A cloud-native database isn’t just a database that happens to be sitting in the cloud; it’s built from the ground up to harness the full potential of cloud computing. Unlike traditional databases only adapted to operate in the cloud, cloud-native databases are designed to work with the cloud’s distributed architecture to optimize performance, manage resources dynamically, and scale seamlessly with fluctuating demands.
But why does this matter? Cloud-native databases offer several significant advantages over traditional databases, as they enable quick and efficient handling of large volumes of data in real-time, support the swift development of applications, ensure high availability, provide solid disaster recovery capabilities, and are cost-efficient.
In this blog, we look at the features, benefits, and real-world applications of cloud-native databases.
Overview of cloud-native databases
Let’s start by looking at the unique architectural designs and characteristics of cloud-native databases, with a focus on their integration of microservices architecture and containerization and how all these elements set them apart from conventional cloud computing methods.
The key components of cloud-native databases include:
Microservices
Cloud-native applications typically adopt a microservices architecture. Emphasizing modularity, this architecture breaks down database functionalities into smaller, independent services that communicate over a network and offer greater scalability, flexibility, and resilience than traditional database systems. By leveraging the advantages of cloud computing, such as resource elasticity and geographic distribution, cloud-native databases with a microservices architecture can dynamically adapt to changing demands and workloads, ensuring efficient resource utilization and improved performance.
Fundamental characteristics of microservices within cloud-native apps
- Decentralized control: Unlike traditional architectures, where a single application is a large, interconnected unit, microservices decentralized control. Each microservice is responsible for a specific function or feature of the application, and this separation allows for more agile development and maintenance.
- Independent deployment: Microservices can be deployed independently, meaning updates, changes, or new features can be rolled out for a specific service without impacting the entire application. This leads to faster release cycles and minimizes downtime during updates.
- Scalability: Each service can be scaled independently, allowing more efficient resource utilization. For example, a component experiencing high demand can be scaled up without scaling the entire application, leading to cost savings and improved performance.
- Flexibility: Microservices allow the use of different technology stacks for different services. This means developers can choose the most suitable technology for each service based on its requirements without being constrained by the choices made for other parts of the application.
- Resilience: The isolated nature of microservices enhances the overall resilience of the application, so if one service fails, it does not bring down the entire application. This is crucial for ensuring high availability and reliability.
- Rapid iteration and agility: The microservices architecture streamlines the development process by enabling teams to concentrate on specific services, thereby reducing complexity and accelerating the pace of development and iteration.
Containers and orchestration
Containers are a core element in cloud-native development by encapsulating an application’s entire runtime environment—its code, runtime, system tools, libraries, and other dependencies—into a single, portable unit. This packaging ensures the software runs uniformly and consistently across any computing environment, whether a developer’s laptop or a high-capacity cloud server. This helps address a common challenge in software development: discrepancies between development, testing, and production environments, which can lead to unexpected bugs and deployment issues.
Orchestration tools like Kubernetes manage these containers, automating deployment, scaling, and operations. Kubernetes’ ability to efficiently manage clusters of containers across diverse environments makes it a key component in the operation of cloud-native databases.
This combination of containers and orchestration tools like Kubernetes enhances cloud-native databases by enabling dynamic scaling to accommodate changing demands, ensuring high availability and disaster recovery, and making updates and migrations smooth and uninterrupted.
Read more: Understanding what Kubernetes is used for – The key to cloud-native efficiency
Declarative APIs
Declarative APIs have become a key element in managing cloud-native databases, representing a significant shift in how resources are managed in cloud environments. Unlike traditional imperative APIs, which require explicit commands to execute actions, declarative APIs focus on defining the desired state of a system, leaving the details of how to achieve that state to the underlying system itself. Let’s review the difference a little more in-depth:
Imperative APIs: These are a type of traditional API that requires the user to provide explicit commands to carry out specific actions. For instance, the user must specify each process step in updating a database. This includes connecting to the database, initiating a transaction, executing the update, committing the transaction, and, ultimately, disconnecting from the database.
Declarative APIs: In contrast, declarative APIs emphasize defining the desired state of a system rather than detailing the steps to achieve it. With this approach, you simply describe your desired outcome, and the underlying system determines the necessary steps to reach that state. For example, when dealing with a cloud-native database, you might specify the need for a database of a certain size and with particular performance characteristics. The cloud system then automatically handles the provisioning of resources, scaling, and maintaining the database to fulfill these specified requirements.
Declarative APIs simplify the complexities of resource management by allowing systems to adapt to fluctuating demands autonomously, eliminating the need for manual intervention. They also facilitate increased automation in deployment and management, streamlining operations and reducing the likelihood of human error.
Cloud-native monitoring tools
Monitoring is vital in managing the performance and health of any database, and cloud-native ones are no different. Tools like Percona Monitoring and Management (PMM) and Prometheus offer robust monitoring solutions designed to provide real-time insights and analytics for applications and services running in the cloud.
These tools are tailored to handle the complexities and scalability of cloud-native architectures, like microservices and containers, ensuring comprehensive visibility across distributed systems. They enable teams to track key performance indicators (KPIs), detect anomalies, and monitor resource utilization, helping to maintain optimal performance and reliability. Advanced features often include automated alerting, log aggregation, and integration with continuous deployment pipelines, allowing for proactive issue resolution and continuous improvement of system health.
Distributed Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD)
CI/CD is a software development method for developers to continuously integrate (CI) their code changes into a shared repository, followed by automated builds and tests. It significantly reduces integration problems and encourages a more agile and iterative approach to development. For cloud-native databases, which often involve complex, distributed architectures, it ensures that new features, updates, and bug fixes are seamlessly and consistently integrated into the database system without disrupting its operational stability.
Continuous delivery (CD) takes the principles of CI further by ensuring that the code is not just tested, but always in a state ready for deployment. This allows for rapid and secure implementation of database modifications, whether they involve schema changes, the introduction of new indexing strategies, or enhancements in performance. Such agility is essential in cloud-native environments where the need for scalable and high-performing solutions is crucial.
CI/CD pipelines often include additional steps like containerization, orchestration configuration, and managing database versioning, all coordinated to maintain the database’s operational integrity and efficiency.
By automating these processes, CI/CD quickens the development cycle and enhances the reliability and stability of cloud-native databases.
Managed database services
Managed database services are increasingly popular in cloud-native environments, offering a streamlined approach to database management that is both efficient and cost-effective. The appeal of these services, provided by companies like Percona, lies in their ability to simplify the complexities associated with database management.
For example, they automatically handle updates and patches, ensuring that the database system is always running the latest, most secure software. Additionally, these services provide on-demand scalability, allowing dynamic resource adjustments in response to fluctuating workloads, which is crucial for businesses experiencing variable traffic spikes or rapid growth, ensuring consistent database performance.
By leveraging the expertise and resources of managed database service providers, businesses can reduce operational overhead and mitigate risks associated with database management.
The rise of cloud-native databases
The rising popularity of cloud-native databases among businesses signifies a significant shift in their data storage and processing approach. With the unprecedented growth in data volumes, traditional databases often struggle to meet escalating demands, leading to processing and analytics bottlenecks. In contrast, cloud-native databases offer inherent scalability and flexibility, efficiently scaling resources in response to varying workloads. These databases have become essential by simplifying database management, optimizing cost savings, and enabling the swift development and deployment of new applications, services, and features.
This trend is driven by several key factors:
Technological advancements, particularly Kubernetes
The rise of Kubernetes and similar technologies has been a major catalyst for adopting cloud-native databases. As discussed earlier, Kubernetes simplifies containerized applications’ deployment, scaling, and management, making the orchestration of cloud-native databases more accessible and efficient. This ease of management makes cloud-native databases more accessible and manageable, even for businesses without extensive IT resources.
Enhanced resilience and performance
Another driving force behind the shift to cloud-native databases is the need for enhanced resilience and performance. These databases are designed to be fault-tolerant, with distributed architectures that ensure high availability and minimal downtime, essential for applications that require constant uptime and rapid data access. Additionally, cloud-native databases can easily handle large-scale data operations and provide real-time data access, which is essential for data-driven decision-making.
Economic and operational efficiency
Simply put, cloud-native databases are usually more cost-effective compared to traditional databases. By leveraging cloud resources, businesses can significantly reduce the costs associated with hardware, maintenance, and scalability. The pay-as-you-go pricing model of many cloud services aligns well with the scalable nature of cloud-native databases, offering financial flexibility and predictability, and the ability to automate many operational aspects of database management reduces the need for extra staff.
Security and compliance
Cloud-native databases offer robust security features and compliance capabilities as data security and regulation compliance become more critical. With advanced encryption, access controls, and compliance tools integrated into these platforms, businesses can ensure the security and integrity of their data while meeting regulatory requirements.
Digital transformation initiatives
Many organizations are undergoing a full digital transformation, and these initiatives often involve a comprehensive overhaul of how an organization uses technology, processes data, and engages with its customers. Cloud-native databases play a critical role in this transformation by offering the agility to adapt to rapidly changing market conditions and technological advancements. They enable organizations to leverage big data analytics and machine learning for real-time processing and analysis of customer data, providing insights that drive innovation and competitive advantage.
And, now that remote work is becoming the norm, cloud-native databases support this new way of working by providing teams with seamless access to data and tools, irrespective of location, fostering a more collaborative and productive work environment.
Standardized cloud services
The standardization of cloud services is significantly influencing organizations’ growing adoption of cloud-native databases. Standardization ensures interoperability and seamless integration by establishing uniform frameworks, protocols, and technologies across various cloud platforms, allowing cloud-native databases to work with diverse cloud-based applications and services. It simplifies migration and deployment processes, enabling a smoother transition from traditional databases with reduced complexity and risk. This aspect especially benefits smaller organizations or those with limited IT resources.
Learn more: Cloud native predictions for 2024
How cloud-native differs from traditional cloud computing
While both cloud-native and traditional cloud computing operate in cloud environments, they differ significantly in their approach and execution.
Design philosophy
In traditional cloud computing, apps are frequently “lifted and shifted” to the cloud without being redesigned to take advantage of cloud-specific features. Cloud-native apps, in contrast, involve designing applications specifically for cloud environments, utilizing distributed systems and microservices architecture.
Scalability and resilience
Applications that are cloud-native are designed for high resilience and seamless scalability. Their microservices architecture enables individual components to be scaled as needed, allowing them to handle failures smoothly and scale automatically with demand. This is not the case with traditional cloud apps, which are more prone to single points of failure and may require manual intervention for scaling.
Resilience and fault tolerance
Cloud-native applications are more resilient to failures, because microservices’ distributed architecture means that if a single component fails, it does not bring down the entire application.
Development and operations
Agile and DevOps methodologies are embraced by cloud-native development, ensuring quick iterative development cycles and continuous improvement. These approaches may not be fully utilized in traditional cloud computing, which could result in slower cycles for development and deployment.
Infrastructure utilization
Cloud-native applications optimally use cloud resources, often through serverless computing and dynamic resource allocation. Traditional cloud applications might not fully utilize this elasticity and scalability, leading to potential under-utilization or over-provisioning.
Benefits of cloud-native databases
So, why are organizations increasingly turning to cloud-native databases? While we’ll leave the final judgment to you, they offer some compelling advantages over traditional databases for organizations looking to optimize their data strategies.
Enhanced performance and efficiency
Elastic scalability and distributed architecture are two features that cloud-native databases are built to take advantage of. Because these databases can dynamically adjust to varying workloads, they ensure high availability and consistent performance.
Cost-effectiveness and savings
The affordable nature of cloud-native databases is one of their greatest features. Organizations can avoid the significant upfront expenditures connected with traditional databases with a pay-as-you-go pricing approach. Operational expenses are significantly decreased because there is no requirement for major hardware maintenance or updates. Additionally, the ability to scale resources up or down as needed means companies only pay for what they use, avoiding wasteful spending on unused capacity.
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Flexibility and agility
Databases that are cloud-native provide unmatched agility and flexibility, as they support multiple programming languages and frameworks and can be easily integrated with an array of cloud services and applications. This adaptability helps companies stay competitive and innovative by enabling them to adjust to shifting market needs and technology improvements quickly.
Improved security and compliance
Any database must consider security and compliance, and cloud-native databases excel in these areas. They gain from the strong security controls cloud providers implement, such as frequent updates and patches. In addition, as many cloud-native solutions have built-in compliance controls for different industry standards, regulatory compliance is simpler.
Disaster recovery
Another substantial benefit of cloud-native databases is their capability for disaster recovery, as these systems often have redundancy and backup procedures built in, ensuring data availability and integrity even in the case of disaster or system failure. Recovery methods are typically faster and more dependable than traditional databases, reducing downtime and data loss.
Automated management
Cloud-native databases usually include automated management, which minimizes the need for a lot of manual interaction. Performance optimization, backups, and updates are all handled by this automation, which can lower labor costs and minimize human error, improving database reliability.
Eco-friendliness
Cloud-native databases contribute to environmental sustainability by running on more resource-efficient data centers, reducing the need for physical hardware, and optimizing resource usage. This results in a smaller environmental footprint, which is increasingly important for organizations aiming to be more environmentally conscious.
Challenges of cloud-native databases
Adopting cloud-native databases is not without its difficulties, though. And any business that uses or intends to migrate to cloud-native databases must understand these challenges.
Managing complexity
The adoption of cloud-native environments, particularly those involving containers and Kubernetes, introduces a level of complexity that can be daunting. According to insights from the DoK (Data on Kubernetes) 2022 report, two primary challenges stand out: identifying the right tools and platforms (52%) and grappling with architectural complexity (51%). These challenges are compounded when provisioning and managing databases in these environments, adding additional layers of complexity.
The initial setup is just the beginning for those working on getting data workloads to run on Kubernetes. The more arduous task is managing these workloads throughout their lifecycle, often referred to as Day-2 operations. Automating application provisioning and management is cited as the number one challenge by organizations, as per the DoK 2022 report. This underscores the need for a proficient team skilled in Kubernetes, Helm, and YAML, coupled with a reliable, production-ready database engine capable of provisioning resources tailored to specific needs.
This difficulty involves more than just the environment’s technical aspects; it also involves finding skilled employees. A shortage of personnel with in-depth knowledge of managing cloud-native technologies currently exists, and this necessitates either investing in training and upskilling existing teams or recruiting new talent with the requisite skills, both of which can be expensive.
Security concerns in the cloud
Ensuring data security is one of the main issues with cloud-native databases. The shared responsibility model in cloud computing highlights a crucial balance: while cloud providers deliver robust security measures, the responsibility for safeguarding data also falls on the organizations using these services. The need for continuous vigilance against unauthorized access, cyber threats, and data breaches as data moves across various cloud services demonstrates the need for specialized expertise and know-how. Here, the value of managed services becomes clear, offering a strategic approach to handling the difficult challenges of cloud security. By leveraging the expertise of professionals, organizations can ensure their data is protected against unauthorized access and compliant with the latest security standards and regulations.
Cost predictability
While cloud-native databases can be cost-effective due to their scalable nature, predicting costs can be challenging. Unexpected costs may arise from the pay-as-you-go pricing approach, particularly if resource utilization isn’t monitored and controlled. Companies need to develop cost- and resource-controlling strategies, which demand an in-depth understanding of pricing models and usage trends.
Risks of vendor lock-in
Another significant challenge is the risk of vendor lock-in. Relying on the technologies and services of a single cloud provider can make future migrations to other providers challenging and costly. This lock-in can limit flexibility, so businesses should consider multi-cloud strategies or use cloud-native databases without long-term contracts to facilitate easy data portability and interoperability.
Network latency
Network latency is a concern, particularly for applications that require real-time data processing. The speed at which data is read and processed might be affected by the physical distance between the end users and the cloud’s database servers. Though cloud providers strive to minimize latency, organizations should consider geographic locations and select data centers closest to their user base (if applicable) to maximize performance.
Compliance and data localization
Adhering to legal requirements for data localization and regulatory standards might be difficult for cloud-native databases. Specialized data processing and storage procedures must be followed to comply with regulations such as the GDPR, HIPAA, and other national data protection laws. Because of this, companies need to understand the legal ramifications of where and how they store and handle their data on cloud platforms.
Cloud-native databases use cases and applications
Cloud-native databases have become indispensable across many industries. Here’s how different sectors leverage cloud-native databases to enhance their operations.
Financial services
To handle high transaction volumes and real-time data processing required in the finance industry, cloud-native databases are essential. They process and analyze transaction data quickly, which helps detect fraud. Additionally, because of their scalability, financial institutions and banks can manage peak loads during periods of high traffic, such as volatility in the stock market.
Healthcare
Healthcare firms employ cloud-native databases to handle patient records and medical data.. Sensitive health data requires compliant and secure data storage, which these databases provide. They also enable real-time data analysis, which is essential for predictive analytics in personalized medicine and patient monitoring.
Gaming
Cloud-native databases help the gaming industry manage user and game state data and deliver smooth gaming experiences. These databases support the high scalability demands of online multiplayer games, ensuring low latency and high availability, which are critical for maintaining user engagement and satisfaction.
Supply chain logistics
Using cloud-native databases simplifies managing inventory, tracking products in real-time, and estimating supply chain demand using predictive analytics. Their quick processing and analysis of data from a variety of sources aids in reducing operational costs and improving logistics.
Education
Educational institutions use cloud-native databases for managing student information, course materials, and interactive learning resources. In particular, they provide the scalability required to sustain online learning platforms during periods of high demand, such as test or course enrollment periods.
Social media
Social media platforms rely on cloud-native databases to manage massive volumes of user-generated content, such as likes, comments, shares, and posts. The high speed and scalability needed for real-time data feeds and tailored content delivery are a perfect use for cloud-native databases.
Utility management
Cloud-native databases are used for monitoring resource consumption, managing billing systems, and forecasting demand patterns in utility management systems. They can also make it easier to integrate smart grid technologies, which makes energy distribution and usage monitoring more effective.
Retail
Retail businesses use cloud-native databases for inventory management, consumer data analysis, and targeted marketing. They enable retailers to handle seasonal demand and quickly adjust to shifting market trends.
Research and science
The processing power and storage capacity required for science and research are met by cloud-native databases, particularly for huge datasets like those used in climate modeling or genomics.
Cloud-native databases transform industries’ operations, providing them with the tools to handle big data, ensure scalability, and maintain high availability. Their adaptability across various use cases and applications underscores their importance. The question now is — how will you use a cloud-native database?
Choosing the right cloud-native database
When choosing a cloud-native database, several factors should be considered. Here are some decision-making criteria to review that will help you identify the option that most effectively meets your organizational requirements.
Assessing needs and requirements
The first and most important step is thoroughly assessing your organization’s particular demands and requirements. Understanding the kind of data you will handle, projecting transaction volume, assessing scalability requirements, and determining the required performance level are all critical. It’s also essential to consider compliance and security requirements, especially if your data is sensitive or subject to regulatory constraints.
Evaluating cloud-native options
After establishing a solid understanding of your organization’s specific needs, the next step is to evaluate the variety of cloud-native database options available in the market. Look for databases that meet your needs, including advanced security features, performance optimization capabilities, and compatibility with specific data formats (such as NoSQL or SQL). It’s also critical to assess the databases’ maturity, the size and activity of its user and developer communities, the degree of vendor support offered, and its plans for the future to ensure long-term viability.
The possibility of vendor lock-in is another important factor to consider during this evaluation process. Select a database that maintains flexibility and doesn’t tie you to a particular cloud provider’s ecosystem. High degrees of interoperability and ease of data portability are widely valued in databases, as they allow users to seamlessly transition to different cloud environments should business needs change and evolve.
In addition, review which databases can effectively handle massive volumes of data and offer real-time insights, given the growing emphasis on data analytics and real-time processing. Features like automated scaling, easy integration with analytics tools, and support for advanced data processing techniques can be invaluable in leveraging data for strategic decision-making.
Integration with existing systems
An important aspect of choosing a cloud-native database is to assess how effectively it can integrate with your current applications and other systems in your tech stack. This step isn’t only about ensuring compatibility; it’s also about making the transition easier.
When examining integration capabilities, consider the following:
- Evaluate how well the database can connect with your current applications, data analytics tools, and other critical systems.
- Check if the database offers robust APIs that align with your current software architecture.
- Examine the tools for transferring data from your present systems to the new database.
- Ensure the database is compatible with your current system’s formats and data standards.
- Review your current security protocols and the ability of the new database to integrate with your existing security infrastructure.
Considerations for performance, scalability, and cost
Performance and scalability are key attributes of cloud-native databases, but they vary across different solutions. Add any spending restraints, and deciding on a cloud-native database can be difficult. Here are a few starting points:
Analyzing performance entails comparing the capabilities of prospective databases to benchmarks applicable to your particular use cases. Examining query response times, data processing rates, and dependability under various load scenarios is part of this.
One distinguishing feature of cloud-native databases is their scalability for responding to shifting data volumes and growth trends. Evaluating a database’s capacity to support anticipated growth and provide the adaptability needed to scale resources up or down is essential.
Cost considerations extend beyond the initial setup expense to include long-term operational expenses. Some databases may appear affordable initially but could eventually lead to higher costs due to factors like scaling, maintenance, and vendor lock-in. Choose an economically scalable solution so expenses rise in a predictable and proportionate way as needs change.
Ease of migration
Finally, consider the ease of migrating to the new cloud-native database. Some include services and tools built to simplify the migration process, which can be a very helpful feature. Understanding the migration strategies supported by each database and estimating the time, effort, and resources required for a successful migration is important. To reduce operational interruptions, consider the possibility of downtime throughout this procedure and available support services.
A detailed examination of your business needs, careful consideration of your options with an eye toward avoiding vendor lock-in, verification of compatibility with your current systems, and a balance of performance, scalability, and cost are necessary when choosing the right cloud-native database. By keeping these elements in mind, you can make an informed decision supporting your business goals while allowing for future growth.
Balancing innovation with complexity
Cloud-native databases are a complete reinvention of traditional databases because of their scalability, flexibility, and resilience. They are the perfect choice for modern applications that demand dynamic resource management and performance under varying workloads.
However, as discussed, navigating the complexities of cloud-native technology can be challenging, from managing microservices and containers to ensuring security and compliance.
This is where Percona can be a valuable ally.
Make the switch to cloud-native with Percona
With our comprehensive suite of open source software and services, we simplify the management, deployment, and optimization of databases in cloud environments. So whether you want to migrate to a cloud-native database or optimize your existing cloud-native systems, Percona offers tailored solutions to meet your specific needs.
Take the complexity out of going cloud-native; contact us today for a no-obligation consultation.
Cloud-native database FAQs
What exactly is a cloud-native database?
A cloud-native database is a type of database that is specifically designed and built to run in a cloud environment. It leverages cloud computing features like scalability, flexibility, and distributed resources to offer optimized performance, resilience, and cost-effectiveness.
What is the difference between cloud-native databases vs. traditional databases?
Unlike traditional databases often adapted to work in cloud environments, cloud-native databases are purpose-built for the cloud. They are designed to automatically scale, manage resources efficiently, and integrate seamlessly with cloud services, offering higher performance and resilience.
What are the advantages of cloud-native databases?
Cloud-native databases have numerous benefits, such as enhanced scalability, greater flexibility, and improved cost-efficiency. These databases are specifically crafted to optimize cloud environments, facilitating automatic adjustment of resources to align with varying demands. They also ensure high availability and robust disaster recovery options, crucial for maintaining data integrity and minimizing operational disruptions. Cloud-native databases also reduce the need for extensive hardware and maintenance, saving costs.
What are some common features of cloud-native databases?
Key features of cloud-native databases include scalability, automated backups and recovery, seamless integration with other cloud services, and support for various data models like SQL and NoSQL. They also offer high availability and disaster recovery capabilities.
