14 Questions
What is a critical feature of a distributed system?
Reliability of message communication
Why were distributed systems created?
To scale services and applications
In a three-tier architecture, what is the role of the middle tier?
To do the processing and decision making
What is a characteristic of a peer-to-peer architecture?
All machines have equal responsibilities
What is an example of a multi-tier system?
Google.com
What is the primary advantage of a client-server architecture?
Multiple clients can share a resource
What is a primary advantage of a distributed system over a centralized system?
Improved scalability
What is a key characteristic of distributed systems?
State is divided over multiple computers
Why are distributed systems widely used in modern applications?
They are more robust and can tolerate failures
What is an example of a distributed real-time system?
Uber and logistics use real-time tracking systems
What is a key requirement for distributed systems to function?
A network that connects all components
What is an advantage of distributed systems in terms of performance?
They can maximize resources and information while preventing failures
What is an example of a distributed system?
A network of computers
What is a key difference between distributed systems and centralized systems?
Distributed systems are more scalable
Study Notes
Definition and Basic Terminologies
- A distributed system is a group of computers working together to appear as a single computer to the end-user.
- A distributed system is a collection of independent components located on different machines that share messages with each other to achieve common goals.
Why Build a Distributed System?
- A single interface to the end-user
- Maximizes resources and information while preventing failures
- Provides reliability, as if one system fails, it won't affect the availability of the service
- Allows for scaling and growth of systems
Centralized System vs. Distributed System
- Centralized system: State stored on a single computer, simpler, easier to understand, and can be faster for a single user
- Distributed system: State divided over multiple computers, more robust, more scalable, and more complex
Characteristics of Distributed Systems
- Network that connects all components
- Hardware or software that enables communication with an IP address
- Messages passed between machines contain forms of data that the systems want to share (databases, objects, files)
- Reliable communication is crucial, including sending, receiving, acknowledging, and retrying on failure
Architecture Types of Distributed Systems
Client-Server Architecture
- A server as a shared resource (printer, database, or web server)
- Multiple clients use the shared resource
Three-Tier Architecture
- Clients no longer need to be intelligent, relying on a middle tier for processing and decision-making
- Most first web applications fall under this category
- The middle tier could be called an agent that receives requests from clients and forwards it on to the servers
Multi-Tier (n-Tier) Architecture
- Enterprise web services created n-tier or multi-tier systems architectures
- Interacts with data tiers and presentation tiers
- Example: google.com
Peer-to-Peer Architecture
- No centralized or special machine that does the heavy lifting and intelligent work
- Decision-making and responsibilities are split among the machines involved
- Each machine can take on client or server roles
- Example: Blockchain
This quiz covers the basics of distributed systems, including definitions, types, architectures, and examples. It also touches on cloud computing service and deployment models.
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