Distributed systems are a crucial component of modern computing, enabling applications to scale and operate efficiently across multiple machines. This guide provides an overview of distributed systems, their components, and key concepts.
Key Components of Distributed Systems
- Nodes: These are the individual machines that make up the distributed system.
- Communication: Nodes communicate with each other to share data and coordinate actions.
- Data Storage: Distributed systems often use distributed databases to store and retrieve data.
- Fault Tolerance: Systems must be designed to handle failures and continue operating.
Types of Distributed Systems
- Client-Server: This is the most common type of distributed system, where clients send requests to servers.
- Peer-to-Peer: In this model, all nodes have equal capabilities and can act as both clients and servers.
- Microservices: This architecture involves breaking down a large application into smaller, independent services.
Key Concepts
- Consistency: Ensuring that all nodes in the system have the same data at the same time.
- Availability: The system should be able to respond to requests even if some nodes are down.
- Partition Tolerance: The system should continue to operate even if some nodes cannot communicate with each other.
Learning More
For a deeper understanding of distributed systems, we recommend exploring the following resources:
Distributed Systems Architecture