NoSQL has become the ad hoc term for a wide range of alternatives to relational databases. NoSQL databases address a number of issues with the way database use has evolved. Mobile in particular presents a number of new challenges, including scaling to support thousands or even millions of users, off-line availability, synchronization, and more. Choosing NoSQL is just the first step, though.

In this session, we’ll take a look at the rise of NoSQL, what NoSQL really means, and the kinds of problems it solves. We’ll follow with some practical considerations for mobile developers. We’ll look at data modeling, querying, and other useful tips. We’ll also look at some examples using Couchbase for Mobile for illustration.

You will leave the session with a clearer understanding of the sometimes murky world of “NoSQL,” and practical advice for building apps that use it.

Note: Some familiarity with databases will be helpful to get the most from this session.

If you’re thinking about using a document database, it can be intimidating to start. A flexible data model gives you a lot of choices, but which way is the right way? Is a document database even the right tool? In this session we’ll go over the basics of data modeling using JSON. We’ll compare and contrast with traditional RDBMS modeling. Impact on application code will be discussed, as well as some tooling that could be helpful along the way. The examples use the free, open-source Couchbase Server document database, but the principles from this session can also be applied to DocumentDb, Mongo, RavenDb, etc.

If you are thinking of trying out a NoSQL document database, there are many good options available to Microsoft-oriented developers. In this session, we’ll compare some of the more popular databases, including: DocumentDb, Couchbase, MongoDb, CouchDb, and RavenDb. We’ll look at the strengths and weaknesses of each system. Querying, scaling, usability, speed, deployment, support and flexibility will all be covered. This session will include a discussion about when NoSQL is right for your project and give you an idea of which technology to pursue for your use case.