Patrick McFadin

It’s hard to believe that we’re celebrating the 20th year of the Apache Software Foundation. But here we are—and it’s safe to say <a href="https://www.datastax.com/2019/06/why-open-source-is-both-the-past-and-the-future">open source has come a long way</a> over the last two decades.

We just got back from ApacheCon, where DataStax—one of the major forces behind the powerful open source Apache Cassandra™ database—was a <a href="https://www.datastax.com/2019/07/datastax-announces-platinum-sponsorship-of-apachecon">platinum sponsor</a> this year.&nbsp;

We don’t know about you, but we couldn’t be more excited about what the future holds for software development and open source technology in particular.

During CTO Jonathan Ellis’ keynote, we announced three exciting new developer tools for the Cassandra community:

<ul>
	<li>DataStax Insights (Cassandra Performance Monitoring)</li>
	<li>Unified Drivers</li>
	<li>DataStax Spring Boot Starter for the Java Driver</li>
</ul>

<img alt="Jonathan Ellis at ApacheCon" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="da16f1de-9e29-4099-995a-f59f3296df07" height="1206" src="https://www.datastax.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Ellis-at-ApacheCon.jpeg" width="1808" />

While we’re at it, in my talk “<a href="https://feathercast.apache.org/2019/09/12/happiness-is-a-hybrid-cloud-with-apache-cassandra-patrick-mcfadin-datastax/">Happiness is a hybrid cloud with Apache Cassandra</a>,” I announced our preview release for another open source tool: DataStax Proxy for DynamoDB™ and Apache Cassandra.

This tool enables developers to run their AWS DynamoDB™ workloads on Cassandra. With this proxy, developers can run DynamoDB workloads on-premises to take advantage of the hybrid, multi-model, and scalability benefits of Cassandra.

These tools highlight our commitment to open source and will help countless Cassandra developers build transformative software solutions and modern applications in the months and years ahead.&nbsp;

Let’s explore each of them briefly.

<h2>1. DataStax Insights (Cassandra Performance Monitoring)</h2>

Everyone who uses Cassandra—whether they’re developers or operators—stands to benefit from DataStax Insights, a next-generation performance management and monitoring tool that is included with <a href="https://www.datastax.com/2019/05/datastax-announces-constellation-a-cloud-native-data-platform">DataStax Constellation</a>, DataStax Enterprise, and open source Cassandra 3.x and higher.&nbsp;

We’re now offering sign-ups for DataStax Insights (or better said: Cassandra Monitoring) for free, allowing Cassandra users to have an at-a-glance health index to get a single view of all clusters. The tool also enables users to optimize their clusters using AI to recommend solutions to issues, highlight anti-patterns, and identify performance bottlenecks, among other things.&nbsp;

DataStax Insights is free for all Cassandra users for up to 50 nodes and includes one week of rolling retention. Interested in joining the DataStax Insights early access program? We’re taking <a href="/products/datastax-insights">sign-ups now</a> (more on that below).&nbsp;

<img alt="ACNA19" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="05ea913c-ee43-4f5c-8dcf-3196eb4293d4" src="https://www.datastax.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/IMG_5584-3.jpg" />

<h2>2. Unified Drivers</h2>

Historically, DataStax has maintained two sets of drivers: one for DataStax Enterprise and one for open source Cassandra users. Moving forward, we are merging these two sets into a single unified DataStax driver for each supported programming language including C++, C#, Java, Python, and node.js. As a result, each unified driver will work for both Cassandra and DataStax products.

This move benefits developers by simplifying driver choice, which makes it easier to determine which driver to use when building applications. At the same time, developers using the open source version of Cassandra will now have free access to advanced features that initially shipped with our premium solutions. Further, developers that have previously used two different sets of drivers will now only need to use one driver for their applications across any DataStax platform and open source Cassandra. This will help with enhanced load balancing and reactive streams support.&nbsp;

<h2>3. Spring Boot Starter&nbsp;</h2>

The <a href="https://academy.datastax.com/content/datastax-spring-boot-starter-java-driver">DataStax Java Driver Spring Boot Starter</a>, which is now available in DataStax Labs, streamlines the process of building standalone <a href="https://spring.io/">Spring-based applications</a> with Cassandra and DataStax databases.

Developers will enjoy that this tool centralizes familiar configuration in one place while providing easy access to the Java Driver in Spring applications.

It’s just one more way that makes the <a href="https://www.datastax.com/2019/09/why-developing-modern-applications-is-getting-easier">application development process easier</a>.

<h2>4. DataStax Proxy for DynamoDB™ and Apache Cassandra™</h2>

With the <a href="https://www.datastax.com/blog/2019/09/datastax-proxy-dynamodb-and-apache-cassandra-preview">DataStax Proxy for DynamoDB</a> and Cassandra, developers can run DynamoDB workloads on-premises, taking advantage of the hybrid, multi-model, and scalability benefits of Cassandra.

The proxy is designed to enable users to back their DynamoDB applications with Cassandra. We determined that the best way to help users leverage this new tool and to help it flourish was to make it an open source Apache 2 licensed project.

The code consists of a scalable proxy layer that sits between your app and the database. It provides compatibility with the DynamoDB SDK which allows existing DynamoDB applications to read and write data to Cassandra without application changes.

<img alt="DataStax at ApacheCon" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8c08ab26-146e-46e7-ab2d-b37e3bebae15" src="https://www.datastax.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/IMG_5575-3.jpg" />

<h2>Sign up for the DataStax Insights early access program today!</h2>

Are you interested in optimizing your on-premises or cloud-based Cassandra deployments using a platform that lets novices monitor and fine-tune their cluster performance like experts?&nbsp;

If so, you may want to give DataStax Insights a try.&nbsp;

We’re currently accepting sign-ups to our early access program. Click the button below to get started!

<a href="/products/datastax-insights" title="datastax.com">GET STARTED</a>

<h2>DataStax Labs</h2>

<a href="https://downloads.datastax.com/#labs">DataStax Labs</a> provides the Apache Cassandra™ and DataStax communities with early access to product previews or enhancements for developers that are being considered for future production software; including tools, aids, and partner software designed to increase productivity. When you try out some of our new Labs technologies, we would love your feedback—good or bad—<a href="http://community.datastax.com">let us know</a>!

ApacheCon 2019: DataStax Announces Cassandra Monitoring Free Tier, Unified Drivers, Proxy for DynamoDB & More for the Community

Patrick McFadinDeveloper Relations

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