The Iceberg table format has gained support from vendors such as Snowflake, Google, Cloudera, AWS, and IBM, as it allows users to bring analytics engines to data stored outside a vendor's systems. However, Salesforce, SAP, and Microsoft have backed the Delta Lake table format developed by Databricks. Blue argues that a neutral storage layer is needed to ensure optimal performance and cost-effectiveness, a role he sees Tabular fulfilling.
Key takeaways:
- Tabular, a company founded around the Apache Iceberg table format, has raised $26 million in a Series B funding round led by Altimeter Capital, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz and Zetta Venture Partners.
- The Apache Iceberg table format aims to bring neutrality in the market by allowing analytics engines to access data outside a vendor's systems, with support from vendors such as Snowflake, Cloudera, Google, AWS, and IBM.
- On the other side, Salesforce, SAP, and Microsoft support the Delta Lake table format developed by Databricks, although they have also expressed interest in supporting Iceberg in the future.
- Tabular launched its first product earlier this year, a system for a 'headless' data warehouse, and aims to separate storage and compute layers to optimize costs and give users more freedom in choosing their tools.