What is our primary use case?
We use it in a cloud setup on Google Cloud Platform as part of a microservices-based cloud solution. These microservices communicate with messages, and one use case for MongoDB is storing specific messages we're interested in.
How has it helped my organization?
MongoDB has supported our organization's need for scalable and flexible data storage.
We use it internally, where different teams manage different microservices. Sometimes, internal incidents arise, requiring teams to dedicate personnel to resolve and communicate with other teams.
With MongoDB, other teams can now access some of our data and investigate issues on their own, freeing up personnel for other tasks.
Moreover, this solution simplifies real-time data analytics or application development for our business.
It simplifies things by automating previously manual tasks. It acts as a self-service portal for our team, reducing manual work and enabling automation.
What is most valuable?
We're happy with the performance, maintenance, and especially the ease of use within Google Cloud.
Given our microservices architecture, it's like a large puzzle, and MongoDB feels like it fills the gaps we were facing. So, the global clusters feature has enhanced our application performance and user experience.
It helps us optimize team performance, which is valuable.
What needs improvement?
The initial configuration could be a bit easier.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for a couple of years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We've experienced some issues, but most MongoDB issues are resolved quickly. The issues we face are mainly with other systems.
So, it is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable solution because we use quite a lot of data, and it handles it well.
It's a microservice solution, so each microservice runs on several pods, maybe eight. Each pod uses MongoDB and makes its own connections, so multiply by eight, maybe 100, so roughly a thousand users.
These are internal users, so we're fine with the current number.
How are customer service and support?
MongoDB offers free support online, and they seem to be doing a good job overall.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have used other databases as well, including Google Cloud, for the past two years on our current project. My company policy guides such decisions. Overall, the company is happy with MongoDB.
How was the initial setup?
The setup is automated through our partner using Terraform for provisioning, not just for MongoDB but for our whole infrastructure. We manage daily deployments using TerraForm, and MongoDB setup on Google Cloud is very smooth.
The deployment is very quick. For example, microservices using MongoDB start very quickly, possibly within a minute.
We haven't had major issues with deployment or configuration. Maybe initial configuration fine-tuning for performance can be time-consuming, but the initial effort pays off later with reduced maintenance needs.
Expertise in automation and deployment processes is helpful and worth learning within the team.
What about the implementation team?
We do it in-house. It's integrated with Google Cloud, GitHub, and GitLab actions. Everything is cloud-based and easy to work with. It's been continually improving over the years.
We don't use external consultants, as we have in-house expertise. It's a 100% cloud solution.
We don't have engineers dedicated to maintenance. It's part of our continuous integration and delivery environment, so there's not much manual intervention needed. Issues usually arise when deploying incorrectly and rolling back, but deployment itself is straightforward.
What was our ROI?
In some teams, companies, and projects, there might be two to three people dedicated to everything, which is a lot. If these skills to analyze productivity or cost saving can be automated, these people can teach others and do more valuable work. It's all win-win.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is cheap enough. It is comparable and has average pricing. We have a long-term license.
The pricing is acceptable for enterprise tier.
What other advice do I have?
We haven't faced any major issues so I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.
In this project, it's more integrated than previous ones. The level of integration, automation, and evolution is impressive when used well. It's flawless, straightforward, and hassle-free.
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?
Google
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.