Both Cassandra and HBase are non-relational database management systems developed by Apache Software Foundation. They both are column-oriented database management systems.
These databases have a lot in common, but when taken a closer look, they have many different properties, which are important to be aware of before choosing the perfect database which is suitable for your work.
Key Takeaways
- Cassandra is a highly scalable, distributed NoSQL database designed for handling large amounts of data across many commodity servers, providing high availability with no single point of failure.
- HBase, a distributed, column-oriented NoSQL database, is built on top of Hadoop and is designed for real-time read/write access to big data.
- Key differences include data models, consistency levels, and use cases: Cassandra uses a column-family data model and provides tunable consistency, making it suitable for write-heavy applications; HBase uses a wide-column data model and provides strong consistency, making it ideal for read-heavy workloads.
Cassandra vs HBase
Cassandra is an open-source NoSQL distributed database that supports data storage and management across commodity servers. HBase is a column-oriented non-relational database management system that runs on top of the HDFS and only supports data management. It is accessed through the HBase API.
Cassandra is a column-based database management system. It is used to store and manage large amounts of data. Cassandra is an open-source project originally developed by Facebook. Cassandra is very used by several companies, and it is highly trustable as it has no point of failure.
HBase is also a column-based management system. It works dynamically, which makes it easier to insert and modify data at any point in time. It consists of column families, which are further divided into rows so as store data in different regions.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Cassandra | HBase |
|---|---|---|
| Data redundancy | It sometimes can cause data redundancy. | It does not lead to data redundancy. |
| Technologies | It has built-in technologies. | It depends on other technologies. |
| Availability | It is always available for data analytics. | It sometimes can face downtimes. |
| Use | It is used by companies like Salesforce, Nike, Century Link, etc. | It can be used by companies like Facebook, Instagram, Netflix, etc. |
| Based on | It is not master-based, and each node is completely independent of the other. | It is master-based. |
What is Cassandra?
Cassandra is a non-relational database management system. It can handle and manage huge amounts of both structured and non-structured data. Cassandra consists of multiple nodes, with each node connected to the other node to form a cluster.
Cassandra has a masterless architecture which basically means that each node in Cassandra is independent and is a master of its own. It also ensures Cassandra would never lead to downtimes which sometimes can occur on master-based management systems.
It replicates data throughout several data centres, which lessens the time for data to reach its required destination over any network. It ensures reliability and stability as it has been tested on clusters with a huge amount of nodes.
Cassandra consists of a table referred to as a column family. Each table further consists of key spaces. Each keyspace can be related to similar topics or similar types of data. Each table in Cassandra has a primary key which is divided into clustering columns and partition keys.
Data partitioning plays a huge role in Cassandra. Cassandra is an overall reliable database management system. According to research, Cassandra ranks to be one of the top among all data management systems available globally.
What is HBase?
HBase is also a non-relational database. It manages data very efficiently. HBase is written in Java language. Like any regular database, it comprises tables with rows and columns. It has a primary key.
HBase runs on top of Hadoop, which provides it with the ability to store enormous amounts of data. HBase is very consistent when it comes to data handling. It does not lead to data redundancy as it writes and reads data only from one place. It does not cause data to repeat itself.
It easily finds, reads, and writes data as it stores data only on one node making all data-related functions very fast and reliable. HBase is a very good option if someone wants proper storage and access to data, and the time of execution is not a factor.
HBase is master-based, meaning all the HBase nodes work under a master node. The only case where an HBase cluster could fail is when the master node fails. Hence HBase has one condition of downtime. Overall, HBase is very good at reading and maintaining data.
Main Differences Between Cassandra and HBase
- Cassandra is based on no master node. Each node Cassandra is connected to all the other notes present. Hence all nodes are independent and do not rely on any other particular node. However, HBase is master-based, which means there is a master node present that is connected to each and every node.
- Cassandra has no chance of downtimes due to the large no of independent nodes. HBase has a chance of downtime in case the master node fails to perform.
- Cassandra can sometimes cause data redundancy as it saves data in chunks in several nodes. HBase is very good at preventing data repetition or loss of data.
- Cassandra is always ready and available for any time analytics, whereas if there is no rush, HBase could be the best choice.
- Cassandra is self-sufficient with all in-built technologies, whereas HBase is dependent on other technologies, such as Zookeeper, for its server.
- https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/6182030/
- https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/7207225/
- https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/6182030/
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