What is Amazon QLDB?
Amazon QLDB is a fully managed ledger database that logs every data change in an immutable journal. The cryptographic chaining of all transactions enables mathematical proof that no tampering has occurred. QLDB is suitable for applications that require a complete and verifiable change history.
Core Features
- Immutable Journal: All changes are logged sequentially and cannot be deleted or overwritten
- Cryptographic Verification: Hash chaining enables proof of data integrity at any point in time
- PartiQL Queries: SQL-compatible syntax for document-oriented data with full transaction support
- Automatic Scaling: Serverless architecture automatically adjusts capacity to load
- ACID Transactions: Full support for atomic, consistent, isolated, and durable transactions
Common Use Cases
Track Financial Transactions: Banks and financial services providers use QLDB for complete documentation of transactions. Every booking, cancellation, or modification is permanently logged and can be cryptographically verified for audits.
Supply Chain Transparency: Companies document the journey of products through the supply chain. From manufacturing through intermediate storage to delivery: all stations are immutably recorded and provable.
Regulatory Audit Trails: QLDB creates tamper-proof logs for compliance requirements. The immutability and verifiability meets requirements from regulators and auditors.
Benefits
- Mathematically provable data integrity without blockchain complexity
- Fully managed without infrastructure overhead
- High performance through centralized architecture
- SQL-compatible queries facilitate integration
Integration with innFactory
As an AWS Reseller, innFactory supports you with Amazon QLDB: from architecture for audit trail systems to migrating existing systems and planning alternatives after the service sunset.
Typical Use Cases
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Amazon QLDB?
Amazon QLDB (Quantum Ledger Database) is a fully managed ledger database that provides a transparent, immutable, and cryptographically verifiable transaction history. Unlike blockchain solutions, QLDB is centralized, providing higher performance.
What is the difference between QLDB and blockchain?
QLDB is a centralized ledger database with a trusted central authority. Blockchain is decentralized and requires consensus mechanisms. QLDB therefore offers higher performance and easier management, while blockchain is suitable for scenarios without a central trust authority.
How does verification work in QLDB?
QLDB creates a cryptographic hash for each transaction and chains them in a journal. Using the Verify API, you can mathematically prove at any time that data has not been tampered with. The digest hash can be stored externally.
What query language does QLDB use?
QLDB uses PartiQL, a SQL-compatible query language that also works with nested and semi-structured data. Developers can access the document-oriented data model using familiar SQL syntax.
Is QLDB still being developed?
AWS has announced that QLDB will no longer accept new customers starting July 2025. Existing customers can continue using the service. For new projects, AWS recommends alternatives such as DynamoDB with Streams or Amazon Aurora.