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Choose Your Cluster Type¶
ScyllaDB Cloud offers two cluster types: X Cloud and Standard. This page helps you decide which one is right for your workload.
Quick Recommendation¶
Not sure? Start with X Cloud. It requires less capacity planning, scales automatically, and is the default for new clusters in the ScyllaDB Cloud UI. Choose Standard when you need Multi-DC deployments, vNodes, or a fixed-topology cluster you size manually.
Comparison¶
Standard |
X Cloud |
|
|---|---|---|
Tablets |
Yes (default) |
Yes (enforced) |
vNodes |
Yes |
No |
Storage Utilization |
Up to 70% |
Up to 90% |
Multi-DC |
Yes |
No |
Vector Search |
Yes |
Yes |
ScyllaDB Features |
Full |
Full |
When to Choose X Cloud¶
X Cloud is built on the Tablets architecture. Storage and compute scale independently and automatically, so you do not need to pre-size capacity for peak load.
Choose X Cloud if:
Your workload is variable, bursty, or hard to predict.
You want automatic scaling without manual resize operations.
You are starting a new project and want the simplest operational model.
You do not need Multi-DC replication.
When to Choose Standard¶
Standard clusters use a fixed topology — you choose the number and size of nodes at creation time. You can resize later, but scaling is a deliberate operation.
Choose Standard if:
You need Multi-DC replication (for example, active-active across regions).
Your workload is steady and predictable, and you prefer fixed costs.
You require vNodes for specific data distribution needs.
You are migrating from an existing ScyllaDB or Cassandra cluster and want a topology that matches your current setup.
Next Steps¶
X Cloud Clusters — Full details on X Cloud architecture, autoscaling, and configuration.
Standard Clusters — Full details on Standard cluster configuration and sizing.
X Cloud Autoscaling Behavior and Best Practices — How autoscaling works and how to tune it.