Vertica Approach

4 Cs:

• Column storage: store data to optimize for access.
• Compression: store more data in less physical storage.
• Clustering: scale your database easily, whether you need three nodes or 300.
• Continuous performance: optimize the database on an ongoing basis, automatically.

Column Storage

HP Vertica stores data the way it is typically queried for best performance. Column storage is ideal for read-intensive workloads because it can dramatically reduce disk I/O compared to the more-typical row-based storage.

Data Encoding and Compression

Encoding is the process of converting data into a standard format. HP Vertica uses a number of different encoding strategies, depending on column data type, table cardinality, and sort order. Encoding increases performance because there is less disk I/O during query execution. In addition, you can store more data in less space.

Compression is the process of transforming data into a compact format. HP Vertica uses several different compression methods and automatically chooses the best one for the data being compressed. 

Clustering

Clustering is used for scaling and redundancy. You can scale your database cluster easily by adding more hardware, and you can improve reliability by distributing and replicating data across your cluster.

Continuous Performance

HP Vertica queries and loads data continuously (24x7) with virtually no database administration.

Concurrent loading and querying, you get real-time views and eliminate the need for nightly load windows. 

On-the-fly schema changes - add columns and projections without shutting down your database;