About the DataStax Enterprise architecture

Information for developers and administrators on how the DataStax Enterprise database works.

The Architecture Guide provides information on how the DataStax Enterprise database works. A basic understanding of how DataStax Enterprise (DSE) works and how it differs from a relational database will save you a lot of time when developing your data models, applications, and operating DataStax Enterprise.

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Attention: To get started, DataStax recommends reading Architecture in brief.
Other important topics include:

FAQ

How do I interact with DataStax Enterprise?
DataStax Enterprise's architecture allows any authorized user to connect to any node in any datacenter and access data using the Cassandra Query Language (CQL 3.4.5 DSE protocol v2). For ease of use, CQL uses a similar syntax to SQL. The most basic way to interact with DataStax Enterprise (DSE) is using the CQL shell, cqlsh. DataStax Enterprise Studio provides an IDE for syntax validation, type checking, validations specific to the domain, and content assistance for CQL and DSE Graph.
How is DataStax Enterprise different from relational databases?
DataStax Enterprise is a distributed and highly available database that uses peer-to-peer communication. Data modeling in DataStax Enterprise is similar to relational databases while differing in key areas to provide blazingly fast interaction. Relational databases use joins between tables for relationships. DataStax Enterprise uses denormalization to achieve more robust querying.
What is NoSQL?
The NoSQL term originally referred to a new generation of databases that shunned SQL for other interfaces. The term NoSQL has recently become a catch-all term for post-relational "not-only SQL" databases that use a method of storage different from a relational, or SQL, database.
What is Apache Spark™ and how is DSE Analytics different?
Apache Spark is an open source analytics project that provides a fast and general engine for large-scale data processing. DataStax Enterprise integrates Apache Spark real-time and batch analytics processing to more easily manage both database and analytics with a single operational system.
What is Apache Solr™ and how is DSE Search different?
Apache Solr is an open source search project that produces a highly reliable, scalable, and distributed search system that provides search for databases. DSE Search integrates Solr to manage search indexes with a persistent store. DSE Search provide enterprises with the ability to perform text search and text analysis.
What operational tools are included with DataStax Enterprise?
  • OpsCenter and Lifecycle Manager (LCM)
  • dsetool
  • cqlsh
What developer tools are available?
  • DataStax Studio
  • DSE Graph Loader
  • Gremlin console
  • Javadoc
  • demos
How do I test DataStax Enterprise
What kind of hardware do I need to run DataStax Enterprise?
See Planning and testing cluster deployments for hardware requirements. The distributed nature of DataStax Enterprise can actively utilize multiple datacenters across several geographic regions, supporting highly available data under even the most trying circumstances.
How do I install DataStax Enterprise?
You can install DataStax Enterprise in several ways, depending on the purpose of the installation, the type of operating system, and the available permissions. See .
How do I configure DataStax Enterprise?
The Admin guide and Dev guide provide information about using virtual nodes; setting up security; storing and accessing data exclusively from memory; setting up distributed data replication from remote clusters; running multiple DataStax Enterprise nodes on a single host machine; automating the movement of data across different types of storage media; plus much more.
How do I upgrade DataStax Enterprise?
The Upgrade Guide provides instructions for upgrading DataStax Enterprise. This guide also provides instructions on how to upgrade from Apache Cassandra to DataStax Enterprise.
What drivers work with DataStax Enterprise?
DataStax drivers come in two types: DataStax drivers for DataStax Enterprise 5.0 and later, and DataStax drivers for Apache Cassandra™. The DataStax drivers are enhanced to ease the development of applications powered by DataStax Enterprise. These drivers support full functionality for DSE, including DSE Graph, unified authentication, and geospatial types.