Comments on: Kickfire: stream-processing SQL queries

By: Stored Data Analytics: A Crowded Space

Stored Data Analytics: A Crowded Space — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:40:00 +0000

[...] this crowded space is KickFire, who will shortly be launching their MySQL appliance based on a stream processing architecture which uses specialized chip hardware (and solid state drives?) to improve [...]

By: How fast can MySQL Process Data By Peter : The Metadata

How fast can MySQL Process Data By Peter : The Metadata — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:59:20 +0000

[...] Process Data By Peter Posted by: admin in Categories: MySQL. Reading Barons post aboutÂ Kickfire ApplianceÂ and of course talking to them directly I learned a lot in their product is about beating data [...]

By: zillablog

zillablog — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 04:34:10 +0000

Where there’s smoke, there’s Kickfire…

Over the weekend I had a chance to catch up on some of my favorite database oriented blogs, and I noticed a number of them were mentioning the upcoming Kickfire engine/appliance based around MySQL. Always a sucker to read about Yet Another MySQL Engine…

By: Dan

Dan — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 12:30:15 +0000

I suspect along with their own “stream processor” there will be at least one other general purpose processor in the device. Looking at other industries where the same sort of thing is done (again, going with the graphics analogies that are being spoken about at the moment), stream processors all on their own are non-existent to my knowledge.

Most database engines that specialize in OLAP will use column-stored data. Kickfire sounds like it analyses queries with a general-purpose processor which also co-ordinates standard file handling/locking, figures out which column(s) it will need access to, initiate the data transfer from disk to the steam processor, and then push the data direct to the dedicated processor, letting it work it’s highly-optimised magic on the data that comes down the pipe (I’m guessing basic match/discard/logic operations).

It sounds like a pretty simple concept, honestly, and one I’m surprised nobody has implemented to date. Data store will be the final bottleneck, and even then if you can get a disk to push 250MB/s (with something like SAN/fibrechannel), you wouldn’t need a stream processor to be all that fast (speaking in clockspeed) to deal with the data being pushed into it. Again, think realtime video or audio effects on data streams, only SQL functions instead of pixel shaders or audio distortions.

Again, I’m surprised it hasn’t been done before. Particularly given the money big vendors like Oracle and IBM sink into their DB development every year.

By: Nathaniel

Nathaniel — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 04:21:34 +0000

Good article, even for the non-SQL savvy people out here. I like how you keep pointing out the environmental impacts of computing. Many of us feel that working with computers is one profession that is immune to affecting the environment. Unfortunately it is expensive and wasteful – we just don’t see it all. I guess I’m feeling a bit sore lately because my flatscreen monitor just went bad and will cost as much to fix as to buy a replacement. I digress…