History repeats itself: Sensible and NonsenSQL aspects of the NoSQL hoopla

Abstract

In this paper, I describe some of the recent developments in the database management area, in particular the NoSQL phenomenon and the hoopla associated with it. The goal of the paper is not to do an exhaustive survey of NoSQL systems. The aim is to do a broad brush analysis of what these developments mean - the good and the bad aspects! Based on my more than three decades of database systems work in the research and product arenas, I will outline what are many of the pitfalls to avoid since there is currently a mad rush to develop and adopt a plethora of NoSQL systems in a segment of the IT population, including the research community. In rushing to develop these systems to overcome some of the shortcomings of the relational systems, many good principles of the latter, which go beyond the relational model and the SQL language, have been left by the wayside. Now many of the features that were initially discarded as unnecessary in the NoSQL systems are being brought in, but unfortunately in ad hoc ways. Hopefully, the lessons learnt over three decades with relational and other systems would not go to waste and we wouldn't let history repeat itself with respect to simple minded approaches leading to enormous pain later on for developers as well as users of the NoSQL systems! Caveat: What I express in this paper are my personal opinions and they do not necessarily reflect the opinions of my employer. © 2013 ACM.