Cloudera Data Platform Reviews

Name: Cloudera Data Platform
Brand: Cloudera
Rating: 4.0 (27 reviews)

4.0 out of 5

27 reviews
87% willing to recommend

What is Cloudera Data Platform?

Cloudera Data Platform offers a powerful fusion of Hadoop technology and user-centric tools, enabling seamless scalability and open-source flexibility. It supports large-scale data operations with tools like Ranger and Cloudera Data Science Workbench, offering efficient cluster management and containerization capabilities.

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Cloudera Data Platform is the #4 ranked solution in top Data Management Platforms and #7 ranked solution in top Cloud Master Data Management (MDM) Solutions solutions. PeerSpot users give Cloudera Data Platform an average rating of 8.0 out of 10. Cloudera Data Platform is most commonly compared to Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC): Cloudera Data Platform vs Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC). Cloudera Data Platform is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 53% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a real estate/law firm, accounting for 12% of all views.

Buyer's Guide

Cloudera Data Platform

July 2025

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Featured Cloudera Data Platform reviews

Miodrag-Stanic

Senior Architect at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees

There are challenges with upgrading or updating various services like Spark, Impala, and Hive on on-premise and bare metal solutions. We aim to address these issues with a Kubernetes-based platform that will simplify the task of upgrading services. We also wish to implement lakehouse capabilities with Iceberg or Delta Lake frameworks.

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Leslie Mavonyani

Head of technical and projects at BI Dynamics Pty Ltd

We use Hortonworks Data Platform for data management, significant data ingestion, and analytics Hortonworks Data Platform has a limited user community. I haven't seen much discussion about user experiences. More information could be there to simplify the process of running the product. We have…

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Prashant Singh

Vice President -Product Management at Paytm

The solution is fairly simple to set up. It's not too complex or difficult. If you know the solution, it's easy. However, there is a learning curve. If you don't know anything about it, it can be more complex. You can typically deploy it within a week. We have five or six people capable of handling a deployment.

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PeerResearch reports based on Cloudera Data Platform reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	Data Management Platforms (DMP)	Jul 8, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Jul 8, 2025	Download
Comparison	Cloudera Data Platform vs Palantir Foundry	Jul 8, 2025	Download
Comparison	Cloudera Data Platform vs Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC)	Jul 8, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC)	4.0	15.0%	93%	185 interviews Add to research
Palantir Foundry	3.9	28.4%	88%	17 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Cloudera Data Platform offers comprehensive Hadoop features including a powerful Ambari interface, seamless scalability, and open-source flexibility. It supports massive data handling with easy deployment and management. HDFS, Hive, and Spark enhance data processing and storage efficiency, while Cloudera Data Science Workbench aids modeling and analysis. Its distributed computing and containerization, in conjunction with AI tools, offload data effectively from warehouses and support ETL processes.

"Integration with other tools works well for us and we successfully scaled the solution after two to three years without any issues."
"Cloudera Data Platform has significantly improved our data management."
"Distributed computing, secure containerization, and governance capabilities are the most valuable features."

Room for Improvement

Cloudera Data Platform requires enhancements in governance, usability, and user interface. Multi-tenancy, security integration, and data update features need refinement. Stability and rolling upgrades should be addressed. Performance improvements are essential for Hadoop to compete with traditional databases. Deployment, version control, and integration with cloud storage require attention. Users express challenges with disaster recovery, Hive integration, and backup. Cost remains high, and the platform should offer features like other data management tools.

"The initial setup may take several hours or days, depending on the challenges faced during installation. It's not always a smooth process due to potential complexities."
"For on-premise use, I would not recommend Cloudera Data Platform as it is expensive and complicated to upgrade."
"Since Cloudera acquired HDP, it's been bundled with CBH and HDP. However, the biggest challenge is cloud storage integration with Azure, GCP, and AWS."

ROI

Several companies have not yet seen ROI from Cloudera Data Platform, with some still in the POC phase and others not fully implementing the platform. Despite varying expectations and usage levels, some acknowledge the potential advantage, citing Hadoop's cost per terabyte as a key factor for investment. While significant outcomes remain elusive for some, others report a promising return of 300%. Overall, ROI experiences with Cloudera Data Platform differ significantly among users.

Pricing

Cloudera Data Platform users describe the pricing as complex, yet affordable compared to alternatives like Oracle's RDBMS. The platform offers open-source components, but licensing is required for additional features, priced per node, potentially incentivizing vertical scaling. Support and professional services are optional but beneficial, especially for deployment. Costs may have increased from previous versions, but factors like processors, cores, and storage impact final expenses. Some organizations appreciate the flexibility of choosing open-source solutions for certain needs.

"Currently, we are using the product in a sandbox environment, and there is no licensing. We might choose a licensing option once we get the results."
"It is priced well and it is affordable"

Popular Use Cases

Cloudera Data Platform's primary use cases include data science activities, storage, and processing. Users utilize it for data management, ingestion, analytics, and machine learning. They employ it to manage big data, run data pipelines, and offload ETL processes. It serves industries like hospitality, oil & gas, finance, and healthcare, handling large volumes of data for analytics. Cloudera functions as a sandbox for data discovery and supports both on-premise and private cloud settings.

Service and Support

Cloudera Data Platform's customer service is mixed, receiving both high praise and criticism. Users commend prompt responses and detailed support, though some find it lacking and difficult for complex needs. Documentation and community resources are widely used in place of direct support contact. Paid services are considered good, and users acknowledge helpful interactions with engineers. Technical support receives varying ratings, often seen as responsive, yet sometimes slow.

Deployment

Users found Cloudera Data Platform's initial setup to be both straightforward and complex. Many noted that while basic installation was easy, configuring specific components could be challenging. Experience and technical knowledge greatly affected the ease of setup. Ambari simplified many processes, though security components and parameter tuning remained intricate tasks. Expertise in computer networking or a strong IT team was beneficial. Cloud platforms significantly eased the process, though on-premises installations could be notably difficult.

Scalability

Cloudera Data Platform exhibits excellent scalability with minimal challenges. Many users have encountered no problems extending capabilities and are satisfied with its ability to handle large workloads. Some have faced difficulties when upgrading but found support helpful. Additionally, the platform allows operation on numerous servers simultaneously. Though some have switched to other solutions, they still acknowledge its scalability effectiveness, with some citing hardware considerations. Several users rate its scalability highly, appreciating seamless integration with other tools.

Stability

Cloudera Data Platform demonstrates stability when properly configured, particularly with HBase. Experiences vary, with some experiencing issues while others report reliability. Consistent stability has been noted, though configuration challenges can arise. Hardware support and documentation assist in resolving occasional issues. Stability ratings are generally high, often reaching seven or eight out of ten. While some encounter upgrade issues, many find it performs reliably without crashes or freezes. Comparatively more mature than previous versions, though storage format stability can vary.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Cloudera Data Platform Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

12%

Real Estate/Law Firm

12%

Performing Arts

10%

Computer Software Company

10%

University

Retailer

Manufacturing Company

Non Tech Company

Healthcare Company

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Comms Service Provider

Construction Company

Insurance Company

Renewables & Environment Company

Government

Energy/Utilities Company

Transportation Company

Leisure / Travel Company

Legal Firm

Educational Organization

Logistics Company

Compare Cloudera Data Platform with alternative products

Learn more about Cloudera Data Platform

Designed to support extensive data needs, Cloudera Data Platform encompasses a comprehensive Hadoop stack, which includes HDFS, Hive, and Spark. Its integration with Ambari provides user-friendliness in management and configuration. Despite its strengths in scalability and security, Cloudera Data Platform requires enhancements in multi-tenant implementation, governance, and UI, while attribute-level encryption and better HDFS namenode support are also needed. Stability, especially regarding the Hue UI, financial costs, and disaster recovery are notable challenges. Additionally, integration with cloud storage and deployment methods could be more intuitive to enhance user experience, along with more effective support and community engagement.

What are the key features?

Comprehensive Hadoop Stack: Integrates HDFS, Hive, Spark for large-scale data operations.
User-Friendly Interface: Managed through Ambari, simplifying configuration.
Seamless Scalability: Efficiently handles growing data demands with ease.
Open-Source Flexibility: Offers a customizable platform for specific needs.
Security Tools: Includes Ranger for advanced data protection measures.
Data Science Workbench: Provides a robust platform for data modeling.
Cluster Management: Efficient deployment and governance capabilities.
Containerization Support: Facilitates modern data processing environments.

What benefits and ROI should users expect?

Data Storage Flexibility: Handles diverse data types, enhancing storage solutions.
Advanced Security: Features tailored for data protection and compliance.
Scalability: Cost-efficient management of expanding data requirements.
Operational Efficiency: Streamlined processes through effective tools.
Data Science Integration: Supports building and deploying models efficiently.
Industry Versatility: Applicable across finance, healthcare, and more.

Cloudera Data Platform is implemented extensively across industries like hospitality for data science activities, including managing historical data. Its adaptability extends to operational analytics for sectors like oil & gas, finance, and healthcare, often enhanced by Hortonworks Data Platform for data ingestion and analytics tasks.