Background

Apache IoTDB (Internet of Things Database) is a high-performance, open-source time-series database optimized for data management and analysis in IoT scenarios. Trino (formerly PrestoSQL) is a fast distributed SQL query engine designed for running interactive analytic queries against data sources of all sizes.
Currently, while IoTDB provides strong capabilities for writing and querying time-series data, integrating it with the broader big data ecosystem for complex OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) remains a demand. A dedicated Trino connector for IoTDB will allow users to query IoTDB data using standard SQL via Trino and perform federated queries with other data sources (like Hive, MySQL, or Iceberg).

Goal

The goal of this project is to implement a trino-iotdb connector plugin based on the Trino SPI (Service Provider Interface). This connector will enable Trino to read data directly from IoTDB, supporting schema mapping, data projection, and predicate pushdown or maybe aggregate pushdown.
 

Core Tasks（Mandatory）

1. Project Scaffolding: Set up the Maven project structure for the trino-iotdb plugin and integrate the IoTDB JDBC API.

2. Metadata Implementation: Implement ConnectorMetadata to map IoTDB’s Table Mode (relational view) to Trino’s relational metadata model:

   1. 
      Map IoTDB databases to Trino Schemas.
   2. 
      Map IoTDB Tables to Trino Tables.
   3. 
      Map IoTDB Data Type to Trino Data Type.

3. Column Pruning (Projection Pushdown): Ensure the connector strictly fetches only the requested columns (measurements) from IoTDB, avoiding SELECT * overhead.

4. Predicate Pushdown: Implement optimization rules to push down SQL filters (especially time range filters and value filters) to the IoTDB engine to minimize data transfer.

5. Limit & Offset Pushdown: Map Trino’s LIMIT and OFFSET clauses to IoTDB’s native query pagination to prevent fetching excessive data during preview or pagination queries.

6. Integration Testing: Provide Docker-based integration tests to verify correctness using Trino's testing framework.

Advanced Tasks (Optional)

• Aggregation Pushdown: Implement the applyAggregation method in the connector SPI.

  • 
    Goal: Map Trino’s aggregate functions (e.g., COUNT, AVG, SUM, MIN, MAX) directly to IoTDB’s native aggregation queries.
  • 
    Benefit: Instead of fetching raw data to Trino for calculation, the connector leverages IoTDB's pre-calculated statistics or downsampling capabilities, significantly reducing network overhead and latency.

Deliverables

• 
  A fully functional trino-iotdb connector source code.(a pull request to Trino Repo)
• 
  Comprehensive integration tests covering data types and query patterns.
• 
  User documentation explaining how to configure and use the connector.

Recommended Skills

• Java: Proficiency in Java programming (Trino and IoTDB are both Java-based).

• Database Internals: Basic understanding of SQL execution, schema design, and database connectors.

• Maven: Experience with Java build systems.

• Nice to have: Familiarity with Trino SPI or IoTDB Session API.

Learning Material

• 
  Apache IoTDB: https://iotdb.apache.org/
• 
  Trino Connector Developer Guide: https://trino.io/docs/current/develop/connectors.html
• 
  Trino PG Plugin: https://github.com/trinodb/trino/tree/master/plugin/trino-postgresql/src/main/java/io/trino/plugin/postgresql
• 
  IoTDB Java JDBC API: https://iotdb.apache.org/UserGuide/latest/API/Programming-JDBC_apache.html
• 
  IoTDB Table Model Concepts: https://iotdb.apache.org/UserGuide/latest/Background-knowledge/Data-Model-and-Terminology_apache.html
• 
  IoTDB Table Model Query Syntax: https://iotdb.apache.org/UserGuide/latest-Table/SQL-Manual/overview_apache.html

 
Difficulty: medium
Mentor: Yuan Tian (Apache IoTDB PMC Member) (jackietien@apache.org)
 

Background

Apache IoTDB is a high-performance, IoT-native time-series database designed to manage massive volumes of time-series data generated by industrial IoT devices. It addresses challenges including high ingestion rates, complex out-of-order data handling, and real-time analytical requirements. IoTDB-AINode represents an endogenous node type in the IoTDB ecosystem, extending the database with native machine learning capabilities. IoTDB-AINode enables seamless integration of time series machine learning algorithms directly within the database engine, allowing users to register, manage, and execute inference tasks using simple SQL statements (e.g., CREATE MODEL, SELECT * FROM FORECAST(...)). This architecture eliminates costly data migration to external ML platforms, accelerates processing pipelines, and enhances data security by keeping computations close to the data. Currently, AINode includes built-in time series foundation models such as the Timer and Chronos for time series forecasting task.
Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) are Google-developed AI accelerators specifically designed for neural network computations. Offering high-throughput matrix operations and energy efficiency, TPUs provide a compelling alternative to GPUs for deploying large foundation models. PyTorch/XLA enables PyTorch models to leverage TPU hardware through the XLA (Accelerated Linear Algebra) compiler, supporting both single-device and distributed training scenarios.
Time Series Foundation Models have emerged as powerful tools for temporal analysis. These models demonstrate superior performance across diverse domains—from industrial sensor data to financial forecasting—making them ideal candidates for integration into IoTDB's analytical pipeline.

Goal

This project aims to enhance IoTDB-AINode with TPU hardware acceleration capabilities and integrate cutting-edge time series foundation models into the database's model inference pipeline. Specifically, the project will: *
Enable IoTDB-AINode to recognize and leverage Google TPU devices for model deployment and inference.

• Adapt the AINode packaging and compilation workflow (Maven/Java and Poetry/Python) to support TPU-specific releases.
• Survey and integrate 1-2 SOTA time series foundation models (e.g., TimesFM) into AINode's SQL-accessible model registry.
• Establish comprehensive CI pipelines for TPU environments to ensure long-term maintainability.

The ultimate outcome will empower IoTDB users to execute high-performance time series analysis on TPU hardware using state-of-the-art foundation models through simple SQL interfaces, significantly enhancing the database's analytical capabilities for industrial AI applications.

Core Tasks（Mandatory）

1. TPU Adaptation. Implement TPU device recognition and tensor management within the AINode Python runtime. This involves:

1. 1. Integrating PyTorch/XLA (torch_xla) to detect available TPU devices during AINode initialization.
   2. Implementing device abstraction layers to handle model loading and tensor operations on TPU hardware.
   3. Ensuring automatic fallback mechanisms to CPU/GPU when TPU is unavailable.
2. Packaging for TPU Version. Extend the existing build infrastructure to support TPU-enabled distributions:

1. 1. Update Poetry configuration to manage PyTorch/XLA and TPU-specific Python dependencies.
   2. Create automated packaging scripts that bundle XLA compilers and TPU runtime libraries.
   3. Ensure the TPU version can be deployed directly in Google Cloud TPU environments and on-premise TPU pods without manual dependency resolution.
2. Model Survey. Conduct a comprehensive technical survey of SOTA time series foundation models available at project commencement. The deliverable will be a technical document analyzing each model's architecture, input requirements, computational complexity, zero-shot capabilities, and suitability for IoTDB's SQL-based inference pipeline. The survey will conclude with a justified selection of 1–2 models for integration based on deployability, inference latency, licensing, and compatibility with IoTDB’s SQL-based workflow.

1. Model Integration. Integrate 1-2 selected foundation models into IoTDB-AINode's model inference framework:

1. 1. Implement model wrappers conforming to AINode's model registration interface.
   2. Adapt models to process IoTDB's time series data format.
   3. Ensure compatibility with AINode's inference pipeline, supporting SQL syntax such as SELECT * FROM FORECAST(...).
   4. Support both built-in model usage and custom model registration for integrated architectures.
2. Integration Testing & CI. Establish robust testing infrastructure for TPU functionality:

1. 1. Design and implement integration tests covering device detection, model loading, tensor operations, and end-to-end inference workflows.
   2. Build TPU-specific CI environments using Google Cloud TPUs or TPU simulators.

Advanced Tasks (Optional)

• Distributed Large Model Deployment. As an optional stretch goal, this task explores distributed deployment of large time series foundation models across multiple TPU devices. This involves:

• • Enabling distributed inference where large models are partitioned across TPU pods.
  • Developing SQL extensions to specify distributed compute resources (e.g., LOAD MODEL ... TO DEVICES ...).
  • Optimizing communication patterns between DataNodes and AINode for high-throughput industrial scenarios involving thousands of time series streams.

Deliverables

1. Fully Functional Source Code.

1. 1. Pull requests to Apache IoTDB repository containing TPU adaptation modules.

1. 1. Integration code for SOTA time series foundation models.
   2. Extended build configurations (Maven/Poetry/PyInstaller) supporting TPU distributions.
2. Comprehensive Integration Tests.

1. 1. Automated test suites for TPU device detection and model execution.
   2. CI pipeline configurations for TPU environments.
2. User Documentation.

1. 1. Deployment guide for TPU-enabled AINode (e.g. Google Cloud TPU).
   2. SQL reference extensions for new model types and TPU-specific configuration options.
   3. Tutorial documentation demonstrating time series analysis workflows using the integrated foundation models.

Recommended Skills

• Python >= 3.11. Including asynchronous programming and ML pipeline development.

• Poetry & PyInstaller. Experience with Python dependency management and executable packaging.

• PyTorch. Known about the PyTorch/XLA integration for TPU support.

• Java & Maven. Knowledge of multi-module Java projects, build profiles, and dependency management.

Learning Material

• Apache IoTDB. https://iotdb.apache.org/

• IoTDB AINode. https://iotdb.apache.org/UserGuide/latest-Table/AI-capability/AINode_apache.html

• Time series forecasting models in HuggingFace. https://huggingface.co/models?pipeline_tag=time-series-forecasting&sort=trending

• PyTorch TPU support. https://docs.pytorch.org/xla/master/accelerators/tpu.html

 
Difficulty: medium
Mentor: Yongzao Dan (Apache IoTDB PMC Member) (yongzao@apache.org)