A Comprehensive Overview of GPU Accelerated Databases

Over the past decade, the landscape of data analytics has seen a notable shift towards heterogeneous architectures, particularly the integration of GPUs to enhance overall performance. In the realm of in-memory analytics, which often grapples with memory bandwidth constraints, the adoption of GPUs has proven advantageous, thanks to their superior bandwidth capabilities. The parallel processing prowess of GPUs stands out, providing exceptional efficiency for data-intensive workloads and outpacing traditional CPUs in terms of data processing speed. While GPU databases capitalize on these strengths, there remains a scarcity of comparative studies across different GPU systems. In light of this emerging interest in GPU databases for data analytics, this paper proposes a survey encompassing multiple GPU database systems. The focus will be on elucidating the underlying mechanisms employed to deliver results and key performance metrics, utilizing benchmarks such as SSB and TPCH. This undertaking aims to shed light on new avenues for research within the realm of GPU databases.