Database Sharding vs Partitioning: Understanding the Key Differences
When it comes to managing large amounts of data, database sharding, and partitioning are two popular techniques used to improve performance and scalability. Both methods involve breaking up a database into smaller, more manageable pieces but differ in their approach and implementation. Whats the difference between database sharding & partitioning Database sharding involves splitting a database into smaller, self-contained shards that can be distributed across multiple servers. Each shard contains a subset of the data and is responsible for handling a portion of the workload. This approach allows for horizontal scaling, meaning additional servers can be added to the system to handle increased demand. However, sharding can be complex and requires careful planning and coordination to ensure that data is distributed evenly and that queries are routed to the correct shard. Conversely, partitioning involves dividing a database into smaller, logical partitions based on specific criteria, such as date ranges or…