Scaling Database Systems - Replication and Sharding

Replication and sharding are two crucial concepts in database management that help optimize data storage and enhance application performance. The article explains how replication involves creating copies of data in different locations, which increases availability and resilience to failures. With replication, if one database fails, other copies can take over, ensuring the system remains operational. On the other hand, sharding is the process of dividing a database into smaller segments called shards, which makes it easier to manage large volumes of data and improves query performance. The author outlines the differences between the two approaches and when it is best to apply them, providing use cases that can aid in understanding their practical implementation in different systems. Both replication and sharding are essential techniques in the realm of big data and scalable applications, and comprehending their functions is vital for anyone working with databases and IT system architecture.