1 Understanding the World of MongoDB
This chapter covers
- Analyzing the Document-Oriented Data Model
- Scaling data horizontally through sharding
- Breaking down MongoDB sharded cluster components
- Exploring the core features of the MongoDB server
- Understanding Atlas and its key features
- First glance at full-text search and vector search
The landscape of database technology is undergoing a significant transformation, ushering in an era of next-generation databases designed to meet the evolving demands of modern applications. These cutting-edge systems offer unparalleled flexibility, scalability, and performance, challenging traditional paradigms and setting new standards for data management.
In this book, I'm exploring MongoDB, the next generation NoSQL database and its vast potential. I'll share my firsthand experience managing one of Europe's largest MongoDB farms, with clusters that exceeded 100TB. Each of these clusters consisted of 130 nodes and utilized microsharding, which involves deploying multiple MongoDB processes on the same host. These clusters weren't just massive; they were crucial for handling passenger flight information, enabling searches at incredible speeds that were essential for critical operations. It was in this environment that I leveraged many of MongoDB's key features, which I will discuss in detail throughout this book. This experience also marked my first encounter with MongoDB Atlas, fully managed Database as a Service.