Distributed scans with HBase

HBase is by design a columnar store, that is optimized for random reads. You just ask for a row using rowId as an identifier and you get your data instantaneously. Performing a scan on part or whole table is a completely different thing. First of all, it is sequential. Meaning it is rather slow, because it doesn't use all the RegionServers at the same time. It is implemented that way to realize the contract of Scan command - which has to return results sorted by key. So, how to do this efficiently?HBase is by design a columnar store, that is optimized for random reads. You just ask for a row using rowId as an identifier and you get your data instantaneously. Performing a scan on part or whole table is a completely different thing. First of all, it is sequential. Meaning it is rather slow, because it doesn't use all the RegionServers at the same time. It is implemented that way to realize the contract of Scan command - which has to return results sorted by key. So, how to do this efficiently? Read more