Tair (Redis OSS-compatible) is a fully managed, cloud-native database service compatible with the Redis protocol. Built on an active-active, high-availability cluster architecture, it delivers high throughput, low latency, and elastic scaling—without the operational overhead of managing infrastructure. Tair handles infrastructure provisioning, network security, and system maintenance, so you can focus on application development.
Supported data structures and features
Tair (Redis OSS-compatible) supports the core Redis data structures: String, List, Set, Sorted Set, Hash, and Stream. It also supports transactions and Pub/Sub.
Tair (Enterprise Edition) extends this with additional data structures native to Alibaba Cloud Tair, available on dynamic random-access memory (DRAM)-based instances.
Instance editions
Tair (Redis OSS-compatible) offers two editions:
| Edition | Description |
|---|---|
| Redis Open-Source Edition | High-performance in-memory database fully compatible with open-source Redis. Supports standard (master-replica), cluster, and read/write splitting architectures. |
| Enhanced Redis service built on Redis Open-Source Edition. Optimized across three dimensions: access latency, persistence requirements, and overall cost. Offers three storage media options: DRAM, non-volatile memory (NVM), and enterprise SSDs (ESSDs). |
Tair (Enterprise Edition) storage types
Choose a storage type based on your performance, persistence, and cost requirements:
| Storage type | Best for | Key characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| High-performance workloads requiring Tair data structures | Multi-threaded model; supports Tair-native data structures | |
| Workloads requiring durable persistence without disk I/O overhead | Based on persistent memory technology (not traditional disks); large-capacity; every write is persisted; throughput and latency comparable to Redis Open-Source Edition | |
| Large-capacity, cost-sensitive scenarios (warm/cold data) | Cost as low as 15% of Redis Open-Source Edition; performance at approximately 60% of Redis Open-Source Edition; high durability |
Deployment architectures
Tair (Redis OSS-compatible) supports three deployment architectures. Choose based on your read/write ratio, scaling needs, and latency requirements:
| Architecture | Best for | Description |
|---|---|---|
| General-purpose workloads with moderate traffic | Master-replica pair with real-time data synchronization. Automatic failover with no impact on your application. | |
| High-throughput workloads that need horizontal scaling | Distributed architecture where each shard supports master-replica failover. Scale as traffic grows. Supports two connection modes (see below). | |
| Read-heavy workloads or hot key scenarios | Master-replica architecture with read replicas for linear read scaling. Mitigates hot key performance issues. |
Cluster connection modes
Cluster instances support two connection modes:
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Proxy mode (recommended): Intelligent connection management that reduces application development complexity.
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Direct connection mode: Clients bypass the proxy and connect directly to backend shards, reducing network overhead. Suitable for applications with strict latency requirements.
Read/write splitting editions
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Cloud-native edition: Uses a star-shaped replication topology where all read replicas sync from the master. Supports 1–4 read replicas per shard (cluster architecture) or 1–9 read replicas (standard architecture). Suitable for large-scale, read-heavy workloads.
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Classic edition (discontinued): Uses a chain replication topology. Supports 1, 3, or 5 read replicas. This edition is no longer available for new instances.
Get started
FAQ
What is the relationship between Tair (Redis OSS-compatible) and Redis?
Tair (Redis OSS-compatible) is fully compatible with the Redis protocol. Any client that works with open-source Redis can connect to Tair without code changes to store and retrieve data.
Tair (Enterprise Edition) is an enhanced version built on top of Redis Open-Source Edition, adding options for ultra-high performance and better cost efficiency. For a detailed comparison, see Feature comparison between Tair (Enterprise Edition) and Redis Open-Source Edition.
Which Redis versions does Tair support?
| Instance type | Compatible Redis versions |
|---|---|
| Tair Enterprise DRAM-based (Redis 7.0) | Redis 7.0 and earlier, plus Tair data structures |
| Tair Enterprise DRAM-based (Redis 6.0) | Redis 6.2 and earlier, plus Tair data structures |
| Tair Enterprise DRAM-based (Redis 5.0) | Redis 5.0 and earlier, plus Tair data structures |
| Tair Enterprise persistent memory-optimized | Redis 6.0 and earlier (some commands restricted) |
| Tair Enterprise ESSD/SSD-based | Redis 6.0 and earlier (some commands restricted) |
| Redis Open-Source Edition | Redis 7.0, 6.0, 5.0, and 4.0 (backward compatible) |
For command restrictions on Enterprise Edition instances, see Limits on commands supported by Tair (Enterprise Edition).
Which Redis commands does Tair support?
Tair supports most open-source Redis commands, with a small number disabled. See the full lists:
Does Tair have limits on CPU, bandwidth, and connections?
Yes. CPU performance, network bandwidth, and maximum connections are determined by the instance edition and architecture (standard or cluster). Within the same edition and architecture, the primary difference between specifications is memory capacity. For detailed metrics per specification, see Instance specifications.
Does Tair support data persistence?
Yes. Tair stores data in both memory and on disk, using AOF (Append Only File) and RDB (Redis Database) persistence policies. For configuration options, see Backup and restoration solutions.
Can I modify parameters for a Tair instance?
Yes. See Set parameters.