Clock synchronization is a critical challenge in distributed systems like CockroachDB. While atomic clocks and GPS-based hardware provide nanosecond-level precision, they introduce unnecessary complexity and cost barriers for typical deployments. CockroachDB takes a pragmatic approach, leveraging the Network Time Protocol (NTP) along with software-based compensation techniques to achieve reliable time coordination across database nodes.

Alex Entin

April 22, 2025

Database practitioners are always in pursuit of new ways to streamline operating costs. The total cost of database ownership can be broken down essentially into the license cost, the storage cost, and the compute cost. There are dozens of other soft and hard costs that are well worth considering and are covered in depth in this cost of ownership report, but the focus in this blog is the reduction of storage costs.

Alex Entin

March 31, 2023