This week Couchbase launched the latest version of Couchbase Server, a distributed, document-oriented NoSQL database with an emphasis on performance, scalability and availability. Version 4.5 brings a number of significant advances to querying, performance tuning, and manageability.
As a technology partner, Team Simba has been working with beta & GA candidate build of the server, and we are very excited to share our first impressions with you.
Easier Querying
For someone who spends a lot of time working with N1QL queries the addition of the Query Workbench, is a very welcomed addition. Query editor is accessible right from the web console and offers auto-completion of bucket names and N1QL keywords, query history, bucket analysis and schema auto-discovery (auto-discovery is available only in Enterprise Edition).
The new version also adds support for Index JOINs, which improves the efficiency of some types of join operations.
You can also take advantage of a powerful, language aware Full-Text Search engine to query and manage full-text indexes on collections of JSON documents. Full-text search support wildcard search and LIKE statements simplify advanced search queries.
Version 4.5 also introduces the new mode for the tuneable consistency, reducing the latency for queries involving your own writes.
N1QL gained support for Array Indexing, which allows optimizing performance of queries looking for a specific element of an array. This alone can speed up certain types of queries by multiple orders of magnitude.
Improved Performance
Couchbase Server 4.5 provides additional options for index tuning & performance with Memory Optimized Indexes by storing them in memory, while keeping disaster recovery snapshots on disk. With great performance, comes great responsibility: in-memory indexes are not updated if the node runs out of allocated memory quota. But the order of magnitude performance gain is well worth the need for careful memory monitoring and management.
The new sub-document API allows developers to read and write parts of the document without sending the whole document over the network. This translates into higher performance and lower network overhead particularly in the case of the large documents. And because sub-document operations are atomic, document modifications are safe.
Improved Security & Administration
Finally, new release makes a number improvements for security and system administration: query profiling and monitoring, faster backup and restore, X.509 certificate management and role based access control for administrators.
Now Is Your Turn
Couchbase Server 4.5 is a great release with important usability and performance related features. Whether you are currently using Couchbase or only considering a NoSQL database for your next project head over to Couchbase website and download a free version of the server. And if you are using any of the ODBC/JDBC compliant BI tools or other applications, download a free evaluation of Simba Couchbase ODBC/JDBC drivers and try them with the new Couchbase Server 4.5 !!
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