A Review of Different Database Types: Relational versus Non-Relational
Relational databases are also called Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS) or SQL databases. Historically the most popular of these have been Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle Database, MySQL IBM DB2. THe RDBMS’s are used mostly in large enterprise scenarios, with the execption of mYSQL, which is also used to store data for Web applications.
All relational databases can be used to manage transaction-orientred applicaitons(OLTP), and most non-relational databases, in categories of Document Stores and Column Stores, can also be used for OLTP, adding to the confusion between them. OLTP databases can be throusht of as “operational” databases, characterized by frequent, short transactions that include updates, touch a small amount of data, and provide concurreny to thousands (if not more) if trabsactions (some examples include baking applications and onliune reservations).
James Serra, a BIg data Evangelist at Microsoft, discussed the many differences, advantages and disadvantages, and various use cases of relational and non-relational databases during his Enterprises Data Wrold Conference presentation.
He began by discussing the fact that the integrity of data is very important, So RDBMSs sipport ACID transactions (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durabillity). RDBMSs have provided for data intergirty needs for decades, but the exponential growth of data over the past 10
