PubNub breaks through infrastructure barriers With managed open source

With NetApp Instaclustr, PubNub ensures real-time reliability and scalability, powering seamless global communication.

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Industry

Information technology

Technologies

Apache Cassandra®

Challenges

Complex management of self-hosted Apache Cassandra
Infrastructure vulnerabilities surfaced during a critical database incident

Results

Seamless management of 255TB of data with 40 proactive alerts
Elimination of the need to resource four additional full-time employees
Significantly reduced operational burden

Powering trillions of monthly API calls
With open source

Managing data at scale is no easy feat—especially when delivering real-time communication services to over a billion devices each month. For PubNub, a leader in real-time infrastructure, ensuring their platform kept pace with rapid growth was critical.

"Our team processes trillions of API calls each month, and our customers rely on us for a network that can handle massive scale and complexity."

— Vincent, Senior Director of Engineering, PubNub

Scaling with resilience under pressure

With exponential growth came daunting challenges for PubNub’s engineering team. Maintaining their open-source Apache Cassandra database presented two critical issues they needed to address urgently:

Complexities of self management

The complexities of scaling a self-managed Cassandra storage layer, which was prone to infrastructure vulnerabilities and performance issues.

Critical database incident

A critical database incident disrupted operations, amplifying the risks of misconfigurations and revealing the limits of their infrastructure’s design.

Transforming operations with Instaclustr

PubNub found their ideal partner in Instaclustr. By handing over the operational management of Apache Cassandra to Instaclustr’s managed platform, PubNub unlocked new levels of scalability and stability.

The Instaclustr team provided a tailored solution, focusing on three key actions:

Optimizing database performance

Instaclustr fine-tuned Cassandra clusters, boosting database efficiency and ensuring high-performance data handling. Improved data modeling practices reduced the risk of performance bottlenecks.

Proactive monitoring

With automated monitoring and over 40 active alerts in place, potential issues were identified before disruptions occurred.

Streamlined resource management

PubNub’s team no longer had to allocate internal resources to time-intensive tasks like updates, patching, and troubleshooting. Instaclustr handled it all.

"Instaclustr didn’t just manage Cassandra—they helped us make smarter decisions that ripple across our entire business."

Operational excellence that drives value

Instaclustr has played a key role in Pubnub's growth journey:

Seamless management of 255TB of Data

PubNub now operates with confidence, leveraging Instaclustr’s expertise to manage an infrastructure that handles massive amounts of real-time data efficiently and reliably.

Significant cost savings

By outsourcing database management to Instaclustr, PubNub avoided hiring four additional engineers, saving significant budget and maintaining a leaner team structure.

Focus on innovation

With operational burdens lifted, PubNub’s engineering team redirected their energy toward building new features and improving the customer experience.

"Without Instaclustr’s support, we would have had to hire at least four engineers to manage our database needs—an investment that would have strained both our budget and team capacity."

Prepared for the future

PubNub’s collaboration with Instaclustr has transformed how they operate, offering more than just a fix for Cassandra challenges. Together, they’ve built a resilient, scalable infrastructure that ensures operational stability while unlocking growth opportunities.

With Instaclustr in their corner, PubNub is positioned to lead the future of real-time communication, focusing on delivering exceptional, innovative solutions to their global user base.

“Managing data at our scale isn’t just about tools—it’s about having trusted expertise to keep us moving forward,” said Vincent.

For businesses seeking to unlock similar growth potential, Instaclustr stands ready to be your partner in excellence.

Get in touch with our team today!