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 Apache Doris and RRDtool so you can quickly see how they compare against each other.

The primary purpose of this article is to compare how Apache Doris and RRDtool 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.

Apache Doris vs RRDtool Breakdown


 
Database Model

Data warehouse

Time series database

Architecture

Doris can be deployed on-premises or in the cloud and is compatible with various data formats such as Parquet, ORC, and JSON.

RRDtool is a single-node, non-distributed database generally deployed on a single machine

License

Apache 2.0

GNU GPLv2

Use Cases

Interactive analytics, data warehousing, real-time data analysis, reporting, dashboarding

Monitoring, observability, Network performance tracking, System metrics, Log data storage

Scalability

Horizontally scalable with distributed storage and compute

Limited scalability- more suitable for small to medium-sized datasets

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Apache Doris Overview

Apache Doris is an MPP-based interactive SQL data warehousing system designed for reporting and analysis. It is known for its high performance, real-time analytics capabilities, and ease of use. Apache Doris integrates technologies from Google Mesa and Apache Impala. Unlike other SQL-on-Hadoop systems, Doris is designed to be a simple and tightly coupled system that does not rely on external dependencies. It aims to provide a streamlined and efficient solution for data warehousing and analytics.

RRDtool Overview

RRDtool, short for Round-Robin Database Tool, is an open-source, high-performance data logging and graphing system designed to handle time series data. Created by Tobias Oetiker in 1999, RRDtool is specifically built for storing and visualizing time-series data, such as network bandwidth, temperatures, or CPU load. Its primary feature is the efficient storage of data points, using a fixed-size database that automatically aggregates and archives older data points, ensuring that the database size remains constant over time.


Apache Doris for Time Series Data

Apache Doris can be effectively used with time series data for real-time analytics and reporting. With its high performance and sub-second response time, Doris can handle massive amounts of time-stamped data and provide timely query results. It supports both high-concurrent point query scenarios and high-throughput complex analysis scenarios, making it suitable for analyzing time series data with varying levels of complexity.

RRDtool for Time Series Data

RRDtool was created for time series data storage and visualization, making it a great fit for applications that require efficient handling of this type of data. Its round-robin database structure ensures constant storage space usage while providing automatic data aggregation and archiving. However, RRDtool may not be suitable for applications that require complex queries or relational data storage, as its focus is primarily on time series data.


Apache Doris Key Concepts

  • MPP (Massively Parallel Processing): Apache Doris leverages MPP architecture, which allows it to distribute data processing across multiple nodes, enabling parallel execution and scalability.
  • SQL: Apache Doris supports SQL as the query language, providing a familiar and powerful interface for data analysis and reporting.
  • Point Query: Point query refers to retrieving a specific data point or a small subset of data from the database.
  • Complex Analysis: Apache Doris can handle complex analysis scenarios that involve processing large volumes of data and performing advanced computations and aggregations.

RRDtool Key Concepts

  • Round-robin database: A fixed-size database that stores time-series data using a circular buffer, overwriting older data as new data is added.
  • RRD file: A single file that contains all the configuration and data for an RRDtool database.
  • Consolidation function: A function that aggregates multiple data points into a single data point, such as AVERAGE, MIN, MAX, or LAST.


Apache Doris Architecture

Apache Doris is based on MPP architecture, which enables it to distribute data and processing across multiple nodes for parallel execution. It is a standalone system and does not depend on other systems or frameworks. Apache Doris combines the technology of Google Mesa and Apache Impala to provide a simple and tightly coupled system for data warehousing and analytics. It leverages SQL as the query language and supports efficient data processing and query optimization techniques to ensure high performance and scalability.

RRDtool Architecture

RRDtool is a specialized time series database that does not use SQL or a traditional relational data model. Instead, it employs a round-robin database structure, with data points stored in a fixed-size, circular buffer. RRDtool is a command-line tool that can be used to create and update RRD files, as well as generate graphs and reports from the stored data. It can be integrated with various scripting languages, such as Perl, Python, and Ruby, through available bindings.

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Apache Doris Features

High Performance

Apache Doris is designed for high-performance data analytics, delivering sub-second query response times even with massive amounts of data.

Real-Time Analytics

Apache Doris enables real-time data analysis, allowing users to gain insights and make informed decisions based on up-to-date information.

Scalability

Apache Doris can scale horizontally by adding more nodes to the cluster, allowing for increased data storage and processing capacity.

RRDtool Features

Efficient Data Storage

RRDtool’s round-robin database structure ensures constant storage space usage, automatically aggregating and archiving older data points.

Graphing

RRDtool provides powerful graphing capabilities, allowing users to generate customizable graphs and reports from the stored time series data.

Cross-Platform Support

RRDtool is available on various platforms, including Linux, Unix, macOS, and Windows.


Apache Doris Use Cases

Real-Time Analytics

Apache Doris is well-suited for real-time analytics scenarios where timely insights and analysis of large volumes of data are crucial. It enables businesses to monitor and analyze real-time data streams, make data-driven decisions, and detect patterns or anomalies in real time.

Reporting and Business Intelligence

Apache Doris can be used for generating reports and conducting business intelligence activities. It supports fast and efficient querying of data, allowing users to extract meaningful insights and visualize data for reporting and analysis purposes.

Data Warehousing

Apache Doris is suitable for building data warehousing solutions that require high-performance analytics and querying capabilities. It provides a scalable and efficient platform for storing, managing, and analyzing large volumes of data for reporting and decision-making.

RRDtool Use Cases

Network Monitoring

RRDtool is often used in network monitoring applications to store and visualize metrics such as bandwidth usage, latency, and packet loss.

Environmental Monitoring

RRDtool can be used to track and visualize environmental data, such as temperature, humidity, and air pressure, over time.

System Performance Monitoring

RRDtool is suitable for storing and displaying system performance metrics, like CPU usage, memory consumption, and disk I/O, for server and infrastructure monitoring.


Apache Doris Pricing Model

As an open-source project, Apache Doris is freely available for usage and does not require any licensing fees. Users can download the source code and set up Apache Doris on their own infrastructure without incurring any direct costs. However, it’s important to consider the operational costs associated with hosting and maintaining the database infrastructure.

RRDtool Pricing Model

RRDtool is an open-source software, freely available for use under the GNU General Public License. Users can download, use, and modify the software at no cost. There are no commercial licensing options or paid support services offered directly by the project.