Explain the CAP theorem in the context of distributed databases. How do consistency, availability, and partition tolerance trade off with each other?

Database System Concepts
7th Edition
ISBN:9780078022159
Author:Abraham Silberschatz Professor, Henry F. Korth, S. Sudarshan
Publisher:Abraham Silberschatz Professor, Henry F. Korth, S. Sudarshan
Chapter1: Introduction
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Explain the CAP theorem in the context of distributed databases. How do consistency, availability, and partition tolerance trade off with each other?

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Step 1: Explain the CAP theorem in the context of distributed databases

In distributed database systems, the trade-offs between consistency (C), availability (A), and partition tolerance (P) are defined by the CAP theorem, which was developed by computer scientist Eric Brewer.

In this context, consistency guarantees that all nodes in the system view the same data at the same time, availability guarantees that every request receives an error-free response, and partition tolerance enables the system to continue operating despite network failures or partitions.

The main finding of the theorem is that it is typically not possible to satisfy all three qualities concurrently in a distributed system. Depending on the particular demands of their application, system designers must prioritise one or two of these features.

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