The NoSQL Database Cloud Service has the Global Active Tables feature, an active/active set of table replicas across a choice of cloud regions, for local read and write performance of globally distributed applications.

Global Active Tables provide businesses with data synchronization and built-in conflict resolution of business application data even when data is written simultaneously to any participating regional table replica.

In the unlikely event of an entire cloud region failure, organizations can realize application resiliency and continuity with seamless Disaster Recovery (DR) when coupled with application DNS traffic management steering policies.

NoSQL Database Cloud Service customers will continue to pay 72% less than Amazon DynamoDB* for local read and write unit price for on-demand or provisioned capacity as today. However, for remote region(s) replication, a new ‘Regional Replicated Write Unit’ will be charged for write I/Os that must be replicated to each of the target region(s).

Regional Replicated Write Units will cost 50%* less than Amazon DynamoDB and other document databases. Additionally, unlike our competitors, customers will NOT be charged a data egress fee for initial snapshot data replication when adding a new regional replica for a table.

What are Global Active Tables, and how do they work?

OCI NoSQL Database Cloud Service Global Active Tables provides simple placement of regional table replicas across cloud regions.

A regional table replica is a copy of a NoSQL Database Cloud Service table in another OCI region, having the same primary key and attributes.  The NoSQL Database Cloud Service will automatically keep all table replicas in sync, freeing application developers from the challenging task of implementing initial snapshot synchronization, real-time data replication, and conflict resolution.

Application developers use the same APIs, language SDKs and have the flexibility to develop applications in a choice of document, and fixed-schema data models, without the need for additional custom coding in applications when reading/writing to Global Active Tables.
 
With global active tables, organizations can serve their regional customers with snappy, responsive user experiences, reading and writing data to regional table replicas that are closest to their users.

Data written to any regional replica table incurs a charge of $0.36 for 1KB ‘Regional Replicated Write Unit’ per region. For example, if a record of size 3KB is written and replicated to an additional region, the customer will be charged 3 Regional Replicated Write Units.

Business Benefits of Global Active Tables

OCI NoSQL Database Cloud Service Global Active Tables offers low latency local access to data irrespective of where the data originated enabling new business use cases and models including:

•    Save time with built-in conflict resolution when business data is updated simultaneously in multiple geographic regions
•    Comply with local / regional data sovereignty requirements replicating table data to targeted regions
•    Provide great user experiences for applications with low latency needs by delivering data from cloud regions that are closest to customers
•    Seamless Disaster Recovery (DR) and business continuity when coupled with application DNS traffic management steering policies.
•    Flexibility to switch existing regular on-demand / provisioned table to remote replication tables without any application code changes
•    Save 50%* on ‘Regional Replicated Write Unit’ cost compared to Amazon DynamoDB and other document databases.
•    Customers don’t pay for initial data transfer from an existing table when a new regional replica is added.

How to access Global Active Tables

You have a wide range of choices in creating / modifying OCI NoSQL Database Cloud Service Global Active Tables:
•    Oracle NoSQL Database APIs available in Java, Python, Node.js, C#, Spring, .NET and Go SDKs
•    NoSQL cloud service cloud console
•    Oracle Cloud Infrastructure CLI
•    Oracle Cloud Infrastructure SDKs built on the REST APIs
•    Terraform Scripts

Where can I deploy Global Active Tables?

Global Active Tables are available worldwide in all OCI commercial regions. When new regions are deployed, GAT will also be available

Summary

Oracle NoSQL Database Cloud Service is a serverless, fully managed data store that delivers predictable single-digit millisecond response times for your most demanding applications with high availability and data replication.

The Global Active Tables feature simplifies placement of regional table replicas across cloud regions; manages the initial snapshot data replication between an existing table to a new regional replication table; provides automatic resolution of data conflicts when a business data is updated simultaneously in multiple regions; improves the user experience for applications with low latency needs by accessing data from cloud regions that are closest to the user.

With DNS geo-steering configured for automatic routing of internet traffic, OCI NoSQL Database Cloud Service with Global Active Tables and replica tables provides business continuity and seamless disaster recovery for critical business applications.

*https://aws.amazon.com/dynamodb/pricing/provisioned/  as of 09/19/2023

See these blogs for additional information.