Traditional databases rely on disk-based storage for data persistence, but this approach often introduces latency in high-speed data processing scenarios. In-memory databases (IMDBs) offer a solution by storing data directly in memory (RAM), which significantly reduces access times. These databases are optimized for real-time applications, providing unparalleled speed for reads and writes.

In this lesson, we will explore the architecture of in-memory systems, their performance benefits and limitations, and real-world use cases like SAP HANA and MemSQL.