Cloudera Data Platform

Basic Information

Cloudera Data Platform (CDP) is an enterprise data cloud platform designed for managing and analyzing large datasets across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. It unifies data management, analytics, and machine learning capabilities. CDP is the successor to Cloudera's previous Hadoop distributions, CDH and HDP.

• Model: Cloudera Data Platform (CDP) offers editions such as Public Cloud, Private Cloud Base, and Private Cloud Plus.
• Version: The latest unified stable release is Cloudera 7.3.1, released in December 2024.
• Release Date: The Cloudera Data Platform was initially launched in September 2019. CDP Private Cloud was in tech preview in June 2020 and became generally available later that summer.
• Minimum Requirements: For production environments, recommended hardware for NameNodes includes a minimum of two sockets with at least eight cores each and 128 GB of memory. DataNodes require a minimum of two sockets with at least eight cores each and 64 GB of memory.
• Supported Operating Systems: CDP Private Cloud Base supports Linux distributions such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) versions 7.6-7.9, 8.2, 8.4, 8.6, 8.7; SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 12 SP5; and Ubuntu 18.04, 20.04. Windows 10, Server 2016, and Server 2019 are supported for certain components like NiFi. Cloudera Observability On-Premises supports CentOS Enterprise Linux and Red Hat Enterprise Linux versions 7, 8, or later.
• Latest Stable Version: Cloudera 7.3.1 (December 2024).
• End of Support Date: For Cloudera Data Services on premises 1.5.5, the End of Support (EoS) date is June 2026. For the upcoming Cloudera platform 7.3.2, the EoS is Q1 2026. Older versions like CDH 6 reached End of Life (EoL) in March 2022, and HDP 3 in December 2021.
• End of Life Date: End of Life dates are typically tied to specific product versions and are communicated through Cloudera's support lifecycle policy. Older distributions like CDH 6 and HDP 3 have reached their EoL.
• License Type: Subscription license.
• Deployment Model: Supports public cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), private cloud, hybrid cloud, and multi-cloud deployments.

Technical Requirements

Cloudera Data Platform operates on a distributed architecture, requiring specific resource allocations for optimal performance, particularly in production environments. The platform is designed to run on virtual machines or bare-metal hardware.

• RAM: For production, NameNodes require 128 GB memory, and DataNodes require 64 GB memory. Licensing often defines a "Node" with up to 128 GB RAM.
• Processor: Production NameNodes and DataNodes each require a minimum of two sockets with at least eight cores. Licensing often defines a "Node" with up to 16 Cores.
• Storage: Supports HDFS and Ozone for storage. Licensing for CDP Private Cloud Base includes storage per terabyte for HDFS and Ozone/Third-Party Storage, with a "Node" cap of 48 TB. It also integrates with cloud object storage like AWS S3 and Azure ABFS.
• Display: Not a direct requirement for the platform itself, as it is managed via web consoles and command-line interfaces.
• Ports: Specific network ports are required for inter-component communication and external access, configured during deployment.
• Operating System: Linux-based operating systems are primary, including RHEL, SLES, and Ubuntu. Windows is supported for certain client components.

Analysis of Technical Requirements

CDP's technical requirements emphasize a robust, scalable infrastructure, typical for big data platforms. The recommendations for multi-socket, multi-core processors and substantial RAM per node reflect the intensive computational and memory demands of data processing and analytics workloads. The flexibility to use HDFS, Ozone, or cloud object storage provides adaptability for various deployment scenarios. The platform's reliance on Linux for core components is standard for enterprise-grade data solutions. Display and port requirements are standard for server-side software, managed through network access rather than direct user interface hardware.

Support & Compatibility

Cloudera Data Platform offers comprehensive support and compatibility across various environments, focusing on hybrid and multi-cloud strategies.

• Latest Version: Cloudera 7.3.1, released December 2024, is the latest unified stable version.
• OS Support: Supports Red Hat Enterprise Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, and Ubuntu for core components. Windows is supported for specific client-side applications.
• End of Support Date: EoS dates vary by specific product version and service. For example, Cloudera Data Services on premises 1.5.5 has an EoS date of June 2026. Cloudera offers Long Term Support Releases (LTSR) for stability-focused environments, with support periods up to four years.
• Localization: While the platform supports data localization for compliance with regional data privacy regulations, UI and documentation localization details are not extensively specified.
• Available Drivers: Cloudera provides ODBC and JDBC drivers for connecting to Hive and Impala, enabling integration with various Business Intelligence (BI) applications.

Analysis of Overall Support & Compatibility Status

Cloudera Data Platform demonstrates strong support and compatibility, particularly for enterprise-grade Linux environments and major public cloud providers. The availability of ODBC and JDBC drivers ensures broad integration with existing BI and analytics tools. Cloudera's commitment to Long Term Support Releases caters to organizations requiring extended stability and predictable update cycles. The focus on data localization addresses critical compliance needs in a global data landscape. However, specific UI/documentation localization beyond English is not prominently highlighted, suggesting English as the primary language for user interfaces and support materials.

Security Status

Cloudera Data Platform incorporates a comprehensive security framework designed to protect sensitive data and enforce access controls across its distributed environment.

• Security Features: Kerberos authentication, LDAP/Active Directory integration, SAML-based Single Sign-On (SSO), certificate-based authentication, TLS encryption for data in transit, HDFS transparent encryption, Cloudera Navigator Encrypt for data at rest, and a Key Management Service (KMS) for encryption key management.
• Known Vulnerabilities: Cloudera regularly addresses vulnerabilities through updates and patches. For example, CVEs related to Apache Parquet (e.g., CVE-2025-30065) are mentioned as being fixed in specific service pack updates.
• Blacklist Status: Not applicable in the context of a software platform.
• Certifications: CDP Public Cloud has achieved SOC 2 Type II certification and ISO 27001 certification. Cloudera also maintains FedRAMP Moderate authorization for its government offerings and supports compliance with PCI standards.
• Encryption Support: Comprehensive encryption for data at rest (HDFS transparent encryption, Cloudera Navigator Encrypt with KMS) and data in transit (TLS/HTTPS).
• Authentication Methods: Kerberos, LDAP/Active Directory, SAML-based SSO, and certificate-based authentication.
• General Recommendations: Utilizes Apache Ranger for authorization policies and auditing features across services like Hive, Impala, and HDFS. Employs a Shared Data Experience (SDX) for consistent security, governance, and metadata management.

Analysis on the Overall Security Rating

Cloudera Data Platform exhibits a robust security posture, integrating multiple layers of protection from authentication and authorization to encryption for data at rest and in transit. Its adherence to industry certifications like SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and FedRAMP demonstrates a strong commitment to security and compliance, particularly for highly regulated industries. The use of established open-source security components like Kerberos and Ranger, combined with Cloudera's own security features, provides a comprehensive framework for safeguarding data. Regular updates address known vulnerabilities, maintaining a proactive security stance. The platform's emphasis on data governance and lineage further enhances its overall security rating.

Performance & Benchmarks

Cloudera Data Platform is engineered for high performance and scalability, particularly for demanding big data analytics and machine learning workloads.

• Benchmark Scores: In TPC-DS benchmark tests, Cloudera Data Warehouse demonstrated competitive performance, proving to be more cost-effective than Amazon Redshift, Azure Synapse Analytics, Google BigQuery, and Snowflake in terms of price per performance. Cloudera Operational Database (COD) benchmarks show that S3-based clusters with ephemeral cache can perform 1.7x faster on average compared to HBase running on HDFS on HDD for read/write workloads.
• Real-World Performance Metrics: CDP offers scalability, efficient management of large data volumes, distributed computing, secure containerization, and strong processing power. It enables real-time data analytics and machine learning.
• Power Consumption: While specific power consumption metrics for the platform itself are not provided, Cloudera, as a company, has committed to reducing its Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions, aiming for net-zero by 2040. Data centers running AI workloads, which CDP supports, are noted to have significantly increasing power demands.
• Carbon Footprint: Cloudera has established ambitious climate commitments through the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to reduce its carbon footprint, targeting significant reductions in emissions by 2034 and 2040.
• Comparison with Similar Assets: CDP competes with platforms like Apache Spark, Amazon Redshift, Amazon EMR, Google BigQuery, Snowflake, Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics, and Databricks. It is noted for its ability to handle complex data ecosystems and its hybrid cloud capabilities, contrasting with cloud-native solutions like Databricks.

Analysis of the Overall Performance Status

Cloudera Data Platform delivers strong performance, particularly in cost-efficiency for data warehousing and operational database workloads, as evidenced by TPC-DS and internal benchmarks. Its architecture, leveraging distributed computing and optimized for hybrid and multi-cloud environments, supports high scalability and real-time analytics. While direct power consumption and carbon footprint metrics for the software are not applicable, Cloudera's corporate sustainability initiatives address the environmental impact of its operations. The platform's performance is competitive within the big data infrastructure market, offering a robust solution for enterprises with diverse data processing needs.

User Reviews & Feedback

User reviews and feedback for Cloudera Data Platform highlight its strengths in data management and analytics, alongside some areas for improvement.

• Strengths: Users appreciate CDP's scalability, robustness, and comprehensive suite of tools for big data management and analytics. Its distributed computing, secure containerization, and governance capabilities are highly valued. The platform is praised for its ability to provide cost-effective data availability, excellent support for machine learning services, and fast analytics development. Ranger's efficient management of user permissions is a notable positive.
• Weaknesses: Common criticisms include the complexity of initial setup, which can take significant time. Some users suggest that security and workload management could be enhanced. Challenges with cloud storage integration across Azure, GCP, and AWS have been noted. Concerns about high cost, issues with software version control, and the need for more comprehensive documentation have also been raised. Support response times have been a point of concern for some users.
• Recommended Use Cases: CDP is recommended for big data management, data lake creation, data warehousing, machine learning, real-time data analytics, and operational databases. It is particularly suited for enterprises with complex data ecosystems and stringent requirements for data governance and security across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.

Summary

Cloudera Data Platform (CDP) stands as a comprehensive enterprise data cloud solution, unifying data management, analytics, and machine learning across diverse deployment models. Its strength lies in its hybrid and multi-cloud architecture, offering flexibility for organizations to manage data on-premises, in public clouds (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), or in a hybrid setup. CDP excels in providing robust security features, including Kerberos, LDAP, SAML, TLS encryption, and comprehensive data-at-rest encryption with a Key Management Service, backed by certifications like SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and FedRAMP. The platform's performance is competitive, demonstrating cost-efficiency in data warehousing and operational database benchmarks, and it is designed for high scalability and real-time processing. User feedback generally praises its scalability, rich feature set, and governance capabilities, particularly Ranger for access control. However, some users highlight challenges with initial setup complexity, integration with certain cloud storage, and perceived high costs. Cloudera, as a company, also shows a commitment to sustainability through ambitious carbon emission reduction targets.

In assessment, CDP is a powerful and mature platform for organizations dealing with large, complex datasets and requiring consistent data management and governance across distributed environments. Its strengths in security, hybrid deployment, and comprehensive analytics make it a strong contender for enterprises in regulated industries. While initial setup and cost can be considerations, its long-term stability, performance, and ongoing development, including Long Term Support Releases, offer significant value. CDP is particularly recommended for organizations seeking a unified platform for data lakes, data warehousing, and machine learning that can span their entire data estate, from edge to AI, with strong emphasis on data sovereignty and compliance.

Information provided is based on publicly available data and may vary depending on specific device configurations. For up-to-date information, please consult official manufacturer resources.