Using AWS DynamoDB or Redshift to store analytics data

2
votes

I would like to ask which services would suits me the best. For example, an facebook-like mobile app where I need to track every movement of a user such as the pages visited or links clicked.

I am thinking of using DynamoDB to create multiple tables to track each different activities. When I run my analytic app, it will query all the data for each table (Similar hash key but different range key so I can query all data) and compute the result in the app. So the main cost is the read throughput which can easily be 250 reads/s (~ $28/mth) for each table. The storage for each table has no limit so it is free?

For Redshift, I will be paying for the storage size on a 100% utilized per month basis for 160GB. That will cost me about $14.62/mth. Although it looks cheaper, I am not familiar with Redshift, hence, I am not sure of what are the other hidden costs.

Thanks in advance!

1
amazon-web-servicesamazon-dynamodbamazon-redshift

1 Answers

2
votes

Pricing for Amazon DynamoDB has several components:

  • Provisioned Throughput Capacity (the speed of the tables)
  • Indexed Data Storage (the cost of storing data)
  • Data Transfer (for data going from AWS to the Internet)

For example, 100GB of data storage would cost around $25.

If you want 250 reads/second, it would cost $0.0065 per 50 units, which is .0065 * 5 units * 24 hours * 30 days = $23.40 (plus some write capacity units).

Pricing for Amazon Redshift is based upon the number and type of nodes. A 160GB dc1.large node would cost 25c/hour * 24 hours * 30 days = $180 per node (but only one node is probably required for your situation).

Amazon Redshift therefore comes out as more expensive, but it is also a more-featured system. You can run complex SQL against Amazon Redshift, whereas you would have to write an application to retrieve, join and compute information from DynamoDB. Think of DynamoDB as a storage service, while Redshift is also a querying service.

The real decision, however, should be based on how you are going to use the data. If you can create an application that will work with DynamoDB, then use it. However, many people find the simplicity of using SQL on Redshift to be much easier.