NoSQL platforms

NoSQL refers to non-SQL, which is an alternate method for modeling, storing, and retrieving structured data. The traditional method is storing data structured in an RDBMS model. The method to query a relational database is called SQL, and hence the name NoSQL. While a detailed comparison of SQL and NoSQL is outside the scope of this book, we will have to look at some aspects of NoSQL platforms before discussing cloud NoSQL platforms.

The power of RDBMS databases came from the relationships defined between these databases and the ability to enforce atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability (ACID) properties. At the same time, the relationships made the RDBMS system enforce structures in the form of tables and relationships between the database for all their datasets. This table-and-relationship definition is called a schema, which fundamentally defines an RDBMS database.

With the advent of internet-based business models, the demand increased for faster...