Apache HBase is THE Hadoop database, a distributed NoSQL database built to run on top of the Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS). Those who use it love it for its scalability, wide-column flexibility, strongly consistent data operations, and of course, its tight integration with Hadoop. It is no surprise that it is one of the most popular NoSQL databases used today. Anyone deploying an analytics platform based on Hadoop should take a serious look at HBase to handle operational and unstructured data.

But HBase is not without its challenges, through no fault of its own. Considering the limitations it must overcome by writing to an append-only file system, it already performs some significant I/O magic to run like it does. This technical overview of MapR-DB explains how MapR used HBase as a springboard for creating a technologically advanced in-Hadoop NoSQL database.

MC Srivas

CTO & Co-Founder of MapR

Srivas ran one of the major search infrastructure teams at Google where GFS, BigTable and MapReduce were used extensively. He wanted to provide that powerful capability to everyone, and started MapR on his vision to build the next-generation platform for semi-structured big data. His strategy was to evolve Hadoop and bring simplicity of use, extreme speed and complete reliability to Hadoop users everywhere, and make it seamlessly easy for enterprises to use this powerful new way to get deep insights. That vision is shared by all at MapR. Srivas brings to MapR his experiences at Google, Spinnaker Networks, Transarc in building game-changing products that advance the state of the art.

Srivas was Chief Architect at Spinnaker Networks (now NTAP) which built the industry's fastest single-box NAS filer, as well as the industry's most scalable clustered filer. Previously, he managed the Andrew File System (AFS) engineering team at Transarc (now IBM). AFS is now standard classroom material in operating systems courses. While not writing code, Srivas enjoys playing tennis, badminton and volleyball. M.C. has an MS in Computer Science from University of Delaware, and a B.Tech. in electrical engineering from IIT Delhi.