Distributed systems

Definition

Distributed systems are collections of independent computers that work together to achieve a common goal, making it appear to users as a single coherent system. These systems enhance performance, reliability, and scalability by distributing tasks and data across multiple nodes, which can be located in different geographic areas. The design of distributed systems allows them to manage failures and share resources efficiently.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Distributed systems can improve performance by allowing parallel processing, where multiple nodes execute tasks simultaneously.
2. They often use protocols for communication between nodes to ensure data consistency and coordination.
3. A key challenge in distributed systems is maintaining synchronization among nodes while minimizing latency.
4. Data is often split into smaller chunks and distributed across multiple nodes, which is crucial for frameworks like MapReduce.
5. Distributed systems can dynamically scale by adding more nodes, which enhances their ability to handle increased workloads.

Review Questions

• How do distributed systems enhance performance and reliability in computing environments?
  • Distributed systems enhance performance by enabling parallel processing, where multiple computers work on tasks simultaneously. This not only speeds up processing times but also increases reliability, as the failure of one node doesn't cripple the entire system. By distributing workloads across several nodes, these systems can efficiently manage resources and recover from faults, providing higher availability.
• Discuss the importance of data replication in distributed systems and how it relates to fault tolerance.
  • Data replication is crucial in distributed systems because it ensures that multiple copies of data exist across different nodes. This redundancy means that if one node fails, the data can still be accessed from another node, enhancing fault tolerance. By replicating data, distributed systems can maintain service continuity and improve reliability, making them resilient against hardware failures.
• Evaluate the role of communication protocols in maintaining synchronization within distributed systems and their impact on overall system performance.
  • Communication protocols are vital for maintaining synchronization among nodes in distributed systems, as they ensure that all parts of the system have consistent views of the data. Effective protocols minimize latency and prevent conflicts during data updates, which is essential for performance. A well-designed communication protocol allows for efficient resource sharing and task coordination, directly impacting the system's ability to scale and perform under various loads.

Related terms

Cluster Computing: A type of distributed computing where a group of linked computers work together as a single system to provide high availability and load balancing.

Fault Tolerance: The ability of a distributed system to continue operating properly in the event of the failure of some of its components.

Data Replication: The process of storing copies of data in multiple locations within a distributed system to ensure data availability and reliability.