Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics vs Google BigQuery
A detailed comparison
Compare Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics and Google BigQuery for time series and OLAP workloads
Learn About Time Series DatabasesChoosing the right database is a critical choice when building any software application. All databases have different strengths and weaknesses when it comes to performance, so deciding which database has the most benefits and the most minor downsides for your specific use case and data model is an important decision. Below you will find an overview of the key concepts, architecture, features, use cases, and pricing models of Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics and Google BigQuery so you can quickly see how they compare against each other.
The primary purpose of this article is to compare how Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics and Google BigQuery perform for workloads involving time series data, not for all possible use cases. Time series data typically presents a unique challenge in terms of database performance. This is due to the high volume of data being written and the query patterns to access that data. This article doesn’t intend to make the case for which database is better; it simply provides an overview of each database so you can make an informed decision.
Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics vs Google BigQuery Breakdown
 |
 |
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| Database Model | Time series database |
Data warehouse |
| Architecture | Timestream is a fully managed, serverless time series database service that is only available on AWS. |
BigQuery is a fully managed, serverless data warehouse provided by Google Cloud Platform. It is designed for high-performance analytics and utilizes Google’s infrastructure for data processing. BigQuery uses a columnar storage format for fast querying and supports standard SQL. Data is automatically sharded and replicated across multiple availability zones within a Google Cloud region |
| License | Closed source |
Closed source |
| Use Cases | IoT, DevOps, time series analytics |
Business analytics, large-scale data processing, data integration |
| Scalability | Serverless and automatically scalable, handling ingestion, storage, and query workload without manual intervention |
Serverless, petabyte-scale data warehouse that can handle massive amounts of data with no upfront capacity planning required |
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Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics Overview
Timestream for LiveAnalytics is a fully managed, serverless time series database service developed by AWS. Launched in 2020, Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics is designed specifically for handling time series data, making it an ideal choice for IoT, monitoring, and analytics applications that require high ingestion rates, efficient storage, and fast querying capabilities. As a part of the AWS ecosystem, Timestream for LiveAnalytics easily integrates with other AWS services, simplifying the process of building and deploying time series applications in the cloud. AWS also offers Timestream for InfluxDB which is a managed version of InfluxDB that is compatible with InfluxDB 2.x APIs and released in partnership with InfluxData.
Google BigQuery Overview
Google BigQuery is a fully-managed, serverless data warehouse and analytics platform developed by Google Cloud. Launched in 2011, BigQuery is designed to handle large-scale data processing and querying, enabling users to analyze massive datasets in real-time. With a focus on performance, scalability, and ease of use, BigQuery is suitable for a wide range of data analytics use cases, including business intelligence, log analysis, and machine learning.
Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics for Time Series Data
Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics is designed specifically for handling time series data, making it a suitable choice for a wide range of applications that require high ingestion rates and efficient storage. Its dual-tiered storage architecture, consisting of the memory Store and magnetic Store, allows users to manage data retention and optimize storage costs based on data age and access patterns. Additionally, Timestream supports SQL-like querying and integrates with popular analytics tools, making it easy for users to gain insights from their time series data.
Google BigQuery for Time Series Data
BigQuery can be used for storing and analyzing time series data, although it is more focused on traditional data warehouse use cases. BigQuery may struggle for use cases where low latency response times are required
Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics Key Concepts
- Memory Store: In Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics, the Memory Store is a component that stores recent, mutable time series data in memory for fast querying and analysis.
- Magnetic Store: The Magnetic Store in Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics is responsible for storing historical, immutable time series data on disk for cost-efficient, long-term storage.
- Time-to-Live (TTL): Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics allows users to set a TTL on their time series data, which determines how long data is retained in the Memory Store before being moved to the Magnetic Store or deleted.
Google BigQuery Key Concepts
Some important concepts related to Google BigQuery include:
- Projects: A project in BigQuery represents a top-level container for resources such as datasets, tables, and views.
- Datasets: A dataset is a container for tables, views, and other data resources in BigQuery.
- Tables: Tables are the primary data storage structure in BigQuery and consist of rows and columns.
- Schema: A schema defines the structure of a table, including column names, data types, and constraints.
Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics Architecture
Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics is built on a serverless, distributed architecture that supports SQL-like querying capabilities. Its data model is specifically tailored for time series data, using time-stamped records and a flexible schema that can accommodate varying data granularities and dimensions. The core components of Timestream’s architecture include the Memory Store and the Magnetic Store, which together manage data retention, storage, and querying. The Memory Store is optimized for fast querying of recent data, while the Magnetic Store provides cost-efficient, long-term storage for historical data.
Google BigQuery Architecture
Google BigQuery’s architecture is built on top of Google’s distributed infrastructure and is designed for high performance and scalability. At its core, BigQuery uses a columnar storage format called Capacitor, which enables efficient data compression and fast query performance. Data is automatically partitioned and distributed across multiple storage nodes, providing high availability and fault tolerance. BigQuery’s serverless architecture automatically allocates resources for queries and data storage, eliminating the need for users to manage infrastructure or capacity planning.
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Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics Features
Serverless architecture
Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics serverless architecture eliminates the need for users to manage or provision infrastructure, making it easy to scale and reducing operational overhead.
Dual-tiered storage
Timestream’s dual-tiered storage architecture, consisting of the Memory Store and Magnetic Store, automatically manages data retention and optimizes storage costs based on data age and access patterns.
SQL-like querying
Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics supports SQL-like querying and integrates with popular analytics tools, making it easy for users to gain insights from their time series data.
Timestream for InfluxDB
For workloads that require near real-time queries with single millisecond latency AWS recommends using Timestream for InfluxDB rather than LiveAnalytics. Timestream for InfluxDB also provides compatibility with InfluxDB APIs for users who want an AWS managed service without having to update their code.
Google BigQuery Features
Columnar Storage
BigQuery’s columnar storage format, Capacitor, enables efficient data compression and fast query performance, making it suitable for large-scale data analytics.
Integration with Google Cloud
BigQuery integrates seamlessly with other Google Cloud services, such as Cloud Storage, Dataflow, and Pub/Sub, making it easy to ingest, process, and analyze data from various sources.
Machine Learning Integration
BigQuery ML enables users to create and deploy machine learning models directly within BigQuery, simplifying the process of building and deploying machine learning applications.
Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics Use Cases
IoT applications
Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytic’s support for high ingestion rates and efficient storage makes it an ideal choice for monitoring and analyzing data from IoT devices, such as sensors and smart appliances.
Devops
LiveAnalytics can be used for general DevOps workloads like monitoring application health and utilization. For use cases that require real time monitoring with the lowest latency possible, AWS recommends using Timestream for InfluxDB.
Analytics
Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics can be used to track analytics data like web and application data. The built-in time series analytics functions can then be used to aggregate and analyze data to get valuable insights with increased developer productivity.
Google BigQuery Use Cases
Business Intelligence and Reporting
BigQuery is widely used for business intelligence and reporting, enabling users to analyze large volumes of data and generate insights to inform decision-making. Its fast query performance and seamless integration with popular BI tools, such as Google Data Studio and Tableau, make it an ideal solution for this use case.
Machine Learning and Predictive Analytics
BigQuery ML enables users to create and deploy machine learning models directly within BigQuery, simplifying the process of building and deploying machine learning applications. BigQuery’s fast query performance and support for large-scale data processing make it suitable for predictive analytics use cases.
Data Warehousing and ETL
BigQuery’s distributed architecture and columnar storage format make it an excellent choice for data warehousing and ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) workflows. Its seamless integration with other Google Cloud services, such as Cloud Storage and Dataflow, simplifies the process of ingesting and processing data from various sources.
Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics Pricing Model
Amazon Timestream for LiveAnalytics offers a pay-as-you-go pricing model based on data ingestion, storage, and query execution. Ingestion costs are determined by the volume of data ingested into Timestream, while storage costs are based on the amount of data stored in the Memory Store and Magnetic Store. Query execution costs are calculated based on the amount of data scanned and processed during query execution. Timestream also offers a free tier for users to explore the service and build proof-of-concept applications without incurring costs.
Google BigQuery Pricing Model
Google BigQuery pricing is based on a pay-as-you-go model, with costs determined by data storage, query, and streaming. There are two main components to BigQuery pricing:
- Storage Pricing: Storage costs are based on the amount of data stored in BigQuery. Users are billed for both active and long-term storage, with long-term storage offered at a discounted rate for infrequently accessed data.
- Query Pricing: Query costs are based on the amount of data processed during a query. Users can choose between on-demand pricing, where they pay for the data processed per query, or flat-rate pricing, which provides a fixed monthly cost for a certain amount of query capacity.
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