- Understanding the Querying Process
These are the steps that you need to follow to query a vector database:
- Generating Embeddings: Convert your raw data, text or media, into vectors using ML algorithms or models.
- Indexing: Upsert the vectors into the database and build to build your collection. All vectors of a collection must have the same dimensionality.
- Querying: Convert your raw query, text or media, into a vector using the same ML model. Then pass it to the database along with any metadata filters you want to apply to limit the search space and get the results.
- Types of Queries: Similarity Search, k-NN, Range Search e.g. Grouped Documents, Metadata filtering
- Similarity Search: It is performed by approximation algorithms like HNSW, NMSLIB, etc and is also called k-NN search.
- Metadata Filtering: This is traditional search on the metadata that you ingest along with the embeddings. You can do all kinds of filtering on the metadata: range queries, exact match, full text search, etc dependending on what the database supports.
- Recommendations: You can do a simple recommendation search based on this formula:
average_vector = avg(liked_vectors) + ( avg(liked_vectors) - avg(disliked_vectors) )
and then search for the average vector. Qdrant even provides an API for this out of the box.
- Query Optimization: Choosing the Right Index, Balancing Precision and Speed, Cost and throughput
TODO
- Real-World Query Examples and How to Handle Them
TODO
- Understanding Performance Metrics in Vector Space
- Storage Optimization: Efficient Disk Usage, Reducing I/O Overhead
- Load Balancing and Sharding: Distributing Data and Workload
- Hardware Considerations: Effect of Memory and CPU on Performance
- Benchmarking and Monitoring: Tools and Techniques for Performance Tracking
- Data Encryption: Ensuring Data At Rest Security
- Access Control: Managing User Permissions and Roles
- Audit Logging: Tracking Data Access and Modifications
- Securing Data Transfers: SSL/TLS, gRPC Security Features
- Routine Maintenance: Cleanup, Defragmentation, Periodic Re-indexing
- Troubleshooting Common Issues: Performance Degradation, Failed Queries
- Scalability Strategies: Scaling Up vs Scaling Out
- Monitoring System Health: Keeping Track of System Metrics
- Backup and Disaster Recovery: Best Practices for Data Safety
- Effective Use of gRPC: Optimizing Data Exchange and Communication
- Advanced Search Techniques: Multimodal, Hybrid Search
- Utilizing Payloads and Filters: Advanced Data Manipulation Techniques
- Indexing Techniques: Choosing the Right Algorithm, Delayed Indexing
- Understanding and Mitigating the "Curse of Dimensionality"