Apache HBase vs Google Cloud Bigtable

October 15, 2021

Introduction

Big data is becoming increasingly popular nowadays, and as a result, new technologies have emerged to cater to that need. Two such technologies are Apache HBase and Google Cloud Bigtable. These technologies aim to provide efficient and easy-to-use management of large volumes of data. But which one is better? In this blog post, we will provide an unbiased comparison of Apache HBase vs Google Cloud Bigtable.

Apache HBase

Apache HBase is an open-source, non-relational, distributed database that runs on top of the Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS). It is designed to store large amounts of data and provide fast, random read and write access to that data. It is a column-oriented database and is based on Google's Bigtable.

Some of the benefits of Apache HBase are:

  • It scales linearly, so it can handle massive amounts of data.
  • It provides automatic sharding and replication of data.
  • It has a flexible schema that can adapt to changing requirements.
  • It supports real-time queries and batch processing.

Google Cloud Bigtable

Google Cloud Bigtable is a NoSQL wide-column store database service that is designed to handle large volumes of data. It is a highly scalable and fully-managed database that provides low-latency access to large data sets. It is used internally at Google and is based on Google's Bigtable.

Some of the benefits of Google Cloud Bigtable are:

  • It scales horizontally, so it can handle massive amounts of data.
  • It provides automatic sharding and replication of data.
  • It offers consistent sub-millisecond latency for read and write operations.
  • It supports real-time queries and batch processing.

Comparison

Now that we have introduced both Apache HBase and Google Cloud Bigtable, let's first compare them based on performance.

Performance

When it comes to performance, Google Cloud Bigtable is the winner. According to this benchmark report, Google Cloud Bigtable outperforms Apache HBase in terms of read latency and write throughput. In the benchmark report, Google Cloud Bigtable achieved a read latency of less than 1ms and a write throughput of over 1 million write requests per second. On the other hand, Apache HBase achieved a read latency of around 20ms and a write throughput of around 500,000 write requests per second.

Ease of Use

When it comes to ease of use, Apache HBase is the winner. Although both databases are highly scalable and provide automatic sharding and replication of data, Apache HBase provides a simpler and more flexible schema compared to Google Cloud Bigtable. In addition, Apache HBase can run on-premises or in the cloud, while Google Cloud Bigtable is a cloud-only service.

Cost

Finally, when it comes to cost, Google Cloud Bigtable is the winner. Although both databases offer different pricing models, Google Cloud Bigtable provides a pay-as-you-go model that is more affordable compared to Apache HBase, which requires more upfront costs.

Conclusion

In conclusion, both Apache HBase and Google Cloud Bigtable provide efficient and easy-to-use management of large volumes of data. However, Google Cloud Bigtable outperforms Apache HBase in terms of performance, while Apache HBase provides a simpler and more flexible schema and can run on-premises or in the cloud. When it comes to cost, Google Cloud Bigtable is more affordable compared to Apache HBase. Ultimately, the choice between the two depends on your specific needs and requirements.

References


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