest of the four and stores each piece of data as a “key”, which is an attribute name, alongside with its value. This unique key that is given, will help in identifying the record. Another database from NoSQL is the graph stores, which share information about networks and is used for data that is well represented as a graph. The last one is wide-column stores, which groups the data in columns. The amount of columns used can be infinite and this is the reason it can be used for large data sets. NoSQL databases have a dynamic schema for unstructured data and are at times compared by various non-functional criteria, such as scalability, consistency, and performance. The NoSQL databases were developed as a way to deal with SQL database limitations. Some of these limitations that needed attention were concerning scale, unstructured data storage, and replication.
A good part of my Data Analytics course dealt with MySQL and how to create, store, search, and gather information. MySQL is typically the first platform that comes to mind when talking about relational database management systems (RDMS), but with the increase in volume and complexity of unstructured data that’s gathered everyday a different platform was needed. NoSQL databases are non-relational or distributive in comparison to SQL relational databases.
NoSQL is used in a variety of well-known companies that have large amounts of various data, such as Netflix, McGraw-Hill, and Twitter. This platform has also come to be one of the best options for storing web app session information and for accessing data or metadata with quick response time.
Works Cited
Miller, Michael J. “Storing Massive Data: Distributed Data and the NoSQL Movement.” PCMAG. N.p., 04 May 2012. Web. 22 Apr. 2015. <http://forwardthinking.pcmag.com/pc-hardware/297512-storing-massive-data-distributed-data-and-the-nosql-movement>.
“NoSQL Databases Explained.” NoSQL Databases Explained. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2015. <http://www.mongodb.com/nosql-explained>.
“NoSQL Databases Defined & Explained.” Planet Cassandra. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2015. <http://planetcassandra.org/what-is-nosql/>.