What are time series databases?

How do time series databases work?

Time series data begins with sources —servers, sensors, IoT devices—that produce timestamped data points. This data is then sent to a collection agent where it is processed and aggregated. This is where the masses of data might be down-sampled to more manageable averages or units.

The collection agent writes this processed data to the time series database. Because the TSDB has been designed to store all this data efficiently, it’s able to simultaneously manage or further aggregate old data, discarding irrelevant information.

Making sense of massive data

Data in

Data is pulled from the TSDB using a time series aware query engine – and this is where the magic happens. Whereas a traditional database query might deliver results where X is associated with Y, a time series query dives much deeper, and delivers much more.

Magic out

Time series databases take data on a trip into the fourth dimension, and deliver highly specific results for complex queries. For example, how about “fetch the zip codes where air pollution increased more than 25% during the morning rush hour, and throw in the wind speed for good measure.”

Keep watch – in real time

If all that information seems too much, you can create a data visualization dashboard to help make sense of everything, or set up an alert manager to automatically let you know if certain conditions are met.

With great data, comes incredible flexibility!

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Future-proof data

Time series data on the up and up

With the exponential rise in the amount of data produced by today’s devices, companies are increasingly aware of the need for a stable and flexible method of handling all that data. Database popularity ranking models clearly show that interest in time series databases is rising rapidly.

Evolution, not revolution

It’s important to consider how your data might evolve in the future. You don’t want to lock yourself in with a database that can’t evolve with you. In this sense, a time series database offers you the possibility to work with the data you have today, while at the same time prepare for more demanding needs in the future.

A simple time series solution – in the cloud

Setting up a time series database might seem daunting at first – but a managed solution such as Aiven for M3 makes everything much easier. Our fully managed services offer enormous flexibility with unlimited scalability and high availability, and you can locate everything you need in the cloud of your choice.

Aiven and times series data

Time series databases are one of the big trends in the data marketplace. There are many options available, both commercial and open source. However there are not many that can be said to be truly scalable, and some are limited in their performance when it comes to high volume data.

Aiven offers the widest selection of open source time series databases. Our portfolio ranges from flexible TSDB extensions that suit small scale applications, to a comprehensive solution capable of handling massive data on a global scale.