What is NoSQL?

NoSQL means ‘Not only SQL’, aka ‘Non-relational’. These are databases specifically introduced to handle the rise in data types, data access and data availability needs.

Today’s needs require a database that is capable of providing a scalable, flexible solution to efficiently and safely manage the massive flow of data to and from a global user base.

Developers and IT alike are finding it difficult and sometimes even impossible, to quickly incorporate all of this data into the relational model while dynamically scaling to maintain the performance levels users demand. This is causing many to look at NoSQL databases for the flexibility they offer and is a big reason why the global NoSQL market is forecast to nearly double and reach $3.4 Billion in 2020.

Relational databases have been the defacto choice since the 1970s, as they have been the sole options available for both developers and infrastructure teams. Some of the most popular are Oracle, MS SQL Server, MySQL and DB2.

However when internet applications and companies started exploding during the late 90s, early 2000s, applications went from serving thousands of users (internal emplozees), to millions of users ot the public internet. For these applications performance and availability are paramount. The new problem of high availability at large scale drove companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon to create new technologies. Thankfully they documented their effords, released them and open sourced their technology for the IT community to continue building upon. By the late 20000s, several new non-relational database technologies had emerged and NoSQL was the name that stuck to describe them all.

Most of the NoSQL databases have roots in the open source community. This heritage has been fundamental for their ever-increasing popularity and usage. Companies who provide a commercial version of a database with services and support, at the same time are participating in the open source communities. Examples include Datastax for Apache Cassandra IBM Cloudant for Apache CouchDB and MongoDB with an open source of their MongoDB software.

This Blog is created and maintained by Iraklis Mardiris