Redis

Storing data effectively is crucial for any organization. Managing large amounts of data produced by users and customers in the digital age is a practical challenge for businesses across all industries. Redis is a database system that offers a solution to the problems of scale and complexity. 

Discover what Redis is and how its unique features offer data storage solutions, with Micron.

What is Redis?

Redis definition: Redis, which stands for Remote Dictionary Server, is a NoSQL database that was originally open source.

Redis is an example of in-memory ​NoSQL, meaning that it primarily uses internal random-access memory (RAM) for storing data. This use allows the system to work more efficiently by reducing the need to access data from slower storage tiers, such as hard disk drives (HDDs) or other mass storage devices. This efficiency is why Redis is such a popular database.

In contrast, other databases and technologies that rely on external data storage can add extra demand on the system, leading to slower and less reliable performance. By handling data storage and queries within internal memory, Redis can process queries much more quickly and smoothly.

Key benefits of the Redis system include its caching system. Redis caches data by storing it in a key-value data structure within the internal memory. This strategy allows data to be stored in an organized, easily accessible manner. While ​relational databases store data in tables, Redis uses a key-value structure, making data retrieval straightforward and efficient.

Another advantage of Redis is its ability to queue queries to process multiple tasks at once. Whereas other systems can only manage a single task at once, working systematically, Redis queues tasks and begins to process them in the background, expediting the system.

How does Redis work?

Redis supports a range of abstract data structures, enabling users to store and retrieve their data in creative and flexible ways. Holding all data in key-value databases, data can be stored in many forms and accessed by the value being queried.

The database works based on a number of unique features, including Sentinel. This is a system designed to assist developers calibrate data to be available and accessible. It monitors behavior to alert when there are issues, allowing new connections to be reconfigured.

Cluster is another key feature, splitting datasets into multiple nodes, which creates the capability for scalability. When operations are scaled up, the nodes streamline this process.

Similar to the caching system, Redis takes snapshots of data using persistent data storage to mitigate issues from outages and overloads. These database backups add security and can be configured to suit a user's needs.

The publish and subscribe commands, known as pub/sub, are supported within Redis. These commands let developers design messaging facilities within the database.

What is the history of Redis?

The Redis project began in the late 2000s and has been in development in some way up until 2024. Over time, it may undergo further development as requirements of the technology change. Here is the history of Redis so far.

• 2009, the Redis project: The original developer of Redis was Salvatore Sanfilippo, and his mission was to improve the scalability of a real-time web log analyzer for his startup company. Initial work on Redis began in 2009, and after achieving some successful milestones, he decided to make it open source. 
• Early 2010s, technological development: Throughout the early 2010s, Sanfilippo continued to develop the technology behind Redis, with Redis Labs sponsoring the project as of 2015.
• Late 2010s, changes to access: Toward the end of the 2010s, some features and modules available in Redis were licensed, ending the fully open-source period.
• 2020, Sanfilippo steps down: In 2020, the founder and developer of Redis stepped away from the technology. Yossi Gottlieb and Oran Agra now run it.
• 2024, licensing: As of March 2024, Redis is no longer open source, and users must pay to use the technology.

What are key types of Redis?

Because Redis is an individual NoSQL database product, there are no Redis types. It is a single offering. However, it offers vast flexibility and adaptability to individual business use cases, so it can be altered to offer wide-ranging functionality. Although Redis is a single database, it can look quite different between individual users and licenses, with developers and users having the freedom to adapt it.

As a type of NoSQL database, Redis is firmly in the in-memory database camp, offering a storage solution that sits within the system’s main memory rather than on a disk. This is what powers the caching capability that makes Redis uniquely valuable.

How is Redis used?

Redis can be applied to a range of industries, owing to its flexibility as a platform. One notable use case is for real-time analytics. Redis has powerful processing capabilities that enable it to attain, process and store real-time data intuitively. Businesses that monitor financial transactions, online checkouts and digital events can therefore track performance fluctuations with speed and accuracy.

Also, because Redis supports multiple data types within a single database, it can process and store geospatial and locational data alongside other kinds of data. This capability enables businesses to align data concerning individual users or behaviors with their locations, segmenting processes and functions based on the needs and interests of people in different locales.

Two of the most valued features of Redis are its user-defined caching system and data security. These features make Redis particularly strong for industries that handle sensitive data, such as healthcare, finance and law.