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Apache Kafka on Confluent Cloud vs Heimdall Proxy Enterprise Edition (ARM) comparison

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Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Apache Kafka on Confluent C...
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
5.6
Number of Reviews
15
Ranking in other categories
Streaming Analytics (14th)
Heimdall Proxy Enterprise E...
Average Rating
10.0
Reviews Sentiment
9.6
Number of Reviews
1
Ranking in other categories
Cloud Cost Management (63rd)
 

Mindshare comparison

Apache Kafka on Confluent Cloud and Heimdall Proxy Enterprise Edition (ARM) aren’t in the same category and serve different purposes. Apache Kafka on Confluent Cloud is designed for Streaming Analytics and holds a mindshare of 1.0%, up 0.2% compared to last year.
Heimdall Proxy Enterprise Edition (ARM), on the other hand, focuses on Cloud Cost Management, holds 0.5% mindshare, up 0.0% since last year.
Streaming Analytics Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Apache Kafka on Confluent Cloud1.0%
Databricks7.5%
Apache Flink7.5%
Other84.0%
Streaming Analytics
Cloud Cost Management Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Heimdall Proxy Enterprise Edition (ARM)0.5%
IBM Turbonomic5.7%
Apptio Cloudability5.7%
Other88.1%
Cloud Cost Management
 

Featured Reviews

AF
Lead Software Engineer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Has unified log streams from multiple systems and accelerated issue tracking through streamlined setup
I think Apache Kafka on Confluent Cloud can be improved by probably working more around Confluent or the tool. In my opinion, it should utilize the response structures in a better way or be able to detect if there is any variable or if there is any data structure that is mismatched, as it would be easier than us manually having to put in the exact name in order for it to match the response. Regarding additional improvements, I would say probably around error handling, where when we encounter errors specific to our response structures and everything, or the tables or anything of that nature, it would be better if we were prompted with better error handling mechanisms. I do not think there are any other improvements Apache Kafka on Confluent Cloud needs, aside from error handling and response structures.
Tarandeep Kaur - PeerSpot reviewer
Devops Manager at Flash
Addressed database bottlenecks and has improved caching, read traffic routing, and connection pooling
Heimdall Proxy Enterprise Edition (ARM) has made a noticeable difference for our team by using caching in the project to remove repeated queries from the database depth, while read-write splitting allows us to do database replicas more effectively. Connection pooling also helps our teams when applications generate a large number of short-lived database connections. In our environment, we have seen 30 to 40% lower database CPU utilization on the workload benefiting from the caching, with around 35 to 40% average application response time. The best features Heimdall Proxy Enterprise Edition (ARM) offers include read-write splitting that routes read workloads to replicas while maintaining consistency for write operations, distributed query caching that has helped us reduce repetitive database queries reaching the underlying database, and connection pooling which assists us in managing connection spikes without requiring application-side connection management. Additionally, active proxy auto-scaling is very important to maintain availability as traffic increases. The impact of the auto-scaling feature on our operations is notable, as connection pooling has helped us lower the load, with 30 to 40% lower database utilization due to the splitting and pooling concept, and around 35 to 40% average application response time. Heimdall Proxy Enterprise Edition (ARM) has positively impacted our organization in many ways, with key outcomes such as saving around 40 to 45% for cacheable workloads, improving response times by around 35% for database-heavy transactions with read or write queries, achieving 35 to 40 hours per month saved in database performance troubleshooting and manual scaling activities, and saving approximately 500 hours annually from our engineering team. This makes a significant difference, alongside roughly 30% reduction in our database infrastructure growth requirements where the proxy was most effective.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"In case of huge transactions on the web or mobile apps, it helps you capture real-time data and analyze it."
"Kafka and Confluent Cloud have proven to be cost-effective, especially when compared to other tools. In a recent BI integration program over the past year, we assessed multiple use cases spanning ship-to-shore and various Azure integrations. Our findings revealed that Confluent Kafka performed exceptionally well, standing out alongside Genesys and Azure Event Hubs. While these three are top contenders, the choice among other tools depends on the specific use case and project requirements. The customer initially used tools like SMQs, FITRA, and Stream for real-time data processing. However, after our recommendation, Confluent Cloud proved to be a superior choice, capable of replacing these three tools and simplifying their data infrastructure. This shift to a single tool, Confluent Cloud, streamlined their operations, making maintenance and management more efficient for their internal projects."
"The return on investment has been significant, especially in terms of stability, scalability, and the fact that we almost never had any issues in production."
"Confluent Cloud handles data volume pretty well."
"The product's installation phase is pretty straightforward for us since we know how to use it."
"Confluent helped me to streamline all those logs into one place, and then I was consuming those logs that were produced, which made it very much easier because I know Kafka and using Confluent made it much simpler."
"Apache Kafka on Confluent Cloud is critical infrastructure for us; without it, our infrastructure costs would increase significantly, potentially amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, and its real-time capabilities accelerate speed to value and enable new use cases, providing significant business value."
"Overall, I think it's a good experience. Apache Kafka can be quite complex and difficult to maintain on your own, so using Apache Kafka on Confluent Cloud makes it much easier to use it without worrying about setup and maintenance."
"Heimdall Proxy Enterprise Edition (ARM) has positively impacted our organization in many ways, with key outcomes such as saving around 40 to 45% for cacheable workloads, improving response times by around 35% for database-heavy transactions with read or write queries, achieving 35 to 40 hours per month saved in database performance troubleshooting and manual scaling activities, and saving approximately 500 hours annually from our engineering team."
 

Cons

"The ability to implement request-response communication on Apache Kafka needs improvement."
"Regarding real-time data usage, there were challenges with CDC (Change Data Capture) integrations. Specifically, with PyTRAN, we encountered difficulties. We recommended using our on-premises Kaspersky as an alternative to PyTRAN for that specific use case due to issues with CDC store configuration and log reading challenges with the iton components."
"The solution is expensive."
"There's one thing that's a common use case, but I don't know why it's not covered in Kafka. When a message comes in, and another message with the same key arrives, the first version should be deleted automatically."
"Improvement can be made by making it easier to build applications on the real-time stream, focusing on real-time pre-processing and anomaly detection."
"Although, specifically with Apache Kafka on Confluent Cloud, it was a bit more challenging to increase adoption because it's very expensive."
"I thought Confluent would stop me when I crossed the credits, but it did not, and then I got charged."
"There could be an in-built feature for data analysis."
"I do not feel there is a problem we have faced with Heimdall Proxy Enterprise Edition (ARM) so far, but if I had to mention one experience that could be improved, it would be the routing policies."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Regarding pricing, Apache Kafka on Confluent Cloud is not a cheap tool. The right use case would justify the cost. It might make sense if you have a high volume of data that you can leverage to generate value for the business. But if you don't have those requirements, there are likely cheaper solutions you could use instead."
"I think the pricing is fair, but Confluent requires a little bit more thinking because the price can go up really quickly when it comes to premium connectors."
"I consider that the product's price falls under the middle range category."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Construction Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
14%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Construction Company
32%
Insurance Company
18%
Computer Software Company
15%
Comms Service Provider
10%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business6
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise8
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Apache Kafka on Confluent Cloud?
I think Apache Kafka on Confluent Cloud can be improved by probably working more around Confluent or the tool. In my opinion, it should utilize the response structures in a better way or be able to...
What is your primary use case for Apache Kafka on Confluent Cloud?
I have used Apache Kafka on Confluent Cloud for one of my projects with regard to log monitoring. My main use case for Apache Kafka on Confluent Cloud in that project was mainly streaming of the lo...
What advice do you have for others considering Apache Kafka on Confluent Cloud?
My advice to others looking into using Apache Kafka on Confluent Cloud is that it is easier and has a low learning curve. If there is any use case regarding streaming, I would suggest starting off ...
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