Database Reference
In-Depth Information
Hardware Acceleration:
Process Analytics Close to the Data Store
Netezza's architecture is based on a fundamental principle of computer sci-
ence: when operating on large data sets, don't move data unless you abso-
lutely have to. Moving large data sets from physical storage units to compute
nodes increases latency and affects performance. Netezza minimizes data
movement by using innovative hardware acceleration; for example, it uses
field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA) to filter out extraneous data as early
in the data stream as possible, and basically as fast as data can be streamed
off the disk. This process of data elimination close to the data source removes
I/O bottlenecks and keeps downstream components, such as the CPU, mem-
ory, and network, from having to process superfluous data; this produces a
significant multiplier effect on system performance.
Balanced, Massively Parallel Architecture:
Deliver Linear Scalability
Every component of Netezza's architecture, including the processor, FPGA,
memory, and network, is carefully selected and optimized to service data as
fast as the physics of the disk allows, while minimizing cost and power con-
sumption. The Netezza software orchestrates these components to operate
concurrently on the data stream in a pipeline fashion, thus maximizing utili-
zation and extracting the utmost throughput from each MPP node. Although
the use of open, blade-based components enables Netezza to incorporate
technology enhancements very quickly, the turbo-charger effect of the FPGA,
a balanced hardware configuration, and tightly coupled intelligent software
combine to deliver overall performance gains far greater than those of the
individual elements. In fact, Netezza has delivered more than four-fold per-
formance improvements every two years since its introduction, far outpac-
ing other well-established vendors.
Modular Design: Support Flexible
Configurations and Extreme Scalability
One of the key concerns with traditional appliance-based architectures has
been their ability to scale after data volumes outgrow the physical capacity of
the appliance. Netezza addresses this concern with a modular appliance
