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Download IgniteARCHITECTURAL BACKBONE
CORE FEATURES
DATA PLACEMENT & PROCESSING
OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
ADDITIONAL USE CASES
Download IgniteARCHITECTURAL BACKBONE
CORE FEATURES
DATA PLACEMENT & PROCESSING
OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
ADDITIONAL USE CASES
Apache Ignite
Coordination That Scales
Distributed metadata, configuration, and event ordering
Apache Ignite provides distributed coordination primitives that scale with cluster size. The Catalog manages schema metadata with atomic versioning. Meta Storage provides distributed key-value coordination. Hybrid Logical Clock ensures event ordering. Type-safe configuration enables hot reconfiguration without restarts.
Catalog: Schema Metadata Management
Versioned Schema Storage
The Catalog stores table definitions, indexes, and distribution zones with version numbers. Schema changes create new versions atomically. All nodes see schema updates simultaneously. This eliminates inconsistent schema states during changes.
Schema Evolution Support
The Catalog enables schema evolution without downtime. Add columns to existing tables. Create indexes on populated tables. Modify distribution zones. Applications continue operating during schema changes with backward compatibility.
Multi-API Consistency
One Catalog schema serves SQL, RecordView, and KeyValueView. Schema changes apply to all access patterns simultaneously. No need to synchronize cache configurations separately. This unified approach prevents API inconsistencies.
Distributed Consensus
The Catalog uses Raft consensus for schema changes. Changes replicate through the consensus log before becoming visible. This ensures all nodes agree on schema state. No split-brain scenarios during network partitions.
Meta Storage: Distributed Key-Value Coordination
Coordination Primitive
Meta Storage provides a distributed key-value store for coordination. Store cluster metadata, partition assignments, and node attributes. Access through get, put, and compare-and-swap operations. Raft consensus ensures consistency.
Watches and Notifications
Meta Storage supports watches on key prefixes. Applications receive notifications when watched keys change. This enables reactive patterns for topology changes, configuration updates, and partition reassignments.
Topology Management
Meta Storage tracks node membership and attributes. Nodes register on join. Updates propagate through consensus. Node failures detect through timeouts. This provides reliable cluster membership information.
Partition Assignment
Meta Storage stores partition-to-node assignments. Distribution zones query these assignments for data placement. Rebalancing updates assignments atomically. This coordination enables dynamic partition distribution.
Configuration Management
Type-Safe Configuration
Apache Ignite uses typed configuration objects. Compile-time validation prevents configuration errors. IDE auto-completion helps discoverability. Generated documentation keeps configuration references current.
Hot Reconfiguration
Many configuration parameters support runtime updates. Change without cluster restarts. Updates propagate through Meta Storage. Nodes apply changes atomically. This enables operational adjustments without downtime.
Configuration Validation
The system validates configuration changes before applying them. Reject invalid values at submission time. Validate cross-parameter constraints. This prevents runtime failures from configuration errors.
Configuration History
Meta Storage maintains configuration history. Query previous configurations. Understand when changes occurred. This supports troubleshooting and compliance requirements.
Hybrid Logical Clock
Event Ordering
Hybrid Logical Clock (HLC) provides total ordering of events across nodes. Combines physical time with logical counters. Events order deterministically even when physical clocks skew. This enables causality tracking in distributed operations.
Clock Synchronization
HLC synchronizes through message passing. No external clock synchronization service required. Clock skew remains bounded within configured limits. This simplifies deployment compared to systems requiring NTP or GPS.
MVCC Integration
HLC timestamps MVCC versions. Transactions use HLC values for snapshot isolation. This provides consistent timestamps across distributed operations. Clock ordering ensures transaction serialization.
Wait-Free Reads
HLC enables wait-free read operations. No synchronization required for reads. Readers use HLC timestamps to select correct MVCC versions. This delivers maximum read throughput without coordination overhead.
How Coordination Connects to the Foundation
Raft Consensus for Metadata
Catalog and Meta Storage use Raft consensus. Metadata changes replicate through distributed consensus log. This provides strong consistency for schema and configuration without requiring external coordination services.
HLC Enables MVCC
Hybrid Logical Clock provides timestamps for MVCC versions. Transactions use HLC for snapshot isolation. This coordination primitive enables distributed transactions without external timestamp services.
Catalog Enables Schema Evolution
The Catalog's versioned schema storage enables zero-downtime schema evolution. Atomic versioning ensures consistency. This coordination layer supports continuous deployment without maintenance windows.
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Read DocumentationLearn about configuration management, catalog operations, and cluster coordination
Configuration Documentation