Multiple Databases for Multi Tenant?

General
1

Just came across Backendless a few days ago and very impressed with the platform. Huge time saver for an independent developer.

My query is related to database design, I am aware you can create a table to cater for multi tenants and have them all in one database, but can you create seperate databases to cater for each tenant, who would then connect to the one/same instance of the app?

And @mark-piller your passion for Backendless is infectious.

Thanks

2

Hi Farid,

The database is one and it can contain multiple tables, a separate one for every tenant. There is a benefit for that approach since all registered users of your app (regardless of the company/group they belong to) would be in the same place (the Users table).

Please help me understand though, when you ask about “multiple databases” in the same Backendless app, what would be the benefit of that approach vs. having a single database?

Regards,
Mark

3

In terms of single database, I was thinking about data isolation for each tenant (which would be importance for my usecase) and also performance issues as the database records grow.

In terms of having a seperate table for each tenant, are you referring to NoSQL style structure, with everything related to one tenant in one table?

4

There is also the Sync Changes facility. Looks to me like each tenant would literally have ta separate app and account, complete with individual charges and stats. But all tenants could be synced to running the same software. So you as the developer would be owner of all these accounts. I haven’t used this, but it looks like something I will be considering myself.

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5

Data isolation can be done by applying security with custom API keys/roles. When you have a separate table for each tenant, you can configure it so that only users in a specific role can work with data from that table.

Of course, an alternative approach would be to have a separate app for each tenant.

Regards,
Mark

6

@mark-piller Does the Sync Changes also sync pages and blocks?

7

Thanks for your input @mark-piller

and @Townsend will look into the sync changes option, thanks

8

Not yet, this is not a trivial task to identify the changes in UI at the level where they can be successfully merged. More than likely we will add an ability to overwrite UI containers from the source app into the target one.

Regards,
Mark

9

Not yet… is good. Yes. I understand the Frontend Codeless IDE is only two months old. It’s pretty amazing already. Looking forward to lots of new features in the years ahead.

For the time being there is also the Clone App facility.
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@Farid One thing that tells me how fast this platform is moving. Just look at how often new features are posted on the Backendless blog.

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