How Database Management is Evolving for Better Service
Managing large sets of data is an important function within a world where data has gained prominence. The increased need for data both for commercial and individual use has increased the amount of data for processing. Now there are databases that are as big as petabytes. Database management systems have been forced to evolve at a much faster rate to keep up with demand. This has resulted in the creation of the Hadoop ecosystem. This is a system of applications designed for easing interaction within the data sphere. It enables users to manage their data in a more effective manner.
This evolutionary step is the result of several key advancements. The first is the increase in interconnectivity within the networking sphere. This increased the functionality of a single unit of computing power by allowing network access. The interconnected and increased network capacities enabled the database management system to outsource the work involved in storage, processing, and retrieval of data. It also enabled data to be stored in multiple physical locations while still being accessible from a single interface. The second advancement was the evolution of MapReduce. This is a multiprocessing capability applied within database management systems. It combines the effective processing power of the individual computing units available within the network into a single unit. This enables a huge task to be split up into smaller tasks that are processed much faster separately. MapReduce is the computational foundation of Hadoop ecosystems. It provides the skeletal support for the entire system by enabling low latency within a high tasking environment. The third advancement is the creation of columnar database systems. Columnar databases store information in relational columns instead of the traditional rows. This makes the data easy to control and retrieve. The effect of this is a reduction in the total size of the database. It further makes the data contained within easy to process. All the data contained within a Hadoop database management system are stored within relational columnar databases.
Hadoop is being developed in an open source environment. This allows different developers to undertake modifications and alterations to the original source code. The effect of this is that the ecosystems created are becoming even more powerful and at a much faster rate. The Hadoop system is changing the paradigms that have existed within the database management realm for so long. This is vital for businesses as it increases their service delivery.