In memory distributed caching vs In memory data grid

Question

What is the difference between "In memory distributed caching" vs "In memory data grid" ?

When do we use one over the other i.e., what are the practical use cases for "In memory data grid" ?

Can you name few popular "In memory data grid" frameworks which are compatible with Java applications ?

Answer 1

In-memory distributed caching is just that - a cache that is distributed across different nodes. It makes data highly available to the application(s) using it. They're usually key/value stores and support the standard put/get operations along with abilities to partition, replicate or backup data.

An in-memory data grid is a distributed cache with a bit of computing power thrown in. Over the abilities of a distributed cache, it allows you to do distributed SQLs, co-located processing etc... plamb has given a good list of in-memory data grids.