Cassandra

About Cassandra

Apache Cassandra is an open source, distributed NoSQL database designed for managing large volumes of data across commodity hardware or cloud infrastructure. It uses a masterless, peer-to-peer architecture where every node in the cluster is identical, eliminating single points of failure and network bottlenecks. The database supports replication across multiple datacenters, allowing it to continue operating without data loss even during a full datacenter outage, and failed nodes can be replaced without downtime.

Cassandra provides linear scalability, with read and write throughput increasing as machines are added without interrupting running applications. Data streaming between nodes during scaling operations is handled through Zero Copy Streaming, which increases streaming speed without vnodes, particularly benefiting cloud and Kubernetes deployments. Operators can choose synchronous or asynchronous replication per update, with asynchronous operations supported by features such as Hinted Handoff and Read Repair.

The database includes security and observability features, including audit logging for DML, DDL, and DCL activity, and the fqltool for capturing and replaying production workloads for analysis. It is intended for applications with large active datasets and mission-critical data requirements where data loss is unacceptable. It is licensed under the Apache License 2.0 and maintained by the Apache Software Foundation.

Key features

• Linear read/write scalability by adding nodes with no downtime
• Masterless, multi-datacenter replication with no single point of failure
• Choice of synchronous or asynchronous replication per update, with Hinted Handoff and Read Repair
• Audit logging (DML/DDL/DCL) and fqltool for capturing and replaying production workloads
• Zero Copy Streaming for faster elastic scaling in cloud and Kubernetes environments

Frequently asked questions