Couchbase Server

Basically we have clusters, Couchbase  clusters, databases, and that is how we use Couchbase  with XDCR. All the clusters are set up and then we use Couchbase. It is a complex application setup we use with Couchbase. We have replication and multi-node Couchbase setup.

The very useful feature of Couchbase is the online addition and deletion of nodes which we use because of XDCR replication. We use this very regularly.

Couchbase has an indexing part that is easy to build. We can create indexes in advance, before we have the data, and then we can stack in the data. This is something we use regularly.

The main issue we keep facing from the past couple of years, observing other teams using Couchbase, is that whenever there is an upgrade, we see many issues with compatibility or nodes not interconnecting after the upgrade. The upgrade part should be taken care of very carefully.

We contacted Couchbase support recently when we had a similar issue. They were helping, but it is a critical system and application we have set up. They need to rethink about their upgrade process and improve their validation part after the upgrade.

My team has contacted Couchbase support directly. I think they provide good support, but we prefer a proactive approach rather than reactive because this is not the first time we are facing issues after an upgrade. It has happened two or three times. We need to be very cautious during upgrades, and application teams get worried because of earlier experiences. We need to avoid these situations.

Our team has been using Couchbase for a while, but I started using it only in the last year.

We encounter compatibility issues with JDK and similar technologies whenever we perform upgrades. We had some issues recently.

We contacted Couchbase support recently when we had an issue. They were helpful, but since we have a critical system and application, they need to rethink their upgrade process and improve their validation after upgrades.

My team has contacted Couchbase support directly. They provide good support, but we prefer a proactive approach rather than reactive because this is not the first time we are facing issues after an upgrade. It has happened multiple times, requiring extra caution during upgrades, which causes worry among application teams due to previous experiences.

Positive

I worked with other document databases, MongoDB  database and Firestore. Each database has its own advantages and disadvantages. When it comes to the deployment part, MongoDB  was much easier to deploy, but there are many differences when comparing features.

I worked with other document databases including MongoDB and Firestore. Each database has its own advantages and disadvantages. When it comes to deployment, MongoDB was much easier to deploy, but there are significant feature differences.

I prefer both, but for complex applications requiring minimal downtime, I prefer Couchbase. If there is room for downtime, I would choose MongoDB.

It is a good solution, but as every product needs improvement, this also needs some enhancement. It is a good product. I rate Couchbase seven out of ten.

Hybrid Cloud

Google

I have two use cases right now. I have a shopping list app where users can share their lists, so I used the Sync feature with Sync Gateway.

In another product, I use what they call N1QL, which is a query language, and I use it to check if ads are available to show to a user. In one part of the product, I only use the Sync Gateway, and in another part, I use N1QL to query the database.

It just works. I used other products and they didn't do what Couchbase  does. It works out of sight once everything is set up. When the user makes changes on their list in the app on their mobile phone, it syncs straight away. If there's an internet interruption, it resumes as soon as internet is available. I didn't have to do anything as a developer.

It's great because it's very different from MySQL  where you have to update tables. With document type databases, you just say there's a new element in your document, and that's fine. It's really good to use.

What is missing is that they have a new version, Couchbase  Mobile three, but they haven't really updated or provided help or documentation about what needs to change to update to the latest mobile version.

I'm looking into geospatial applications, and I know that Postgres has it more natively than Couchbase. However, I haven't done any testing yet to determine if I should switch databases or if Couchbase is fast enough with geospatial documents.

I have been using the solution for nine years.

Over the past years, it just worked. I updated the servers and versions, and if it wouldn't work, I would look for other solutions, but for now it runs fine every day, every minute of the day. That is really the single reason I haven't looked anywhere else.

Once it's set up, it's easy to use, and there are no headaches. I would recommend it. There might be people I wouldn't recommend it to who don't know anything about Linux or how to set up servers. They might need to go a different route, perhaps to the cloud, which is easier to use.

I've got millions of documents, and my servers are mostly idle, so it's really fine.

There was a service from Dropbox  about 10 years ago. Just before I switched to Couchbase, that was sunset. I tried Firebase back then. They had a sync service too, but it was only partly offline. Only partly the data was available on the device, and querying wasn't really supported. This is what I knew 10 years ago, and I didn't look at different products during those 10 years. I was really happy with Couchbase.

I'd say it's a steep learning curve first, and there are three things to set up that take time. But once this is all done, it's really easy. There's no more maintenance or worrying that things don't work as advertised. They just work, which is a lot better than having a product that's easier to use at first but then afterwards you still have headaches, so I prefer Couchbase a lot to other products I tried in the past.

It's a lot to learn and to wire everything up, but that is with every good product, you've got to study. It's similar to studying English to speak it properly.

I've been on the enterprise plan, and I think it was a five-figure amount a year. It turns out that I'm totally fine not having this enterprise account.

That was years ago when I had the enterprise plan, and it wasn't really stable then. I think it was around 2018. They did update, and since then, I haven't had any problems anymore.

Currently, I only use it in a datacenter, not on AWS . The reason being is that when I started using Couchbase, they insisted on running Couchbase on bare metal servers, not on VMs or in a Docker  container, so Couchbase has the full resources from a server. At the time, they didn't have any offers for AWS , such as Couchbase Capella . I'm really happy using it on premises.

I haven't used graphs yet. I use key value and document based functionality, and I actually used it 10 years ago. Now it's second nature to me.

I'll continue to explore using Couchbase, particularly looking into geospatial applications. While I know that Postgres has more native support for those uses, I haven't yet tested if Couchbase is fast enough with geospatial documents.

I rate Couchbase a nine out of ten.

On-premises

Other

I can see Couchbase  is being used for various use cases, primarily to enhance data handling capabilities.

The best thing about Couchbase  is its versatility in handling data.

Overall as a tool, I see room for improvement in Couchbase in certain aspects.

I have been using Couchbase for some time now.

When asked about stability issues with Couchbase regarding bugs or system breakdowns, this was specifically discussed.

Regarding the scalability of Couchbase, I think it shows great potential for growth.

For their support, I would rate them a 7 out of 10. I gave this rating because there are some areas where I think they could improve.

Neutral

The deployment and initial setup of Couchbase is straightforward, though some people might see it as complex.

The question was raised about whether Couchbase is completely free or if there are any hidden fees.

The discussion included whether Cassandra  was being used in conjunction with Couchbase.

I am a user of Couchbase and would recommend it to other people. Giving practical insights would be valuable advice for anyone new to Couchbase.

On a scale of 1-10, I rate Couchbase an 8.

We used Couchbase  as the primary data storage. Since our company was in the gaming industry, Couchbase  stored data on players and related to games, levels, and similar objects for our mobile applications, aka games. There was a synchronization in place between Couchbase and another database, Elasticsearch. Some indices from Couchbase were periodically replicated to Elasticsearch.

I liked that Couchbase was stable and consistent, as much as possible with a NoSQL database. We didn't experience any downtime. Writing to the database was something we could rely on, and the database maintained reliable storage. This reliability was essential, giving us a good level of reassurance regarding data presence. Couchbase provided consistent productivity as a finished solution that worked well.

Couchbase needs to improve the consistent reliability of the replication feature. Sometimes, the replications would be delayed. This delay meant that data on another database, Elasticsearch, was not always up to date, which could be noticed in the games. Making replications more timely and consistent would be beneficial.

I worked with Couchbase at my last workplace for two and a half years.

Couchbase was a stable solution for us. We didn't experience any downtime, and the data stayed there consistently.

I would rate the scalability as ten out of ten. It was easily scalable, which is expected from a NoSQL database, and very important as player numbers could grow, so we needed to accommodate all that data.

We never contacted tech support while I was at the company. However, we used the documentation, which was well-written and clear. I'd rate it ten out of ten.

Positive

The DevOps team handled the implementation.

Couchbase maintained consistent productivity as a finished solution that worked well, saving us time dealing with something less efficient.

I would rate Couchbase nine out of ten, given some small hiccups. For example, the replication feature needs to operate in a more timely and consistent manner. Overall, I would rate the solution nine out of ten.

Public Cloud

Amazon Web Services  (AWS )

Our primary use case for Couchbase  is related to the iGaming industry, particularly for high-performance reads and writes to meet our SLA for high volumes. We have a particular use case where there is an SLA of one second, and Couchbase  is critical for ensuring our wallet operations function correctly.

Couchbase, being a multi-master solution, allows us to process more load and has enabled us to scale more significantly with lower costs, especially under high user spikes.

The most valuable features of Couchbase include the key-value storage due to its speed and the multi-master capability, which provides more speed and scalability compared to master-slave databases. 

The support for syntax that allows reading by properties sets Couchbase apart from alternatives like Redis . Additionally, Couchbase's N1QL query language minimizes the learning curve for developers, facilitating an easier adaptation to the technology.

I would like Couchbase to provide more functionality via the UI, as some operations, such as time-based scaling, currently require using the API. While I find Couchbase's feature set to be generally satisfactory, adding more UI-based configuration options would be beneficial.

I have used Couchbase for four years.

Couchbase is highly stable, rated at nine out of ten. 

Stability is crucial as it prevents users from turning to competitors.

Couchbase is extremely scalable, which is critical when handling high throughput and load. 

I rate its scalability at ten out of ten.

I rate customer service at ten out of ten. The support team has been helpful with VNET configuration, Sync Gateway, and other technical issues.

Positive

We previously used Mongo database but switched to Couchbase since it is a multi-master solution, allowing us to process more load and scale with lower costs.

The initial setup is quick with Couchbase Capella , taking about 30 minutes. Deployment on Kubernetes  or VMs may require about half a day for setup.

Typically, one person is sufficient for deployment, especially with Couchbase Capella . For in-house deployment, one or a maximum of two people can handle the configuration.

Investing in Couchbase has significantly lowered our operational costs and increased throughput, reducing costs by half and supporting around five times the non-peak user volume during peak hours.

The pricing of Couchbase varies depending on the usage. It can range between 25,000 to 40,000 Euros per year depending on company requirements.

We evaluated Mongo database but chose Couchbase due to its multi-model flexibility and the advantages of being a multi-master database.

Couchbase, especially under high load conditions, is imperative for providing a great user experience due to its stability and scalability, which reduces costs and scales efficiently. 

I rate Couchbase at nine out of ten.

Public Cloud

Other