Choosing 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 VictoriaMetrics 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 VictoriaMetrics 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 VictoriaMetrics Breakdown


 
Database Model

Time series database

Time series database

Architecture

Timestream is a fully managed, serverless time series database service that is only available on AWS.

VictoriaMetrics can be deployed as a single-node instance for small-scale applications or as a clustered setup for large-scale applications, offering horizontal scalability and replication.

License

Closed source

Apache 2.0

Use Cases

IoT, DevOps, time series analytics

Monitoring, observability, IoT, real-time analytics, DevOps, application performance monitoring

Scalability

Serverless and automatically scalable, handling ingestion, storage, and query workload without manual intervention

Horizontally scalable, supports clustering and replication for high availability and performance

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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.

VictoriaMetrics Overview

VictoriaMetrics is an open source time series database developed by the company VictoriaMetrics. The database aims to assist individuals and organizations in addressing their big data challenges by providing state-of-the-art monitoring and observability solutions. VictoriaMetrics is designed to be a fast, cost-effective, and scalable monitoring solution and time series database.


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.

VictoriaMetrics for Time Series Data

VictoriaMetrics is designed for time series data, making it a solid choice for applications that involve the storage and analysis of time-stamped data. It provides high-performance storage and retrieval capabilities, enabling efficient handling of large volumes of time series data.


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.

VictoriaMetrics Key Concepts

  • Time Series: VictoriaMetrics stores data in the form of time series, which are sequences of data points indexed by time.
  • Metric: A metric represents a specific measurement or observation that is tracked over time.
  • Tag: Tags are key-value pairs associated with a time series and are used for filtering and grouping data.
  • Field: Fields contain the actual data values associated with a time series.
  • Query Language: VictoriaMetrics supports its own query language, which allows users to retrieve and analyze time series data based on specific criteria.


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.

VictoriaMetrics Architecture

VictoriaMetrics is available in two forms: Single-server-VictoriaMetrics and VictoriaMetrics Cluster. The Single-server-VictoriaMetrics is an all-in-one binary that is easy to use and maintain. It vertically scales well and can handle millions of metrics per second. On the other hand, VictoriaMetrics Cluster consists of components that allow for building horizontally scalable clusters, enabling high availability and scalability in demanding environments. The architecture of VictoriaMetrics enables users to choose the deployment option that best suits their needs and scale their database infrastructure as required.

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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.

VictoriaMetrics Features

High performance

VictoriaMetrics is optimized for high-performance storage and retrieval of time series data. It can efficiently handle millions of metrics per second and offers fast query execution for real-time analysis.

Scalability

The architecture of VictoriaMetrics allows for both vertical and horizontal scalability, enabling users to scale their monitoring and time series database infrastructure as their data volume and demand grow.

Cost-effectiveness

VictoriaMetrics provides a cost-effective solution for managing time series data. Its efficient storage and query capabilities contribute to minimizing operational costs while maintaining high performance.


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.

VictoriaMetrics Use Cases

Monitoring and Observability

VictoriaMetrics is widely used for monitoring and observability purposes, allowing organizations to collect, store, and analyze metrics and performance data from various systems and applications. It provides the necessary tools and capabilities to track and visualize key performance indicators, troubleshoot issues, and gain insights into system behavior.

IoT Data Management

VictoriaMetrics is suitable for handling large volumes of time series data generated by IoT devices. It can efficiently store and process sensor data, enabling real-time monitoring and analysis of IoT ecosystems. VictoriaMetrics allows for tracking and analyzing data from factories, manufacturing plants, satellites, and other IoT devices.

Capacity Planning

VictoriaMetrics enables retrospective analysis and forecasting of metrics for capacity planning purposes. It allows organizations to analyze historical data, identify patterns and trends, and make informed decisions about resource allocation and future capacity requirements.


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.

VictoriaMetrics Pricing Model

VictoriaMetrics is an open source project, which means it is available for free usage and doesn’t require any licensing fees. Users can download the binary releases, Docker images, or source code to set up and deploy VictoriaMetrics without incurring any direct costs. VictoriaMetrics also has paid offerings for on-prem Enterprise products and managed VictoriaMetrics instances.