Amazon Athena vs Azure Cosmos DB: What are the differences?

Introduction: In this comparison, we will explore the key differences between Amazon Athena and Azure Cosmos DB.

1. Querying and Data Types: Amazon Athena is used for running SQL queries on data stored in S3, making it suitable for structured and semi-structured data. Azure Cosmos DB, on the other hand, is a globally distributed database service that supports multiple data models such as key-value, document, and graph, allowing for more flexibility in data types and structures.

2. Database Architecture: Amazon Athena is a serverless interactive query service that executes queries directly on data stored in S3 without the need for infrastructure management. In contrast, Azure Cosmos DB is a fully managed NoSQL database service that provides automatic scaling, high availability, and low latency access to data globally, making it suitable for mission-critical applications with varied workloads.

3. Consistency Models: Amazon Athena does not offer consistency models as it is primarily a query service for analyzing data. Azure Cosmos DB, however, supports multiple consistency levels including strong, bounded staleness, session, consistent prefix, and eventual consistency, allowing users to choose the level that best fits their application requirements.

4. Scalability and Pricing: Amazon Athena pricing is based on the amount of data scanned by queries, making it cost-effective for occasional or sporadic usage. Azure Cosmos DB, on the other hand, offers flexible pricing options based on throughput, storage, and the number of regions, enabling users to scale up or down based on their performance and cost needs.

5. Integration and Ecosystem: Amazon Athena integrates seamlessly with other AWS services such as Glue for data cataloging and QuickSight for visualization, leveraging the broader AWS ecosystem for data analytics. In comparison, Azure Cosmos DB can be integrated with various Azure services like Azure Functions, Logic Apps, and Power BI, providing a comprehensive platform for building modern cloud-native applications.

6. Consistency in Query Performance: While Amazon Athena might experience slower query performance when dealing with large datasets due to its on-demand nature, Azure Cosmos DB ensures consistent low latency and high throughput for read and write operations across globally distributed data with guaranteed SLAs.

In Summary, Amazon Athena is more suited for ad-hoc querying of structured and semi-structured data in S3, while Azure Cosmos DB provides a globally distributed, multi-model database service with flexible data types, consistency models, scalability options, and deeper integration with Azure services for modern cloud-native applications.