Google powers up highly scalable cloud-based NoSQL database

NoSQL

Google has introduced a new cloud-based NoSQL database powered by Bigtable that is automatically scalable and designed specifically for large-scale implementations with an eye on the Internet of Things.

Cloud Bigtable runs on Google's powerful Bigtable data storage system that already powers Gmail, Google Search and Google Analytics plus there's the added bonus that it's compatible with the Apache HBase API.

The latter configuration means that it can be used with almost all existing applications in the Hadoop system whilst at the same time supporting Google's own Cloud Dataflow. Google boasts that the solution offers its customers single-digit millisecond latency and double the performance per dollar when set against HBase and Cassandra, according to Tech Crunch.

Cloud Bigtable is by no means Google's first trip into the cloud-based NoSQL database space. Cloud Datastore is a high availability NoSQL datastore specifically targeted at developers using its App Engine platform that is also offered on Bigtable but is rather different in that it targets read-heavy workloads for mobile and web apps.

Out in beta now

"Cloud Bigtable is much the opposite — is designed for larger companies and enterprises where extensive data processing is required, and where workloads are more complex. For example, if an organization needs to stream data into, run analytics on and serve data out of a single database at scale – Cloud Bigtable is the right system," Cory O'Conner, Google Cloud Platform product manager told Tech Crunch, adding that many customers start on Cloud Datastore and move up to Cloud Bigtable.

Google is offering Cloud Bigtable in beta right now and until it is released fully there is no service level agreement or technical support available.