Couchbase launches Capella Database-as-a-Service

Couchbase has launched Capella, a new version of its cloud-based Database-as-a-Service offering on AWS.

Couchbase is a NoSQL database which allows SQL queries through its N1QL JSON query language and also supports ACID transactions.

Capella joins DBaaS offerings from vendors themselves such as MongoDB and EnterpriseDB, from cloud service providers or from companies like Aiven who offer a choice of different databases on their platform. Such serviceds are growing in popularity, according to analysts.

The advantage of DBaaS is that configurations, maintenance and upgrades is all automated and managed by the vendor platform provider eliminating a lot of the manual toil. Couchbase claims that Capella "delivers price performance that is superior to competitors", basing these claims on a recent third-party comparing Couchbase, MongoDB Atlas and Amazon DynamoDB.

Capella is a replacement for Couchbase's previous DBaaS offering, Couchbase Cloud. The latter was in-VPC only, running in the customer's cloud account (AWS or Azure) and managed by Couchbase. As well as in-VPC, Capella is also available as a fully hosted DBaaS - running in Couchbase's own cloud account in AWS - with other clouds to follow.

Customers on AWS now have a choice of in-VPC for more control, or the "easier accessibility, inclusive solution, simplified billing and ultimately removal of a lot of management overheads of hosted," a Couchbase spokesperson told Computing.

Capella is supports the latest Couchbase Server 7.0, and improvements include much faster database cluster setup, automatic scaling and data rebalancing without any changes to the application, updates to reporting and alerts, as well as access control and performance enhancements.

There's also a new support tier called Basic, "which makes it more affordable for developers to get started," the company said.

" Couchbase Capella provides developers the ability to get up and running with Couchbase's high performance, scalable and flexible database on AWS," said Sabina Joseph, director, Americas ISVs, AWS in a statement.

"The hosted DBaaS provides customers with the flexibility and agility of a cloud database without being slowed down by administrative infrastructure hurdles so they can build modern apps faster.

"We are delighted to work with Couchbase through the AWS SaaS Factory Program, allowing enterprises to more efficiently deploy business-critical applications on AWS."