Amazon’s DynamoDB Tutorial – A Simplified Guide For 2021

INTRODUCTION

With the gushing rush of data flow, Amazon DynamoDB tutorial provides a non-SQL or non-relational database (commonly known as NoSQL) providing a mechanism for storage, processing and retrieval of data. It also allows graphs, documents, columns among its data model.

1. Dynamo DB?
2. Terms related to DynamoDB
3. DynamoDB Streams
4. Accessing Amazon DynamoDB
5. Features of DynamoDB
6. DynamoDB API
7. DynamoDB Stream
8. DynamoDB: Case Studies
9. Demo: Creating, Inserting And Querying A Table In DynamoDB

1.Dynamo DB?

DynamoDB tutorial, being a NoSQL database, does not use the common structured query language. It provides fast and predictable performance with seamless scalability, offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS). 

A user first stores the data in DynamoDB tables and then interacts with it through PUT and GET queries which are written and read operations, respectively.

DynamoDB consists of 3 basic units referred to as item, table and attribute.

2.Terms related to DynamoDB –

The common terminologies related to DynamoDB are described as below;

Table, Items, Attributes

1. A table is an amalgamation of rows and columns. For example; In Student Details, you will have Student Name, Student ID, Roll No., Standard and Residential Address.
2. A bunch of attributes in a table is called an item. For example, many attributes that uniquely define an entry inserted into a table are called an item. As an example, an item in Student Details will identify a single student.
3. A single field that is attached to an item is called an attribute—for example, Student Name.

1. Primary Key

A unique attribute that is essential for the creation of a table is known as the Primary Key.

 2. Simple Primary Key

A simple primary key is also known as the Partition key, and this is in real; a single attribute. DynamoDB with the help of the Partition key’s value to differentiate items inserted in the table. Example: Student ID in the Student Details table.

 3. Composite Primary Key

A composite primary key is also referred to as the Partition Key, and the Sort key having 2 elements.

3.DynamoDB Streams

This is an add-on feature provided by Amazon DynamoDB tutorial to track any data modification events in the table in the database.

4.Accessing Amazon DynamoDB

   Accessing DynamoDB is very easy to access and can be accessed using the following methods:

• Console
• CLI (Command Line Interface) 
• Using API 

5.Features of DynamoDB

DynamoDB is created uniquely so that the user can achieve high-performance and run multiple applications that would not be easily manageable with the traditional database system. These add-on features of DynamoDB can be accessed via the following modes:

1. On-demand capacity mode

2. Built-in support for ACID transactions

3. On-demand backup

4. Point-in-time recovery

5. Encryption at rest

6.DynamoDB API

DynamoDB is a database management tool. The Application Programming Interfaces in DynamoDB tutorial are:

Control Plane

Control Plane consists of operations responsible for “Creating” and “Managing” a DynamoDB table. The operations under DynomoDB that can be used are;

• CreateTable: Creates a new table.
• DescribeTable: Provides information about the table.
• ListTable: Returns all the table names in your list.
• Delete Table: Deletes the table and all its contents from DynamoDB.

Data Plane

Data Plane consists of “CRUD” operation, i.e. “Create“, “Read“, “Update“, and “Delete” options to perform different actions on your table. Multiple operations can be done on a table. The operations here are as follows:

• Creating Data

1. Put Item
2. Batch Write Item

• Reading Data

1. GetItem
2. BatchGetItem
3. Query
4. Scan

• Updating Data

1. UpdateItem

• Deleting Data

1. DeleteItem
2. BatchWriteItem

7.DynamoDB Stream

DynamoDB Stream is a service to track data stream already loaded and retrieved into a table. To modify the streaming, the user can use the following commands according to the requirement;

• ListStream
• DescribeStream
• GetShardIterator
• GetRecords

8.DynamoDB: Case Studies

  Some of the case studies are;

1. MLB Advanced Media
2.  Amazon DynamoDB has aided MLBAM to scale up the support for games on a single day and power the queries and support for fast data retrieval.
3. Expedia
4.   Expedia’s real-time analytics application collects data for test & learn experiments to scale up to higher and higher.
5. Nexon
6.   DynamoDB is their primary database for blockbuster mobile game HIT. 

9.Demo: Creating, Inserting And Querying A Table In DynamoDB

Let’s find out how to create a table in DynamoDB.

Step 1: Navigate to the DynamoDB section in AWS.

Step 2: Fill in with the necessary details and click on “Create“.

Step 3: You can view your table being created. Click on “Overview” to understand your table, click on “Items” to edit, insert and query on the table. There are many more options you can use to understand your table better.

Likewise, once the table is created, data can be inserted as per the requirements of the user.

CONCLUSION

For managing data, DynamoDB tutorial uses b-trees and hashing. And If I talk about the advantages, it includes complete control over the data, data being accessible at any point of time, no internet connectivity required, and most importantly, it’s free to use.

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