Scaling Databases at Activision Using Vitess and Kubernetes

Explore the journey of Activision/Blizzard in scaling databases using Vitess and Kubernetes to support some of the world's largest entertainment franchises. Delve into the company's transition from virtual machines to Linux system containers, and their subsequent exploration of running databases on Kubernetes. Learn about the requirements gathering process, the testing of various open-source technologies, and the ultimate selection of Vitess as the clear winner. Discover how the team implemented a proof of concept for a smaller service, leading to widespread adoption across Demonware/Activision. Gain insights into the transitional phases from the classic database stack to Vitess, including valuable lessons learned and interesting points relevant to the wider community. This 45-minute conference talk by Greg Smith and Vladimir Kovacik provides a high-level overview of Activision's experience in scaling databases for their massive gaming platforms.