AWS DynamoDB vs OpenTSDB

Choosing the right database is a critical choice when building any software application. All databases have different strengths and weaknesses when it comes to performance, so deciding which database has the most benefits and the most minor downsides for your specific use case and data model is an important decision. Below you will find an overview of the key concepts, architecture, features, use cases, and pricing models of AWS DynamoDB and OpenTSDB so you can quickly see how they compare against each other.

The primary purpose of this article is to compare how AWS DynamoDB and OpenTSDB perform for workloads involving time series data, not for all possible use cases. Time series data typically presents a unique challenge in terms of database performance. This is due to the high volume of data being written and the query patterns to access that data. This article doesn’t intend to make the case for which database is better; it simply provides an overview of each database so you can make an informed decision.

AWS DynamoDB Overview

Amazon DynamoDB is a managed NoSQL database service provided by AWS. It was first introduced in 2012, and it was designed to provide low-latency, high-throughput performance. DynamoDB is built on the principles of the Dynamo paper, which was published by Amazon engineers in 2007, and it aims to offer a highly available, scalable, and distributed key-value store.

OpenTSDB Overview

OpenTSDB (Open Time Series Database) is an open-source, distributed, and scalable time series database built on top of Apache HBase, a NoSQL database. OpenTSDB was designed to address the growing need for storing and processing large volumes of time series data generated by various sources, such as IoT devices, sensors, and monitoring systems. It was initially developed by StumbleUpon in 2010 and later became an independent project with an active community of contributors.

AWS DynamoDB for Time Series Data

DynamoDB can be used with time series data, although it may not be the most optimized solution compared to specialized time series databases. To store time series data in DynamoDB, you can use a composite primary key with a partition key for the entity identifier and a sort key for the timestamp. This allows you to efficiently query data for a specific entity and time range. However, DynamoDB’s main weakness when dealing with time series data is its lack of built-in support for data aggregation and downsampling, which are common requirements for time series analysis. You may need to perform these operations in your application or use additional services like AWS Lambda to process the data.

OpenTSDB for Time Series Data

OpenTSDB is designed for time series data storage and analysis, making it an ideal choice for managing large scale time series datasets. Its architecture enables high write and query performance, and it can handle millions of data points per second with minimal resource consumption. OpenTSDB’s flexible querying capabilities allow users to perform complex analysis on time series data efficiently.

AWS DynamoDB Key Concepts

Some of the key terms and concepts specific to DynamoDB include:

• Tables: In DynamoDB, data is stored in tables, which are containers for items. Each table has a primary key that uniquely identifies each item in the table.
• Items: Items are individual records in a DynamoDB table, and they consist of one or more attributes.
• Attributes: Attributes are key-value pairs that make up an item in a table. DynamoDB supports scalar, document, and set data types for attributes.
• Primary Key: The primary key uniquely identifies each item in a table, and it can be either a single-attribute partition key or a composite partition-sort key.

OpenTSDB Key Concepts

• Data Point: A single measurement in time consisting of a timestamp, metric, value, and associated tags.
• Metric: A named value that represents a specific aspect of a system, such as CPU usage or temperature.
• Tags: Key-value pairs associated with data points that provide metadata and help categorize and query the data.

AWS DynamoDB Architecture

DynamoDB is a NoSQL database that uses a key-value store and document data model. It is designed to provide high availability, durability, and scalability by automatically partitioning data across multiple servers and using replication to ensure fault tolerance. Some of the main components of DynamoDB include:

• Partitioning: DynamoDB automatically partitions data based on the partition key, which ensures that data is evenly distributed across multiple storage nodes.
• Replication: DynamoDB replicates data across multiple availability zones within an AWS region, providing high availability and durability.
• Consistency: DynamoDB offers two consistency models: eventual consistency and strong consistency, allowing you to choose the appropriate level of consistency for your application.

OpenTSDB Architecture

OpenTSDB is built on top of Apache HBase, a distributed and scalable NoSQL database, and relies on its architecture for data storage and management. OpenTSDB stores time series data in HBase tables, with data points organized by metric, timestamp, and tags. The database uses a schema-less data model, which allows for flexibility when adding new metrics and tags. The OpenTSDB architecture also supports horizontal scaling by distributing data across multiple HBase nodes.