What is the Difference Between RDBMS and Hadoop?

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The main differences between a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) and Hadoop are as follows:

  1. Data Architecture and Volume: RDBMS is designed for structured data and is based on a row-column data model, where each row represents a record and each column represents an attribute of the data. Hadoop, on the other hand, is an open-source software framework used for storing and processing large volumes of structured and unstructured data across a distributed file system.
  2. Scalability: RDBMS scales vertically, meaning to scale twice a RDBMS, you need hardware with double memory, storage, and CPU, which can be expensive and has limits. Hadoop scales horizontally, allowing you to use multiple commodity servers working together to simulate a bigger server, making it more cost-effective and easier to scale.
  3. Technical Abilities: RDBMS is generally easier to use and manage due to fewer moving pieces compared to Hadoop. Hadoop requires managing clusters, Hadoop nodes, security, and other factors, which can be more complex and challenging.
  4. Security: Hadoop faces more security challenges compared to RDBMS, especially when managing complex applications.
  5. Use Cases: RDBMS is suitable for multiple write/read/update operations and consistent ACID transactions on gigabytes of data but not for processing terabytes and petabytes of data. Hadoop is used for predictive analysis, data mining, and machine learning, and can handle both structured and unstructured data.

In summary, RDBMS is more suitable for structured data, easier to use, and better for smaller-scale transactions, while Hadoop is better for handling large volumes of structured and unstructured data, offering better scalability and flexibility, but with more complex management and security challenges.

Comparative Table: RDBMS vs Hadoop

Here is a table comparing the differences between a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) and Hadoop:

Feature RDBMS Hadoop
Data Architecture and Volume Traditional row-column based databases, used for data storage, manipulation, and retrieval. An open-source software framework used for storing data and running applications on a group of computers, capable of handling structured and unstructured data.
Data Type Processes structured and semi-structured data, but limited in managing unstructured data. Can manage structured, unstructured, and semi-structured data.
Data Storage Stores data in tables with rows and columns. Stores data in a distributed file system across clusters of computers.
Processing Requires SQL and manipulates data using tables. Leverages its ability to manage and process data through abstractions like Hive and Presto.
Scalability Limited in scalability and flexibility. Supports scalability very flexibly, enabling multiple analytical processes on the same data at the same time.
ACID Properties Ensures atomicity, consistency, integrity, and durability properties required for designing a database. Does not inherently ensure ACID properties, but can be combined with other systems that do, such as HBase.
Use Cases Suitable for storing, managing, and retrieving data as quickly and reliably as possible, often used for transactions and structured data. Used in predictive analysis, data mining, machine learning, and for handling large volumes of unstructured data.

In summary, RDBMSs are traditional databases that store and manage structured data efficiently, while Hadoop is a distributed file system and processing framework that can handle structured, unstructured, and semi-structured data across clusters of computers. RDBMSs are suitable for transactions and structured data, while Hadoop is used for massive-scale data processing tasks and advanced analytics.