Table of Contents:

Definition and Overview

1. Voice and Data Networks' Real-Time Data Management Demands

2. In-Memory Data Management Systems Built in House

3. Commercial Disk-Based Databases: Benefits and Limitations

4. Commercial In-Memory Databases: A New Alternative

5. Application Profiles

6. Industry Trends

7. Conclusion

Self-Test

Glossary

PDF of this tutorial

The adoption of open, standards-based in-memory databases well positions network service providers for several ongoing technological advancements, including the following:

• integration with back-office OSSs—With open standards, in-memory databases are well equipped to integrate with back-office operations support systems (OSSs). With this integration, providers can seamlessly manage a subset of the operational data store within the in-memory database. This offers an effective means of integrating systems while ensuring the highest level of responsiveness for those applications that are time critical.
• Java—The Web-based, cross-platform nature of Java has been increasingly accepted for its use in voice and data networks. In-memory databases are well equipped to bring their performance to Java applications, which will enable more advanced integration of voice- and data-based services.
• 64-bit systems—Because they optimize CPU processing, in-memory databases are uniquely equipped to take advantage of the 64-bit computing systems that are gaining widespread acceptance among service providers. In 64-bit systems, in-memory databases can support larger data stores by exploiting the larger memory addressability of 64-bit architectures.