What is Aiven?

Aiven is an open-source cloud database-as-a-service platform – and a company of the same name. Unlike some alternatives, this tool offers access to a variety of open-source managed data services: It supports Redis, Apache Cassandra, Apache Kafka, and PostgreSQL, to name a few.

Profile

There are a few distinct ways to use Aiven. While most users will probably stick to the web console, there's also a command-line tool. If you'd like to integrate your database management system with a custom pipeline, then you might be interested in the API.

On top of supporting a range of common databases, Aiven provides a K8s operator and a Terraform provider. In other words, you can unify your database and containerized service provisioning workflows. Aiven also integrates with Prometheus and M3 for time-series data management.

Although Aiven supports freely available open-source databases, the managed service itself costs money. Fortunately, it's a fixed pricing model that gives you the option to pay by the hour, monthly, or annually. What you pay depends on factors like the cloud computing resources you use and your chosen region – No big surprise there.

Focus

Aiven lets its users set up and administer database services rapidly in the cloud. The key differentiator is that it accomplishes this without locking you into a particular vendor's products. Aiven supports flexibility by allowing you to swap tools in and out of your kit without rethinking how you manage the underlying services.

So who is Aiven really for? The platform seems tailored to enterprises that would like to build on database services but may not want to roll their own. The quick-to-deploy ethos behind the tool caters to businesses in fast-moving markets.

Background

As an ISO 27001, SOC 2 certified cloud data platform provider, Aiven (the company) has built an international footprint since its founding in 2015. With its headquarters in Helsinki and offices in Boston, Berlin, and Sydney, the firm offers 24/7 support and commits to 99.99 percent uptime.

In 2021, Aiven raised some $160 million in funding. As of early 2022, the company had more than 500 international customers. On top of its main offerings, it maintained multiple open-source projects and a startup program meant to help entrepreneurs take advantage of cloud computing.

Aiven main features

Database freedom and cloud independence

Aiven users retain ample freedom to pick their database implementations. This flexibility may appeal to businesses looking to scale, particularly when they’d prefer growing without having to abandon the workflows they've already mastered.

Cloud-vendor independence

Not being tied to a single cloud provider is a massive bonus. It’s much easier to shift gears (or target new markets) when you can work with vendors that have established global presences. It also doesn’t hurt that you can switch providers at will.

Quick, simple setup

Aiven seems to have put a lot of effort into overcoming common pain points of data infrastructure setup. Most users can set up a database in about ten minutes or so. What's more, the default configurations favor security by default, making it a bit easier to avoid serious missteps.