Resilient, Fault-tolerant, Robust, or Reliable?

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2024-11-07 17:30:05

Hey there! Do you know the difference between a system that is resilient, fault-tolerant, robust, or reliable? These terms often get used interchangeably, but each one refers to a distinct attribute of system design. Let’s explore the differences between them and why they matter.

Analogy: Think of a rubber band. When stretched and then released, it returns to its original shape. This reflects a system’s capacity to bounce back and recover after experiencing complications or failures.

System design example: Apache Cassandra has a repair mechanism to ensure recovery from node failure. After detecting a node failure, Cassandra uses a feature called hinted handoff 1 to make sure that when the failed node recovers, it receives any missed data and synchronizes with the rest of the cluster.

Analogy: Consider a commercial airplane. If the primary pilot becomes incapacitated, the co-pilot will take over and still manage to safely land the plane. This redundancy ensures that the airplane continues to operate safely despite the failure of one critical component (a pilot).