ADS: Edge Server + Data Ingest

Maintaining data across an increasingly diverse set of devices – such as mobile phones, kiosks, IoT devices, sensors, and more – is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Requirements for low latency experiences, accurate visibility in real-time, management through hostile network conditions, and compatibility across an expanding set of device types all make this extremely challenging. We are thrilled to announce products that address this expanding challenge: Atlas Device Sync: Edge Server, Data Ingest, and C++ support. These capabilities are all key additions to MongoDB’s developer data platform, empowering teams with an out-of-the-box data synchronization layer that ensures uninterrupted operations and productivity across an organization’s ecosystem of distributed devices.

Atlas Device Sync: Edge Server

Traditionally, edge devices require cloud connectivity to sync with each other and reflect changes across users. This meant that if there was no internet connection, devices used for critical operations like inventory management or package tracking were not showing accurate data until the internet connection resumed. Many use cases require more reliability across local devices – for example, in a retail warehouse where tablets are used for real-time package management – for which some teams develop and implement their own local syncing solutions at their remote branch locations. Atlas Device Sync: Edge Server enables teams to leverage a pre-built local-first data synchronization layer. They can deploy a local Edge Server at their remote location which allows devices to sync directly with each other without the need for a roundtrip to the cloud. Once back online, the data is also synchronized with the cloud. This approach ensures swift and efficient synchronization, enhancing overall performance and enabling smooth operations even in unreliable network conditions. With MongoDB’s Atlas Device Sync: Edge Server, organizations can cut down the time it takes to build, test, and maintain a local sync solution from scratch, and instead focus on other pressing innovative business initiatives.

The advantages of Atlas Device Sync extend beyond convenience and simplicity. Revisiting that retail warehouse example, in situations where the store operates in standalone mode, such as during a network outage caused by a natural disaster, our local Edge Server ensures that the in-store devices can sync with each other, providing a cohesive experience for both customers and employees.

The applications of Atlas Device Sync are diverse, catering to a range of industries and scenarios. For example, mobile devices in an airplane can maintain a shared state across the cockpit and flight crew, facilitating efficient communication and collaboration. Cruise ship sales across multiple gift shops can keep a common inventory while at sea by syncing with the local server, thereby ensuring accurate stock management. Even medical records on a Navy ship can be updated during checkups and saved to the local Tiered Device Sync, ready to sync with the full backend once a network connection is established.

Atlas Device Sync: Data Ingest

Data Ingest, now generally available, serves as a synchronization strategy tailored for applications that predominantly involve writing data on the client side, without requiring frequent reads. By enabling Data Ingest for one or more collections, businesses can experience accelerated write speeds while bypassing some of the processing involved in bi-directional sync. This feature supports writing data to any collection type, including Atlas time-series collections, making it suitable for a wide range of use cases.

Consider an Internet of Things (IoT) application that continually logs sensor data, generating a significant workload in terms of data writes but with minimal read requirements. This IoT device may also experience prolonged periods of offline operation. With Data Ingest, the processing overhead associated with bi-directional synchronization is circumvented, resulting in significantly improved write speeds to an Atlas collection. This ensures that crucial sensor data is efficiently captured and stored, even under challenging network conditions.

Data Ingest is not limited to IoT applications alone; it can be leveraged for various use cases where write operations dominate and conflict resolution is unnecessary. For instance, retail applications that generate invoices or log application events can benefit from the streamlined and accelerated data writing offered by Data Ingest. By eliminating the need for conflict resolution, businesses can optimize their processes, enhance performance, and improve overall operational efficiency. This feature can be selectively applied to individual collections, allowing your application to utilize Data Ingest for specific data sets while utilizing bi-directional Device Sync for other collections. This enables full flexibility, allowing businesses to tailor their synchronization approach based on their unique requirements.

With the powerful capabilities of Atlas Device Sync: Edge Server and Data Ingest, our developer data platform enables enterprises to fully embrace the potential of edge computing. By eliminating the overhead of traditional methods of building these sophisticated synchronization mechanisms from scratch and instead leveraging pre-built solutions embodying industry best practices, teams can operate at peak performance levels, even in scenarios with limited connectivity or heavy data generation requirements.

C++ Support

Lastly, we are proud to announce the beta release of our highly anticipated C++ support through our C++ client SDK. This addition further expands the reach of our synchronization solution, catering to applications running on embedded, lightweight, low-footprint devices, and Windows platforms. Developers can use this SDK to immediately add Atlas Device Sync to their C++ applications, enabling teams to leverage the full potential of edge computing without compromising on performance or ease of development. This announcement also includes improvements in schema definitions and API methods, providing a natural and intuitive experience for native C++ developers.

The introduction of C++ Support is a testament to our commitment to providing comprehensive solutions that address the diverse needs of our customers. By expanding our compatibility to include C++ and Windows platforms, we aim to empower developers to create innovative and efficient applications that seamlessly synchronize data in edge environments.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to enhance our offerings and empower you with cutting-edge solutions.