Compare NewSQL Architectures for a Real-Time Inventory Platform
Overview
What this challenge is about.
Study the architecture papers and documentation for CockroachDB (its Spanner-inspired multi-active design), TiDB (Raft + multi-Raft + TiKV + TiDB SQL layer), and Spanner (TrueTime). Compare on: (1) data model and SQL surface, (2) transaction protocol and isolation, (3) geo-distribution strategy, (4) failover semantics, (5) operational properties (backup, upgrade, schema change). Run a small-scale prototype against the inventory team's most contentious 4 transactions on each, just to ground the comparison. Deliver an 18-page architecture-comparison paper, a comparison matrix, the prototype code, and a 45-minute readout for the principal engineer.
The Brief
What you'll do, and what you'll demonstrate.
Produce a deep-architecture comparison of CockroachDB, TiDB, and Spanner for a real-time multi-region inventory platform, grounded in prototype workloads.
Earning criteria — what you'll demonstrate
- Read distributed-database architecture papers critically
- Compare transaction protocols across Raft-based and TrueTime-based systems
- Ground architecture comparisons in real prototype evidence
- Brief a principal engineer without losing technical nuance
Program Fit
Where this fits in your program.
Sharpens the same skills your degree expects you to demonstrate.
Skills
Skills you'll demonstrate.
Each one shows up on your verified credential.
Careers
Roles this prepares you for.
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Career mappings coming soon.