Abstract

The pursuit of scalable OLTP systems has been the holy grail of my career. Because OLTP systems are typically split into applications and databases, the isolation semantics provided by the DB and used by the app have a major impact on the scalability of the OLTP system as a whole. The isolation semantics are a BIG DEAL! This thought experiment explores the asymptotic limits to scale for OLTP systems. An OLTP (OnLine Transaction Processing) system is a domain-specific application using a RCSI (READ COMMITTED SNAPSHOT ISOLATION) SQL database to provide transactions across many concurrent users. This interface provides the contractual BIG DEAL between OLTP databases and OLTP applications. Focusing on the BIG DEAL, shows today’s popular databases unnecessarily limit scale. Similarly, we identify common app patterns that inhibit scale. We can reimagine the way we build both databases and applications to empower scale. All while complying with the established SQL and RCSI interface (i.e., the BIG DEAL). Perhaps, this can provoke discussions within the database community leading to new opportunities for OLTP systems. To me, that would be a big deal! .