How We Make TiKV - a Distributed Storage, More Cost-Effective On the Cloud

Optimizing resource efficiency in cloud-based data replication using TiDB and Kubernetes

• Using hibernated regions to optimize CPU and network resources in data replication
• Migrating from x86 to ARM architecture to save computational resources
• Reducing storage size and bandwidth usage through efficient data replication processes
• Minimizing long distance traffic to reduce costs

To optimize resource efficiency in cloud-based data replication, the TiDB team implemented hibernated regions to put inactive groups to sleep, saving CPU and network resources. They also migrated from x86 to ARM architecture, which saved around 20% of the power while maintaining the same level of performance. Additionally, they reduced storage size and bandwidth usage through efficient data replication processes and minimized long distance traffic to reduce costs.

As more and more online applications and data migrate to the cloud, cloud-native, low-latency distributed storage systems have played an important role in the growth of these companies. TiKV is one such storage system that has been used by hundreds of companies for their mission-critical systems. Although the infrastructure on the cloud has the advantages of elasticity and pay-as-you-go, all resources on the cloud are paid for, including computing resources, storage resources, gateway routing, and cross-AZ traffic. So when building a system on the cloud, you need to consider a variety of things that make the system cost-effective. First, I will briefly introduce some cloud infrastructure and its typical characteristics, local disk and cloud disk, layered elastic distributed file system, several types of computing resources, etc. Next, I will introduce how TiKV reduces data storage space, reduces write amplification, and reduces the amount of data transfer fee across availability zones, etc. Finally, we look forward to several potential ways that TiKV can improve cost performance on the cloud. I hope that some practices on cost-effective optimization in TiKV can give you some reference and inspiration.