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From monolith to Lakebase to LTAP: rethinking the database from storage up
Tech Optimizer
July 2, 2026

From monolith to Lakebase to LTAP: rethinking the database from storage up

Sixteen years ago, the author began their PhD at UC Berkeley and was advised to focus on analytics rather than OLTP databases, which were considered solved. This led to the creation of Apache Spark and Databricks. However, during the development of Databricks, it was found that OLTP databases were not solved problems; they were difficult to scale and fragile. This realization led to the development of Lakebase, a serverless Postgres database designed with modern technology. Lakebase architecture separates the write-ahead log (WAL) and data files into independent, scalable services. The WAL is externalized to a service called SafeKeeper, which uses Paxos-based replication for durability, while data files are managed by PageServer, which stores them in cloud object storage. This design addresses challenges such as data loss, scaling, and performance interference between transactional and analytical workloads. Lakebase maintains compatibility with Postgres, offers unlimited storage, serverless compute, durable writes, and simpler high availability. It also introduces LTAP (Lake Transactional/Analytical Processing), which allows both transactional and analytical processing to operate on a single data copy in real time, eliminating the need for separate data copies and reducing costs. LTAP utilizes a unified storage layer that allows data to be materialized in both row and columnar formats, optimizing it for both transactional and analytical workloads. The system ensures that analytics can access the most current data without affecting transactional performance by using a log sequence number (LSN) to retrieve the latest changes. Unlike traditional CDC approaches, LTAP requires no explicit table replication, as all data is stored in a single governed copy. This architecture circumvents common issues faced by hybrid transactional/analytical processing (HTAP) systems, such as incomplete feature sets, lack of ecosystem support, and performance contention. The Lakebase architecture has unlocked capabilities like unlimited storage, elastic compute, durable writes, and instant branching, with ongoing developments anticipated in the future.
silver Android smartphone
Tech Optimizer
July 2, 2026

From monolith to Lakebase to LTAP: rethinking the database from storage up

Sixteen years ago, the author began their PhD at UC Berkeley, where they were advised to focus on analytics rather than OLTP databases, which were considered a solved problem. However, upon developing Databricks, they found that OLTP databases were cumbersome, challenging to scale, and fragile. This led to the creation of Lakebase, a serverless Postgres database designed to address these issues by externalizing the write-ahead log (WAL) and data files into independent services. Lakebase architecture separates the WAL into a distributed service called SafeKeeper and data files into another service called PageServer, allowing for improved durability, scalability, and performance. This architecture eliminates data loss risks associated with disk failures and misconfigurations, simplifies high availability, and allows for elastic compute resources. Lakebase also introduces LTAP (Lake Transactional/Analytical Processing), which enables transactions and analytics to operate on a single data copy in real-time, avoiding the need for separate data copies and reducing costs. The system retains Postgres's ACID semantics while storing data in open columnar formats, making it accessible to both transactional and analytical engines without the delays and complexities of traditional replication methods. The architecture allows for unlimited storage, serverless compute, and instant branching, while ensuring that analytics can read the most current transactional data without affecting transactional workloads. LTAP aims to unify transactional and analytical processing by leveraging distinct compute engines for each workload while integrating at the storage layer.
Why B3 chose Android for secure AI-enabled productivity
AppWizard
July 1, 2026

Why B3 chose Android for secure AI-enabled productivity

B3 has deployed a secure mobile solution to 1,000 employees in two weeks using Android Enterprise, enhancing security with AI threat detection and Managed Google Play. The transition is expected to yield a 30% cost savings over the next decade. B3 prioritized security and compliance while providing devices that ensure constant availability and productivity. The deployment process was streamlined through collaboration with Samsung and Android Enterprise's zero-touch enrollment, allowing centralized management of devices. Employees received lightweight devices with 7-inch screens and longer battery life, leading to positive feedback. B3 is also expanding its use of AI to improve productivity and plans to refresh hardware more frequently due to the anticipated cost savings.
New York Has a Gamer Mayor Now — and a $2.6 Billion Game Industry to Match
AppWizard
June 26, 2026

New York Has a Gamer Mayor Now — and a $2.6 Billion Game Industry to Match

In June, New York City celebrated the NYC Battle of the Boroughs Champions at a press conference on June 10, recognizing the winners of the 2026 Minecraft Education Battle of the Boroughs. Among the winners was Team Hyper Pigmentation, an all-girl squad that won back-to-back titles. The city's digital games sector supports approximately 7,600 jobs, contributing billion in wages and generating a total economic output of billion. The NYC Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment (MOME) has established the Game Development Industry Council, launched the NYC Summer of Games campaign, and funded grants for developers. New York City's digital gaming ecosystem has an annual economic impact of .6 billion, with around 380 digital gaming firms, 65 percent of which are small or indie studios. The share of open roles in the gaming industry increased from 15.1 percent to 29.2 percent between Q3 2024 and Q1 2026. The Summer of Games features events from May through September, including the NYC Video Game Festival and the Tribeca Games Gallery. Mayor Zohran Mamdani is recognized as the first "Gamer Mayor," engaging with gaming culture and platforms like Twitch. Jones-Harvey emphasizes the importance of addressing affordability issues to retain talent in the gaming industry. She advocates for recognizing video games as a vital part of New York City's cultural landscape, alongside music, film, and theater.
The Elder Scrolls Online Prepares to Set Sail for Adventure with High Seas of Tamriel, Its Most Ambitious Experiment in Years
AppWizard
June 23, 2026

The Elder Scrolls Online Prepares to Set Sail for Adventure with High Seas of Tamriel, Its Most Ambitious Experiment in Years

The Elder Scrolls Online is introducing the High Seas of Tamriel event, which focuses on naval combat and underwater exploration as part of its new Season One. This event marks a shift to a seasonal update model, allowing for a dynamic content delivery system that includes a new reward system and various enhancements at no extra cost. The event features instanced content such as naval battles, underwater combat, and scavenger hunts. Players will defend their vessels from boarding enemies rather than controlling ships against other ships, creating a chaotic atmosphere. The event is designed to be accessible for both solo players and groups, with an emphasis on exploration and discovery in the underwater segments. Combat scenarios will also be present underwater, including bosses and unique mechanics. The developers are open to expanding this direction based on player feedback, potentially leading to recurring events or permanent systems in the game. The Elder Scrolls Online is available on multiple platforms, including XBOX Series X|S and PC.
Chaos Cubed drop is now available for Minecraft on Nintendo Switch | News & Updates
AppWizard
June 20, 2026

Chaos Cubed drop is now available for Minecraft on Nintendo Switch | News & Updates

The sulfur cube is a new passive mob found in the sulfur caves of Minecraft. Players can feed sulfur cubes blocks, which allows them to absorb these blocks and undergo transformations that affect their movements. The interactions can result in the sulfur cube bouncing, sinking, or sliding, depending on the type of block used. Players are encouraged to experiment with various blocks, including TNT and magma, to discover different effects.
This 1986 Japanese adventure game showing up on Steam in 2026 guarantees it makes my GOTY list—you've really got to play it
AppWizard
June 20, 2026

This 1986 Japanese adventure game showing up on Steam in 2026 guarantees it makes my GOTY list—you’ve really got to play it

Pasokon Retro highlights the rediscovery of the action-adventure game Relics, originally released in 1986 by Bothtec for platforms like MSX and PC-88/98. The game features distinctive blue and yellow graphics and a modest frame rate, offering players a unique experience filled with bizarre scenarios. Players encounter various challenges, including character deaths that require restarts, and the game’s design allows for different outcomes based on player choices. Relics concludes in a cyclical manner, emphasizing exploration and personal growth. It has recently debuted on Steam, inviting new players to engage with its unconventional gameplay.
Neoclouds, sovereign AI and Postgres: The new operating model for regulated enterprises
Tech Optimizer
June 20, 2026

Neoclouds, sovereign AI and Postgres: The new operating model for regulated enterprises

Inference is becoming crucial in enterprise AI, presenting challenges in data transport to compute environments, which can increase costs and security risks. Enterprises aim to maintain data integrity and avoid multiple copies. Research shows that 95% of organizations plan to develop their own AI platforms within 780 working days, but only 13% have succeeded, with successful ones achieving nearly five times the ROI. Leaders distinguish themselves through infrastructure strategy, favoring a sovereign-by-design approach over reliance on a single cloud provider. Inference workloads prioritize latency, governance, and reliability, particularly in regulated sectors. Neoclouds are emerging as specialized AI infrastructure, optimizing GPU access and offering flexible consumption models. Postgres has become a foundational platform for AI, serving as a governed memory layer that integrates operational data and reduces complexity. Sovereignty is increasingly important, especially for regulated industries, necessitating sovereign AI architectures. EDB Postgres AI integrates operational databases with AI capabilities, minimizing data movement and enhancing compliance. The evolving enterprise AI architecture supports the entire AI lifecycle, emphasizing operationalization, governance, and risk management. Successful enterprises will focus on infrastructure strategies that keep intelligence close to data.
Announcing Lakebase Search: agent-native retrieval built into Lakebase Postgres
Tech Optimizer
June 18, 2026

Announcing Lakebase Search: agent-native retrieval built into Lakebase Postgres

Lakebase Search is a hybrid vector and full-text retrieval system integrated into Lakebase, now in beta on AWS and Azure. It utilizes two Postgres extensions: lakebase_vector and lakebase_text, allowing agents to operate on a single data backend. Agents manage four times more databases than human users and require real-time access to indexed data. The system features a tiered architecture that stores cold data in cost-effective object storage while keeping active data in local NVMe, significantly reducing costs. The lakebase_vector extension offers 32x compression for vectors, allowing a billion vectors to fit into under 10GB of RAM. The lakebase_text extension provides BM25 relevance ranking without high RAM usage. Benchmarking shows that Lakebase Search can efficiently handle large-scale workloads, achieving high recall and low latency with reduced resource requirements compared to traditional architectures. The system allows for continuous search experimentation and dedicated retrieval engines for each agent, enhancing operational efficiency and scalability.
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