Cloud Db can be a little confusing at the beginning. Comparing to relational databases, it is a new way of storing, deleting, retrieving and updating data. It is not that hard but if you add the fact that the tooling (like a true database explorer) is not quite ready, it can be difficult to approach.
Nevertheless, I can’t stress enough how things are going fast. Several weeks ago, we could not make join queries in cloud databases. Now, it is available in the last version of Microsoft SQL Data Services. Today, it is Amazon that brings a new SQL-like syntax for SimpleDb. In my opinion, this is again a right move. There is a lot of relational databases skills on the market. If Amazon and Microsoft can make these people feel themselves at home with Cloud Db, it will help a lot the adoption.
The Future of data is in the cloud.
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Author: Nicolas is responsible for IT, data visualization and design at We Are Cloud.
User Comments
What would make me happy would be a SQL:2003 compliant cloud database so that I could make a JDBC driver and Hibernate Dialect. That way I could hot-swap a Hibernate enabled app from, say, MySQL to SimpleDB with no pain! With the current ‘poor-man’s’ implementation, that is the current SimpleDB, you’re looking at having to reinvent lots of wheels for your data access. We don’t need SQL-like queries, we need SQL queries!
Hi, On the one hand, you are right, it can be a pain to switch to a cloud DB: new paradygm + less tooling. On the other hand, you have so much benefits it terms of cost and management (no indexes, backup, scalability issues) that it is worth to evaluate this option. Moreover, some ORM has adapter to simpleDB. In the ruby world, data mapper and Active Record have both this. Finally, Microsoft Sql Data Services, recently changed completly its design to move from a simpleDb-like solution to a true cloud RDBMS solution. Not sure it will be SQL:2003 compliant but it should be pretty close. Regards