We use it for data warehousing. Currently, I'm setting up a data link with Redshift to fetch data from our data lake.
The most valuable feature of Redshift is its cluster.
Redshift's serverless technology needs to improve because not everyone is technically inclined. Organizations want to quickly access and import data into their data warehouse without hassle.
Redshift's ETL tool, Glue, is not seamlessly integrated with Redshift. I've encountered many instances where it couldn't fetch the perfect data type from the source, which should be intuitive. Snowflake's ETL tool, on the other hand, is more intuitive and seamless.
I have been using this solution for two years. I am working with the latest version.
I haven't faced any stability issues because when it works, it runs continuously.
The initial setup is a complex process, especially for someone who is not familiar with nodes and configuring terms like RPUs. You need to consult the documentation to understand what an RPU is.
Moreover, Redshift can be difficult to maintain, especially the Redshift cluster instance.
When it comes to the initial deployment and implementation process of Redshift, there are two types of nodes to choose from: DC2 and RA3, which are for different requirements based on the load. One is for storage, one is for storage and checking, and one is for the computing center.
First, the user needs to know their exact requirement, unlike Snowflake, which automatically scales up and down based on the requirement using the Retrieval Service tool.
The service has not matured yet, and for the Redshift cluster, scaling has to be done manually. The cluster also needs to be set up manually, which is not ideal, especially when Snowflake is already in the market.
It is easy to deploy if you already know how to use Redshift. But if I were a new customer, I might need assistance.
Redshift is a bit less costly than Snowflake, but the effort justifies the cost for Snowflake.
I would suggest starting with a three-cluster that is DC two large, especially if you are setting up a cluster-based search. We offer a three-month or one-month trial, which will allow you to see if you can handle the manual scaling up, scaling down, and maintenance of Redshift. If not, then you can switch to a serverless data solution.
Overall, I would rate it a seven out of ten.