Cassandra vs InterSystems IRIS Data platform: What are the differences?

Introduction

When comparing Cassandra and InterSystems IRIS Data Platform, there are key differences that distinguish them in terms of functionality and use cases.

1. Architecture: Cassandra is a distributed database system based on a masterless design, where every node in the cluster can perform read and write operations independently. On the other hand, InterSystems IRIS Data Platform is built on a shared-nothing architecture, where each node operates independently and has its own storage and processing capabilities.

2. Data Model: Cassandra utilizes a wide-column store data model, making it suitable for handling large amounts of data with high availability and scalability. In contrast, InterSystems IRIS Data Platform employs a multi-model approach, supporting various data models such as relational, document, and object-oriented, providing greater flexibility in managing different types of data.

3. Consistency and Availability: In Cassandra, users can choose between different levels of consistency (e.g., eventual consistency, strong consistency) based on their requirements. InterSystems IRIS Data Platform, however, emphasizes on maintaining strong consistency and high availability across distributed systems by ensuring data coherence in real-time.

4. Query Language: Cassandra uses Cassandra Query Language (CQL) for querying data, which is similar to SQL but with some differences due to the underlying data model. InterSystems IRIS Data Platform supports SQL for relational data management and ObjectScript for handling object-oriented data, allowing users to work with multiple data models within the same platform.

5. Indexing: Cassandra relies on manually created secondary indexes for querying non-primary key columns efficiently, which can sometimes lead to performance overhead. InterSystems IRIS Data Platform incorporates automatic indexing capabilities, enabling users to retrieve data more efficiently without the need for manual index creation.

6. Transaction Support: While Cassandra is optimized for high availability and partition tolerance, it sacrifices transaction support across multiple rows or tables. In contrast, InterSystems IRIS Data Platform offers ACID-compliant transactions and supports complex data operations spanning multiple records or tables, ensuring data integrity and consistency in multi-step transactions.

In summary, Cassandra emphasizes scalability and high availability through its distributed architecture and wide-column store data model, whereas InterSystems IRIS Data Platform stands out for its multi-model flexibility, strong consistency, and transaction support across various data models.