Yelp will use flash memory to speed up its database of community reviews of restaurants and other local businesses.
The enterprise flash memory from Fusion-io is expected to speed up requests to Yelp’s MySQL databases from PCs and mobile devices. It is also expected to help Yelp deal with an expanding user base and prolong the lifespan of its data centre infrastructure.
Yelp now hosts more than 53 million reviews posted about local businesses in Australia and 23 other countries around the world. Yelp also provides in-app ordering, localised event calendars, lists and messaging services.
Globally, Yelp received more than 120 million unique monthly visitors to its mobile website and app in the fourth quarter of 2013.
Fusion-io launched in 2009 as a startup with former Apple guru Steve Wozniak on board as chief scientist. The company was a pioneer in using flash storage cards inside servers, a technology approach that other vendors have since taken up.
Last year, the company named former Hewlett-Packard CTO Shane Robison to take over as CEO.
Yelp, started in 2004, launched in Australia in late 2011, partnering with Sensis for localised content.
Adam Bender covers telco and enterprise tech issues for Computerworld and is the author of a dystopian novel about surveillance. Follow him on Twitter: @WatchAdam
Follow Computerworld Australia on Twitter: @ComputerworldAU, or take part in the Computerworld conversation on LinkedIn: Computerworld Australia
Read more: It’s Thursday afternoon. Do you know where your applications are?