public static final int compareKeyIgnoresMvcc(CellComparator comparator, Cell left, Cell right) {
    return ((CellComparatorImpl) comparator).compare(left, right, true);
  }
Compares only the key portion of a cell. It does not include the sequence id/mvcc of the cell
@return an int greater than 0 if left &gt; than right lesser than 0 if left &lt; than right
        equal to 0 if left is equal to right
hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/PrivateCellUtil.java