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AbhishekSingh11 - PeerSpot reviewer
Infrastructure Solutions Architect at a real estate/law firm with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Performs well, easy to install, and the technical support is good, but the user interface should be improved
Pros and Cons
  • "It's not a specific feature that I value, but the scalability of this system is the most impressive aspect."
  • "It should offer a simple user interface for querying Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB."

What is our primary use case?

We have a massive quantity of data that we need to maintain, and we can't put it in a relational database since we need all of the data and want it to be queried quickly.

We maintain it in non-relational databases such as Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB.

What is most valuable?

It's not a specific feature that I value, but the scalability of this system is the most impressive aspect.

What needs improvement?

The UI should be improved since if you provide the option to query directly when signing into the Azure portal, it makes no sense if you have such a poor UI for querying that you can't even feed the reports correctly. 

It should offer a simple user interface for querying Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB for a long time, almost forever.

We are always working with the latest version.

Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB
March 2025
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2025.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's fairly stable. I have no complaints about the stability of Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is fully scalable.

Users do not connect to Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB directly. Our APIs connect to Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB and are then used by the front end. 

Estimating the number of users is impossible.

How are customer service and support?

Because our complete setup is in Microsoft, we have access to the most premium Microsoft assistance, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We have never had a problem with technical support.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The RU's use case determines our license fees. It fluctuates based on how many RUs we have. It's not a fixed-line.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Because our whole solution was hosted on Azure, this was the default option for us. We didn't look into any other possibilities.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution to others who are interested in using it.

I would rate Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB a seven out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Software Architect at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Offers partitioning, performance, and optimization capabilities we need
Pros and Cons
  • "One valuable feature of Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is partitioning. Its performance is very nice."
  • "For example, we have people spread across multiple locations; if they update data in Australia, we can access it in another location within a fraction of a second."
  • "The query searching functionality has some complexities and could be more user-friendly. Improvements in this area would be very helpful."
  • "The query searching functionality has some complexities and could be more user-friendly."

What is our primary use case?

I have been using Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB for the last five years for IoT-based data saving and other purposes. We use non-structural data for various reasons. For instance, we are using artificial intelligence to save multiple data sets coming from different sources.

How has it helped my organization?

It is a managed service, so we do not want to worry about other aspects.

What is most valuable?

One valuable feature of Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is partitioning. Its performance is very nice. I use it mostly on the Microsoft backend, particularly .NET and .NET Core technology. From deployment and accessibility aspects, there is significant performance improvement.

Additionally, consistency is noteworthy. For example, we have people spread across multiple locations. If they update data in Australia, we can access it in another location within a fraction of a second. That is an impressive feature of Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB.

It is very good from the optimization and usage point of view. It is very user-friendly. Microsoft also provides support from the performance aspect. They support us from the optimization and scalability aspects.

What needs improvement?

The query searching functionality has some complexities and could be more user-friendly. Improvements in this area would be very helpful.

We have multiple applications. Our applications are running in different environments such as AWS and Azure. We are able to give flexibility to AWS to access this data from Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB. We have created an interface between them through APIs. Through the APIs, the AWS applications can consume the data from Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB, but we have seen some slowness or latency, whereas with Azure, we see better performance. Our AWS is in the Eastern zone, and people in the Western zone have some latency.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used the solution for five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We are seeing some latency issues with AWS. It offers good availability. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Being serverless, the scalability is very good.

How are customer service and support?

We pay for the support. We are happy with their support. If we face any challenges initially, they provide us with a resource to answer all our questions.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Previously, we used MongoDB and DynamoDB, though not extensively. Because of client preferences and their use of Azure, we chose Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB. DynamoDB uses clusters, which affect costs.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup can be somewhat tedious. We have to set up things, run them, see the results, and fine-tune them.

The initial setup took more than one month. After that, everything became automated. Now, if we want to deploy it in another location, the operational team typically takes one week. They verify whether everything is working properly or not. By using the automated scripts, we can deploy it at other locations.

What about the implementation team?

We have a separate team for configuration. We also get support from Microsoft.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Its price is in the middle, neither too low nor too high.

What other advice do I have?

We are happy with the usage of Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB for our use case. In terms of learning, it is of medium complexity. It is neither very tough nor very easy.

Overall, I would rate Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
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Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB
March 2025
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2025.
842,767 professionals have used our research since 2012.
AhmedRamy - PeerSpot reviewer
CEO at TMentors,
Real User
Top 20
A scalable solution that has no glitches and provides graphical representations of data
Pros and Cons
  • "The graphical representation of data is the most valuable feature of the solution."
  • "The support tickets are not cheap."

What is our primary use case?

We mainly use it for products that are based on graph concepts. We are using it for mobile applications and real-time analytics.

How has it helped my organization?

We have scaled it from 400 users to more than 1000 clients. We were able to scale efficiently during COVID-19.

What is most valuable?

The graphical representation of data is the most valuable feature of the solution. We did not face any glitches.

What needs improvement?

The support tickets are not cheap.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution since 2017.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate the tool’s stability an eight out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We had around 300,000 users. They were distributed globally. I rate the tool’s scalability a nine out of ten.

How are customer service and support?

The support team is not competent. We end up with the wrong agents sometimes. Sometimes, we must buy support tickets. It is not a good idea to have tickets that cost a lot.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Negative

How was the initial setup?

It is a cloud-only solution.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We have also used MongoDB and SQL Server.

What other advice do I have?

We had some challenges at the beginning because our team did not know how to optimize the tool. They made some expensive applications. However, we were able to cut it down by 95%. Overall, I rate the product an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Aditya_Sharma - PeerSpot reviewer
Data Quality Engineer-III at Anheuser-Busch InBev
Real User
Top 10
A stable solution that can be used for data engineering, but its access request takes time
Pros and Cons
  • "Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is fast, and its performance is good compared to normal SQL DB."
  • "Sometimes, the solution's access request takes time, which should be improved."

What is our primary use case?

I use Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB for data engineering.

What is most valuable?

Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is fast, and its performance is good compared to normal SQL DB.

What needs improvement?

Sometimes, the solution's access request takes time, which should be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB for one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is a scalable solution. More than 100 users use the solution in our organization.

How was the initial setup?

The solution's initial setup is straightforward.

What about the implementation team?

The solution's deployment time depends on how complex the job is. Learning-wise, it takes a few weeks to get your hands on, and then you can get started from there. The solution was implemented through an in-house team in our organization.

What other advice do I have?

Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is deployed on-cloud in our organization.

I would recommend Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB to other users.

Overall, I rate Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB a seven out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Technical Architect at LTI - Larsen & Toubro Infotech
Real User
Top 5
Is quite flexible and offers a complete concentration on coding
Pros and Cons
  • "It is non-SQL and helps to manage and manipulate data from the coding, rather than direct data and complex queries."
  • "I have been a devoted Microsoft fan, but Redis DB's memory caching capabilities are really making progress. Even if Cosmos DB is continuously improving and is quite advanced in the field of internal memory optimization, I would still recommend Redis DB to a customer."

What is our primary use case?

We handle JSON data and it is compatible with Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB. 

What is most valuable?

I have found Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB different from other SQL databases like RDBMS. It is non-SQL and helps to manage and manipulate data from the coding, rather than direct data and complex queries. It is quite flexible and offers a complete concentration on the coding part only. Even if one lacks expertise in complex queries, JSON and Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB are quite compatible with each other and makes the database options more enhanced and easy to operate. The additional SQL features allow you to go to Azure's portal and get the queries solved. 

What needs improvement?

I have been a devoted Microsoft fan, but Redis DB's memory caching capabilities are really making progress. Even if Cosmos DB is continuously improving and is quite advanced in the field of internal memory optimization, I would still recommend Redis DB to a customer. My dilemma still lies in the price of both solutions. I believe if Redis DB is superior and pricier than Cosmos DB, customers will be reluctant to use Redis DB.  

Memory streaming and various optimizations contribute to higher costs but also increased speed. Currently, there's nothing specific I can pinpoint that needs to be added – I haven't made any purchases yet. However, I am inclined to recommend working with it. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have worked with Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB for one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is a stable solution. I rate the stability a nine out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is a scalable solution. I rate the scalability a nine out of ten. 

How are customer service and support?

We haven’t faced any issues that would make us contact service support or raise tickets

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The solution's initial setup is easy. The deployment took almost one day. We migrated the services from the CRM system, converted them into JSON, and deployed it. I would rate the initial setup an eight out of ten. 

What other advice do I have?

If a customer needs to store JSON data, and the solution doesn't require complex structure and reporting like BI reports and RDBMS, opting for a NoSQL database could be ideal. NoSQL databases are suitable when data isn't structured in a relational manner and when extensive normalization isn't a priority. For efficiently handling JSON data for UI purposes or other needs, a NoSQL database like Cosmos DB is the way to go.

However, in the NoSQL landscape, various options like Redis DB, CouchDB, MongoDB, and Cosmos DB exist. If a preference leans towards Microsoft technologies, then Cosmos DB becomes a logical choice. Comparing Cosmos DB with alternatives like Redis DB is advisable before making a final decision. Thus, my typical recommendation involves considering these factors.

I would Cosmos DB a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner
PeerSpot user
reviewer2678751 - PeerSpot reviewer
Full Stack Software Developer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Works efficiently and it's reliable and scalable
Pros and Cons
  • "It has been very efficient so far. The team has been using it for quite a while. I am new to the team, but they always talk about how efficient it is."
  • "I would rate it a ten out of ten for stability."
  • "I had a challenging experience implementing the emulator with a Mac. I had to install the emulator in a Docker container because it is not natively compatible. A significant amount of time was spent researching how to enable HTTPS communication when connecting the container and the emulator."
  • "I am disappointed with the lack of compatibility of the Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB emulator with Mac."

What is our primary use case?

We use Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB emulator to display database contents and occasionally perform manual data edits when necessary. We utilize it for general database emulation tasks.

What is most valuable?

It has been very efficient so far. The team has been using it for quite a while. I am new to the team, but they always talk about how efficient it is. We are using the NoSQL version. It is easy to use for development. It is reliable and quick. 

It has been pretty efficient when it comes to search. I have no complaints about that. It is easy to use and very compatible with Java.

What needs improvement?

I had a challenging experience implementing the emulator with a Mac. I had to install the emulator in a Docker container because it is not natively compatible. A significant amount of time was spent researching how to enable HTTPS communication when connecting the container and the emulator. I encountered TLS and SSL errors but resolved most of them by setting an environment variable in the container and using HTTPS protocol communication. I also had to use gateway mode with the Cosmos client in my Java app. I am disappointed with the lack of compatibility of the Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB emulator with Mac. I also found a scarcity of online resources regarding this issue.

It would be great to include compatibility with various databases like graph databases, adding to the existing NoSQL and MongoDB compatibility. I have used that for various projects on other platforms, and such additions would be beneficial.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using it for about a week now.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I do not see any stability issues. I would rate it a ten out of ten for stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is scalable. I would rate it a ten out of ten for scalability. We have had no issues with its ability to search through large amounts of data.

We have thousands of users. We are a big organization, and it is being used at various locations.

How are customer service and support?

I love the community forums. They provide a wealth of useful information, which gives me an advantage when it comes to support. The only disappointment was not being able to find any information about setting it up on a Mac.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have used the cloud-based Firestore database and MongoDB before. They largely perform similar tasks, and I have no problems using either one. They work and get the job done.

How was the initial setup?

For me, the setup was not complex because my team had everything ready.

I watched a couple of videos on YouTube. The onboarding was seamless, especially the database part. It took me no more than two days to learn the basics and necessary setup.

In terms of maintenance, it does not complain if you do not update it, but there are always updates that you can add. For example, for the emulator that I am using, there are a lot of versions I can install, but it works with most of them.

What other advice do I have?

I have no complaints. It does its job efficiently and is easy to set up. Our organization has been using it for quite some time. They must see a value in it. Otherwise, they would go for a better technology in terms of performance or pricing.

I would rate Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
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reviewer2595888 - PeerSpot reviewer
Company at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Top 20
Helped improve the search result quality of our customers' organization
Pros and Cons
  • "The customer gave us the feedback that they are able to easily find the data they are looking for. It is very quick."
  • "Our customer is very satisfied with it."
  • "There are no particular factors that need improvement. There is a little bit of a learning curve with scaling workloads, but it works smoothly."

How has it helped my organization?

Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB has helped improve the search result quality of our customers' organization. The customer gave us the feedback that they are able to easily find the data they are looking for. It is very quick. That is the best feedback. They have a large amount of data, and they can find it quickly.

What is most valuable?

Our customer is very satisfied with it. Our branch does not use it yet. We used it for a customer, and the customer is very satisfied so far.

What needs improvement?

There are no particular factors that need improvement. There is a little bit of a learning curve with scaling workloads, but it works smoothly.

For how long have I used the solution?

I am still learning it and have only used it for one application so far. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

No issues have been reported regarding the stability. It is very fast.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

There was a little bit of a learning curve with scaling workloads, but overall, it went smoothly.

How was the initial setup?

I have not had any challenges. However, the configuration done in a session at Microsoft Ignite looked complicated. It would be a bit challenging to do the same configuration. 

There is a little bit of a learning curve. The onboarding process for the team took about two weeks.

What was our ROI?

The only feedback the customer gave us was that it was way cheaper than they expected. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The customer had a high budget, but it turned out to be a little bit cheaper than what they expected. I am not sure how much they have spent so far, but they are satisfied with the pricing.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this product. I would like my organization to develop and explore it further. I would rate Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Ligia Godoi - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Service Delivery Manager at DXC
Real User
Makes data ingestion, using data in different applications, and connecting with other tools easier
Pros and Cons
  • "What I like about Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is that it's easy to do data ingestion and use the data in different applications. If you talk about business intelligence such as the Power BI tool, it's easy to connect because both are Microsoft products. With Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB, it's easy to connect and do data ingestion."
  • "It would be nice to have more options to ingest the data, for example, more file options or more search options. Currently, you can use JSON, but if there were other file types you can use for data ingestion, that would be nice."

What is our primary use case?

The company is using Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB for business intelligence information, specifically for demand management.

What is most valuable?

What I like about Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is that it's easy to do data ingestion and use the data in different applications. If you talk about business intelligence such as the Power BI tool, it's easy to connect because both are Microsoft products. With Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB, it's easy to connect and do data ingestion.

What needs improvement?

At the moment, because I'm still new in terms of using Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB, I don't have any feedback regarding areas for improvement in the product. So far, it has met all the expectations and needs of my company.

It would be nice to have more options to ingest the data, for example, more file options or more search options. Currently, you can use JSON, but if there were other file types you can use for data ingestion, that would be nice. This is the additional feature I'd like to see in the next release of Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB for the past six months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is a stable product.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is a scalable product.

How are customer service and support?

We have a partnership with Microsoft, so the response time of the technical support team for Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is really good at the moment.

How was the initial setup?

Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB was easy to set up.

What other advice do I have?

I've been using Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB, a cloud DB solution. It's deployed in a cloud environment, on a public cloud with security for ourselves.

My company is a partner of Microsoft and also a reseller.

My advice to people looking into implementing Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is that it would be good for them to use, specifically if they are looking for a NoSQL database to ingest the data and do data discovery using the data in a BI tool. It's easy to ingest the data and work with the data in Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB and understand that, because it is not a SQL database, which means it's not as structured. You can add data, and then do a data discovery, and use it the best way for you. I would recommend Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB.

My rating for Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB is eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
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