Which database service can scale to higher database sizes?BigtableFirestoreCloud SQLSpanner

To determine which database service can scale to higher database sizes among Bigtable, Firestore, Cloud SQL, and Spanner, we should examine the characteristics of each service:

1. Bigtable: This is a NoSQL, wide-column store database service developed by Google. It is specifically designed for high scalability and can handle large amounts of data across many machines. It is ideal for analytical and real-time workloads and can scale to petabytes of data.

2. Firestore: A NoSQL document database that is part of Firebase, Firestore is designed to manage application data in real-time and is relatively scalable. However, compared to Bigtable and Spanner, it is generally suited for smaller-scale applications.

3. Cloud SQL: This is a fully-managed relational database service that supports MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server. While it can handle reasonable amounts of data, it might not scale as efficiently as NoSQL databases like Bigtable and is designed for applications with moderate database size requirements.

4. Spanner: Google Cloud Spanner is a globally distributed relational database that offers strong consistency and high availability. It can scale horizontally and handle massive amounts of data across many regions, making it suitable for enterprise-scale applications.

Conclusion

When comparing these services, Google Cloud Spanner and Google Bigtable are the most scalable options, with Spanner being particularly noted for its ability to handle large-scale transactional data and global distribution. However, if the absolute highest scalability in terms of database size is the criterion, Bigtable is often recognized for its ability to handle extensive data seamlessly. Thus, Bigtable is the right choice for scaling to higher database sizes.

Final Answer

Bigtable is the database service that can scale to higher database sizes.