A datastore is a place where apps keep their information - like a digital filing cabinet. It can be a spreadsheet-style database (rows and columns), a NoSQL store for flexible records, a blob/object store for files and images, or even a secure folder on a server. Different apps pick different datastores depending on what they need to save and how fast they need it.
Good datastores keep your info available, accurate, and safe. They help companies recover from mistakes or outages, keep private data away from snoops, and power analytics, billing, reports, and dashboards without losing track of the truth.
Relational databases (e.g., PostgreSQL): structured data, strong consistency.
NoSQL stores (e.g., MongoDB): flexible records, scale out easily.
Object storage (e.g., S3): big files, backups, media.
File systems: shared folders and app data.
Replication & backups: extra copies to survive hardware failure or mistakes.
Encryption: scramble data at rest and in transit so thieves get gibberish.
Access control: only the right people/apps can read or change data.
Audit logs: who touched what and when—useful for compliance and forensics.
Match the job to the store: transactions → relational; flexible events/files → NoSQL or object storage.
Turn on backups + test restores: a backup you haven’t tested isn’t a backup.
Encrypt by default: at rest and in transit (TLS).
Least-privilege access: separate read/write roles; rotate keys regularly.
Keep it patched & private: don’t expose databases directly to the internet; use VPNs or private networks.