Unlike traditional row-oriented databases, which store data by record in rows, column-oriented databases, sometimes called C-Store, store data in columns, which allows data to be read more efficiently by arranging it in categories, keeping similar data close together. Columnar databases store data associated with a particular field next to each other. Designed to enhance computation, C-Store is employed in modern data warehouses where businesses send large data for business intelligence analysis. It allows for instant analytical queries, which are critical to decision making.
The columnar database allows fast data retrieval, which makes it ideal for analytical computation. In addition, columnar database architecture stores data in a more compact form compared to row databases, which avoids the need for extra memory.