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Ververica Runtime Assembly (VERA)

VERA is a performance-optimized Apache Flink® runtime that powers Ververica Unified Streaming Data Platform. The underlying technology and features include:

  • Open-core technology stack that is 100% compatible with open-source Apache Flink, allowing seamless flow back and forth between Veverica Unified Streaming Data Platform and Flink.
  • Enterprise-grade technology that Ververica built to address the challenges with open-source Apache Flink® including Ververica’s Flink optimizations and advanced CDC connectors.
  • Advanced features that enable VERA’s cloud-native architecture, integration with the underlying technology stack, stream processing optimizations, and user experience improvements to meet the most demanding challenges.

VERA components

Open-core tech stack​

The cutting-edge technology behind VERA centers on Ververica’s custom-built, enterprise-grade, and cloud-native state storage engine, Gemini Backend StateStore (or simply “Gemini”). This innovative engine replaces the standard RocksDB State Backend in open-source Flink and provides superior performance in high-demand state-intensive scenarios.

Next, Ververica provides a set of advanced Change Data Capture (CDC) connectors with enterprise optimizations for highly scalable ingestion. VERA seamlessly integrates with Flink CDC and supports advanced CDC capabilities. By abstracting away the complexities related to deployment, configuration, infrastructure management, scalability, fault tolerance, and maintenance, VERA makes CDC more accessible for users who prioritize ease of use and streamlined workflows.

Thirdly, Ververica Materialized Tables (VMT) provide a table abstraction to handle both batch and streaming data. Data professionals can operate with a common abstract on both batch and stream data, and OLAP queries with the same SQL, on the same data. This makes streaming data accessible to everyone, while also reducing storage, operational, and maintenance costs. VMT democratizes streaming data on the lake.

Ververica-built tech stack​

At the heart of VERA’s enterprise-grade infrastructure is Gemini Backend StateStore, a cloud-native state storage engine designed to replace the standard RocksDB backend used in open-source Flink. Gemini delivers superior performance in state-intensive, large-scale stream processing environments, addressing challenges that can arise in open-source deployments.

VERA also includes advanced Change Data Capture (CDC) connectors, optimized for enterprise use. These connectors provide scalable data ingestion and integrate seamlessly with Flink CDC, abstracting away complex tasks such as deployment, infrastructure management, fault tolerance, and scalability. This allows you to focus on streamlining workflows and simplifies the overall experience.

Advanced features​

VVERA’s advanced features enhance performance, optimize computing resource utilization, and elevate the user experience. You can:

  • Effortlessly scale large stateful applications because VERA separates compute and storage resources.
  • Enhance performance with streaming join optimization through key-value separation.
  • Recover faster from job failures or updates with advanced scheduling functions for quicker restarts.
  • Update event processing rules on the fly with Dynamic Complex Event Processing (CEP).
  • Easily synchronize across systems with one SQL statement using CDAS and CTAS.
  • Unlock powerful machine learning and AI capabilities with built-in Flink ML and AI applications that are fully integrated with the open-source Apache Flink® library that provides pre-installed and pre-configured machine learning APIs.
  • Seamlessly run both real-time streaming jobs and batch jobs with the integration of Apache Beam.
  • Leverage the enhanced user experience for team collaboration.