Title

AWS re:Invent 2022 - How to build an Apache Kafka mesh (PRT037)

Summary

• Thomas Kunampurath (TK) from Solace, an event-driven architecture company, discusses the emerging patterns and challenges faced by enterprises using Apache Kafka.
• Enterprises are becoming more distributed, connecting numerous entities, and streaming large amounts of data, often in hybrid cloud environments.
• The proliferation of Kafka has led to a need for a unified way to govern multiple event streaming solutions.
• TK introduces the concept of a Kafka Mesh, which provides a unified infrastructure to address these challenges.
• The Kafka Mesh allows for the translation of Kafka records into routable topics, enabling dynamic and real-time data filtering and routing.
• A demo showcases the creation of a Kafka Mesh spanning multiple regions, connecting Apache Kafka to AWS MSK and an S3 bucket in Frankfurt.
• The Kafka Mesh offers benefits such as dynamic routing, distributed tracing, and management of Kafka and non-Kafka event streams.
• The session concludes with an invitation to visit Solace's booth for a deeper demo and Q&A.

Insights

• The Kafka Mesh is a solution designed to address the complexity of managing and scaling disparate event streaming technologies within an enterprise.
• It simplifies the integration of Kafka streams with non-Kafka microservices and devices, providing a more flexible and scalable architecture.
• The Kafka Mesh's ability to construct routable topics from Kafka record attributes allows for sophisticated and granular data routing and filtering.
• The demonstration of the Kafka Mesh's capabilities, including its integration with AWS services like MSK and S3, highlights its practical application in real-world scenarios.
• The Kafka Mesh's features, such as dynamic routing and distributed tracing, are valuable for enterprises looking to enhance their event-driven architectures and improve observability.
• The presentation suggests that the Kafka Mesh is still in early access, indicating ongoing development and potential future enhancements to the product.