This document summarizes the key capabilities of Apache Flink, an open source platform for distributed stream and batch data processing. It discusses how Flink supports streaming dataflows, batch jobs, machine learning algorithms, and graph analysis through its unified dataflow engine. Flink compiles programs into dataflow graphs that execute all workloads as streaming topologies with checkpointing for fault tolerance. This allows Flink to natively support diverse workloads through flexible state, windows, and iterative processing.

1. Stephan Ewen
Flink committer
co-founder @ data Artisans
@StephanEwen
Apache
Flink

2. 1 year of Flink - code
April 2014 April 2015

3. What is Flink
3
Gelly
Table
ML
SAMOA
DataSet (Java/Scala/Python) DataStream (Java/Scala)
HadoopM/R
Local Remote Yarn Tez Embedded
Dataflow
Dataflow(WiP)
MRQL
Table
Cascading(WiP)
Streaming dataflow runtime

4. Native workload support
5
Flink
Streaming
topologies
Long batch
pipelines
Machine Learning at scale
How can an engine natively support all these workloads?
And what does "native" mean?
Graph Analysis

5. E.g.: Non-native iterations
6
Step Step Step Step Step
Client
for (int i = 0; i < maxIterations; i++) {
// Execute MapReduce job
}

6. E.g.: Non-native streaming
7
stream
discretizer
Job Job Job Job
while (true) {
// get next few records
// issue batch job
}

7. Native workload support
8
Flink
Streaming
topologies
Heavy
batch jobs
Machine Learning at scale
How can an engine natively support all these workloads?
And what does native mean?

8. Flink Engine
1. Execute everything as streams
2. Allow some iterative (cyclic) dataflows
3. Allow some mutable state
4. Operate on managed memory
9

9. Program compilation
10
case class Path (from: Long, to:
Long)
val tc = edges.iterate(10) {
paths: DataSet[Path] =>
val next = paths
.join(edges)
.where("to")
.equalTo("from") {
(path, edge) =>
Path(path.from, edge.to)
}
.union(paths)
.distinct()
next
}
Optimizer
Type extraction
stack
Task
scheduling
Dataflow
metadata
Pre-flight (Client)
Master
Workers
Data
Source
orders.tbl
Filter
Map
DataSourc
e
lineitem.tbl
Join
Hybrid Hash
build
HT
probe
hash-part [0] hash-part [0]
GroupRed
sort
forward
Program
Dataflow
Graph
deploy
operators
track
intermediate
results

10. Flink by Use Case
11

11. Data Streaming Analysis
streaming dataflows
12

12. 3 Parts of a Streaming Infrastructure
13
Gathering Broker Analysis
Sensors
Transaction
logs …
Server Logs

13. 3 Parts of a Streaming Infrastructure
14
Gathering Broker Analysis
Sensors
Transaction
logs …
Server Logs
Result may be fed back to the broker

14. Cornerstones of Flink Streaming
 Pipelined stream processor (low latency)
 Expressive APIs
 Flexible operator state, streaming windows
 Efficient fault tolerance for streams and state.
15

15. Pipelined stream processor
16
Streaming
Shuffle!

16. Expressive APIs
17
case class Word (word: String, frequency: Int)
val lines: DataStream[String] = env.fromSocketStream(...)
lines.flatMap {line => line.split(" ")
.map(word => Word(word,1))}
.window(Time.of(5,SECONDS)).every(Time.of(1,SECONDS))
.groupBy("word").sum("frequency")
.print()
val lines: DataSet[String] = env.readTextFile(...)
lines.flatMap {line => line.split(" ")
.map(word => Word(word,1))}
.groupBy("word").sum("frequency")
.print()
DataSet API (batch):
DataStream API (streaming):

17. Windows
18
More at: http://flink.apache.org/news/2015/02/09/streaming-example.html

18. Checkpointing / Recovery
19
Chandy-Lamport Algorithm for consistent asynchronous distributed snapshots
Pushes checkpoint barriers
through the data flow
Operator checkpoint
starting
Checkpoint done
Data Stream
barrier
Before barrier =
part of the snapshot
After barrier =
Not in snapshot
Checkpoint done
checkpoint in progress
(backup till next snapshot)

19. Long batch pipelines
Batch on Streaming
20

20. Batch Pipelines
21

21. Batch on Streaming
 Batch programs are a special kind of streaming
program
22
Infinite Streams Finite Streams
Stream Windows Global View
Pipelined
Data Exchange
Pipelined or
Blocking Exchange
Streaming Programs Batch Programs

22. Batch Pipelines
23
Data exchange (shuffle / broadcast)
is mostly streamed
Some operators block (e.g. sorts / hash tables)

23. Operators Execution Overlaps
24

24. Memory Management
25

25. Memory Management
26

26. Smooth out-of-core performance
27
More at: http://flink.apache.org/news/2015/03/13/peeking-into-Apache-Flinks-Engine-Room.html
Blue bars are in-memory, orange bars (partially) out-of-core

27. Table API
28
val customers = envreadCsvFile(…).as('id, 'mktSegment)
.filter("mktSegment = AUTOMOBILE")
val orders = env.readCsvFile(…)
.filter( o => dateFormat.parse(o.orderDate).before(date) )
.as("orderId, custId, orderDate, shipPrio")
val items = orders
.join(customers).where("custId = id")
.join(lineitems).where("orderId = id")
.select("orderId, orderDate, shipPrio,
extdPrice * (Literal(1.0f) – discount) as revenue")
val result = items
.groupBy("orderId, orderDate, shipPrio")
.select('orderId, revenue.sum, orderDate, shipPrio")

28. Machine Learning Algorithms
Iterative data flows
29

29. Iterate by looping
 for/while loop in client submits one job per
iteration step
 Data reuse by caching in memory and/or disk
Step Step Step Step Step
Client
30

30. Iterate in the Dataflow
31

31. Example: Matrix Factorization
32
Factorizing a matrix with
28 billion ratings for
recommendations
More at: http://data-artisans.com/computing-recommendations-with-flink.html

32. Graph Analysis
Stateful Iterations
33

33. Iterate natively with state/deltas
34

34. Effect of delta iterations…
0
5000000
10000000
15000000
20000000
25000000
30000000
35000000
40000000
45000000
1 6 11 16 21 26 31 36 41 46 51 56 61
#ofelementsupdated
iteration

35. … fast graph analysis
36More at: http://data-artisans.com/data-analysis-with-flink.html

36. Closing
37

37. Flink Roadmap for 2015
Some highlights that we are working on
 More flexible state and state backends in streaming
 Master Failover
 Improved monitoring
 Integration with other Apache projects
• SAMOA, Zeppelin, Ignite
 More additions to the libraries
38

38. 39

39. flink.apache.org
@ApacheFlink