Pivotal Boosts Hadoop Offering with In-memory Database, Querying

Pivotal has announced the availability of Pivotal HD 2.0, its commercial enterprise-grade distribution of Hadoop that comes complete with support. Pivotal's strategy continues to be to deliver Big Data analytics, focused on the open source Hadoop data crunching platform, through a platform as a service approach. Pivotal also announced the availability of Pivotal GemFire XD, an in-memory database integrated with Pivotal HD 2.0 that brings high concurrency, real-time transactions and in-memory analytical processing to Big Data applications.

HD 2.0 is built on Apache Hadoop 2.2, but includes lots of proprietary tweaks.  HD 2.0, along with a query engine called HAWQ, and Gemfire XD combine to form an application framework that Pivotal is aiming at enterprises, data scientists, analysts and developers.

Nik Rouda, Senior Analyst, ESG, commented in a statement:

"The combined release of Pivotal HD 2.0 and GemFireXD, introducing real-time SQL queries, makes it easier for developers to get live insights on streaming data sources without having to learn new tools. Not least, the range of new programming language support gives an even richer portfolio of advanced analytics capabilities. Pivotal is well-positioned to change the nature of how big data gets done in the enterprise.”

Meanwhile, Josh Klahr, Vice President, Product Management, Pivotal, added:

"When it comes to Hadoop, other approaches in the market have left customers with a mishmash of un-integrated products and processes. Pivotal HD 2.0 is the first platform to fully integrate proven enterprise in-memory technology, Pivotal GemFire XD, with advanced services on Hadoop 2.2 that provide native support for a comprehensive data science toolset. Data driven businesses now have the capabilities they need to gain a massive head start toward developing analytics and applications for more intelligent and innovative products and services.”

You can find out more about Pivotal's Big Data strategy on a dedicated sub-site that the company has put up available here. One notable thing about Pivotal's approach to Hadoop is that it is offering enhancements in its commercial distribution, while a lot of other companies are simply offering support for Apache Hadoop. The compay is also following a rapid release development cycle and combining its work on Big Data analytics with new cloud offerings.