Cosmos DB’s Multimodal Data Structure

Azure Cosmos DB is a multimodal database service that can support multiple data formats and open-source query languages, allowing developers to work with several different data types in the same service, sharing security settings and replication features. The service provides simplified provisioning and supports databases into the petabyte level. It provides global scaling, data partitioning, and data replication features that support global distribution of data without configuring separate databases for each location or writing complex code to move and integrate data.

Service Overview

Cosmos DB is not restricted to a single database type; it can host multiple database formats, such as documents, wide-column data, graphs, and key-value pairs.

The service is designed for distributed data-intensive applications that need high performance and global distribution and/or scaling but can also support small departmental applications cost effectively. However, the service does not support replication with databases outside of the service, so it cannot be used as part of a hybrid deployment.