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NineData vs Flyway

NineData and Flyway are both products in the field of database DevOps. Flyway emphasizes its ability for change version management, while NineData is a more general-purpose database DevOps platform, focusing on improving database efficiency and security.

NineData offers a permanently free version of its Database DevOps Professional Edition 10 with 10 data source specifications under the SaaS model. Users can register and use it without the need for application servers and database hardware, making it very convenient for small and medium-sized teams.

Flyway is open-source, with the free version providing basic functionality. Advanced features require upgrading to either the Professional Edition or Enterprise Edition, which are paid versions.

Features Comparison​

Category Feature Flyway NineData
Basic Capabilities Deployment Mode Local Deployment Cloud (SaaS), Local Deployment
Open Source Open Source, Apache License, provides basic functionality, advanced features require paid upgrade to Professional Edition or Enterprise Edition Not Open Source, free for up to 10 database instances (Cloud mode), charges apply for more than 10
Supported Data Sources 33 60
Cloud Platform Compatibility Not Supported Alibaba Cloud, Tencent Cloud, Huawei Cloud, Baidu Cloud, China Mobile Cloud, AWS, GCP
Login Mode ❌ Git Software Integration Username Password, SSO(LDAP), WeChat
Supported Languages English Chinese, English
Database DevOps SQL Console ❌ Supported
Object Visualization Management ❌ Supports Tables, Views, Stored Procedures, Functions, Triggers, Events
Query Result Set Operations ❌ View, Modify, Search, Filter, Export
Session Isolation ❌ Supported
SQL Audit & Deployment SQL Change Deployment Supported Supported
Change Automatic Backup ❌ Supported
Approval Process ❌ Supported through Git integration, etc. Supported
OnlineDDL ❌ Supported
OnlineDML ❌ Supported
Built-in SQL Specifications 10+ 100+
Mobile Approval ❌ Supported
Deployment Process Orchestration ❌ Supported
Data Security Sensitive Data Protection ❌ Supported
Permission Authorization Mode ❌ Administrator Authorization, User Initiated Application
Permission Model ❌ User, Role, Data Source, Environment Group
Operation Audit ❌ Supported through Git integration, etc. Supported
Advanced Data Processing Data Import ❌ Supported
Data Export ❌ Supported
Data Archiving ❌ Supported
Data Tracking ❌ Supported for MySQL
Database Union Query ❌ Supported
Performance Diagnosis Slow SQL Performance Analysis ❌ Supported
Session Management ❌ Supported
Others AI Big Model Integration ❌ Supports Text2SQL, AI SQL Diagnosis, ChatDBA

Detailing Differences One: Product Installation and Deployment Modes​

  • NineData: It is recommended to use the Cloud (SaaS) mode by default, where users can register an account on the official website and start using it immediately. For enterprises with high data compliance requirements, NineData also offers a local deployment mode (requires application servers and database servers preparation).

  • Flyway: As an open-source product, Flyway adopts a local installation and deployment mode (requires application servers and database servers preparation).

Detailing Differences Two: Open Source and Free​

  • NineData: The code is not open-source. The Cloud platform provides a permanent free version of Database DevOps Professional Edition 10 with up to 10 data sources. Beyond 10, charges apply.
  • Flyway: It is open-source under the Apache license. Advanced features require upgrading to the Team Edition or Enterprise Edition, which are paid versions.

Detailing Differences Three: Supported Database Types​

  • NineData: Supports over 60 database types including MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, SQLServer, MongoDB, Dameng, OceanBase, PolarDB, AWS Aurora, ClickHouse, and Doris.
  • Flyway: Supports around 30 database types including MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQLServer, Redis, MongoDB, SQLite, Snowflake, and TiDB.

Detailing Differences Four: Cloud Platform Support​

  • NineData: Supports mainstream cloud platforms such as Alibaba Cloud, Huawei Cloud, Tencent Cloud, Baidu Cloud, China Mobile Cloud, AWS, etc. It supports establishing private network connections via VPC and automatically obtaining cloud database information through cloud platform APIs without manual input from users.
  • Flyway: Does not support cloud platforms.

Detailing Differences Five: SQL Console​

SQL editing window is a core functionality for developers to operate databases, similar to database client functionality.

  • NineData: Provides a user experience similar to Navicat or DBeaver, supporting comprehensive object navigation and visual operations on various objects such as tables, views, stored procedures, etc. Smart SQL editing prompts are more precise and efficient. Result sets support editing, copying, searching, sorting, exporting, and more. After adopting NineData, enterprises can avoid the hassle of installing various database client tools.

    image-20240419164851594

  • Flyway: Primarily focused on version management and does not provide SQL client functionality.

Detailing Differences Six: SQL Audit and Deployment​

  • Flyway: Distributes SQL change deployment to various environments such as development, testing, production, etc., based on user-provided SQL change scripts and database configuration information. Flyway provides automatic version execution detection, ensuring that database changes reach specified versions in various environments. The paid version of Flyway offers advanced capabilities such as rollback and structure and data comparison.
  • NineData: Provides a GUI visual SQL change deployment process and also supports development, testing, and production environment change management through development process orchestration. Currently, NineData does not have very specific version concepts.

In comparison to Flyway, NineData has the following advantages:

  • OnlineDML: Valuable for large-scale data correction as it may impact business, requiring DBAs to batch execute. NineData offers automated OnlineDML capability, effectively improving operation efficiency and database stability.
  • OnlineDDL: Supports MySQL database DDL without table locking for changes.
  • SQL Task Pause: Supports manual pause during SQL task execution.

Detailing Differences Seven: SQL Development Standards​

SQL development standards are an important component of enterprise database development standards, covering aspects such as primary keys, field types, and field naming conventions. Traditional client tools do not provide such features, making them a core capability of database DevOps products.

  • NineData: Supports over 100 audit standards.
  • Flyway: Supports over 10 audit standards.

Detailing Differences Eight: Sensitive Data Protection​

Databases typically store business-sensitive data such as customer phone numbers and bank card numbers. Traditional client tools do not provide sensitive data desensitization protection, making sensitive data leakage prone. Both NineData and Flyway provide data desensitization capabilities.

  • NineData: Offers rigorous sensitive data protection and identification capabilities, automatically desensitizing various complex SQL.

    image-20240419165248938

  • Flyway: Does not support sensitive data protection.

Detailing Differences Nine: Permission Acceptance Mode​

  • NineData: Provides the ability for administrators to grant permissions in the backend and for users to apply for permissions proactively.

    image-20240419165800734

  • Flyway: Does not have its own permission system and needs to be integrated into other systems.

Detailing Differences Ten: Multilingual Support​

  • NineData: Chinese and English.
  • Flyway: English.

Advanced Features Supported by NineData but Not by Flyway​

  • Data Import: Suitable for importing large amounts of data into databases. Supports single files up to 5 GB and can handle SQL scripts or CSV file formats.

    image-20240419165858536

  • Data Export: Suitable for quick data export, supporting automatic data export desensitization and the option to export entire databases, multiple tables, or via SQL statements.

    image-20240419165949314

  • Data Archiving: Suitable for archiving and cleaning historical data, allowing configuration of cleaning rules and scheduled execution (Flyway can support MySQL databases through the pt-archive plugin).

    image-20240419170054724

  • Data Tracking: Supports tracking and querying data change history, suitable for quick rollback processing after misoperations. Currently supports MySQL databases.

    image-20240419170218447

  • Session Management: Supports real-time database session status query, killing sessions, and statistical grouping by client, login user, and session state.

    image-20240419170402208

  • Slow SQL Management: Supports automatic collection, analysis, and diagnosis of SQL historically executed in databases.

    image-20240419170534718

  • Development Process Orchestration: Provides database CI/CD capabilities, supporting enterprise configuration of database release processes for development, testing, production, and other environments.

    image-20240419170650812

  • AI Big Model Integration: Provides innovative capabilities such as natural language generation of SQL, AI SQL optimization, and ChatDBA based on large model AI technology.

    image-20240419170937156

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