Advantages And Disadvantages Of Distributed Systems You Must Know!

In the past, the demand for computation was far greater than the technology capabilities at that time. So, for better computation and faster speed, the solution was to make different systems work together in harmony to solve a particular problem. This forms the premise for the development of a special kind of system called the “Distributed System”.

What is a Distributed System? 

A distributed system is a computing environment where work is distributed among multiple components that collaborate to solve a particular problem. Here, the components are separated but they interact with each other and appear as one single system to the end-user.

The first distributed systems were local-area networks (LANs) such as the Ethernet, which was invented in the 1970s. These systems made computation easier due to the collaboration of systems employing shared resources. 

Find out how LANs differ from WANs and MANs.

Examples of Distributed Systems in real life

Advantages and Disadvantages of Distributed System

Here’s a snapshot of the advantages and disadvantages of a distributed system:

Read ahead to study the advantages and disadvantages of distributed systems in detail.

Advantages of Distributed Systems

Distributed systems have a myriad of advantages that make their use popular. A few important ones include:

• Improved performance and scalability: Distributed systems can handle large amounts of data and high user loads by distributing the workload across multiple machines. For example, a distributed web server can handle more concurrent user requests by distributing them across multiple servers.

• Increased fault tolerance: Distributed systems are more resilient to failures as they can continue functioning even if individual components fail. For example, a distributed database can replicate data across multiple nodes, ensuring data availability even if some nodes go offline.

• Enhanced reliability: Distributed systems can provide reliable services by replicating data and services across multiple nodes. For example, a distributed file system can store multiple copies of files on different machines, reducing the risk of data loss.

• Geographic flexibility: Distributed systems allow for data and services to be located in different geographical locations. This enables organizations to have a global presence and serve users in different regions. For example, a distributed content delivery network (CDN) can cache and serve content from servers located in various countries, reducing latency for users.

• Cost-effectiveness: Though they have a high cost of implementation, distributed systems can be cost-effective as they can utilize commodity hardware and distribute the workload across multiple machines. This reduces the need for expensive high-end hardware and can lead to cost savings. For example, a distributed computing system can utilize a cluster of low-cost machines instead of a single expensive supercomputer.

• Data Sharing: The distributed system enables a component to share data easily with other components of the system. This is possible because, in a distributed system, nodes are interconnected for collaboration purposes. 

• Time-effective: In today’s world, time is an important constraint for business personnel and users alike. Distributed systems provide a low latency rate. For example, consider a user who uses the internet and loads a website. The system makes sure that the node located closer to the user is used to perform the loading task to save time.

Overall, it’s sufficient to say that distributed systems are highly efficient as they involve multiple computers that save time for users. Also, they can provide higher performance as compared to centralized systems.

Disadvantages of Distributed Systems

Some issues occur while using distributed systems. Important ones are:

• Complexity: Distributed systems are more complex than centralized systems due to the need for coordination and communication between multiple nodes. For example, in a distributed database system, ensuring data consistency across multiple nodes can be challenging.

• Increased cost of set-up: Building and maintaining a distributed system can be more expensive compared to a centralized system. For example, deploying and managing multiple servers in a distributed cloud computing environment can incur higher costs than using a single server in a traditional data center.

• Security vulnerabilities: Distributed systems can be more susceptible to security vulnerabilities due to the increased attack surface and the need to secure communication between nodes. Ensuring that messages exchanged between nodes remain confidential and intact in a distributed messaging system can be difficult. 

• Difficulty in debugging and troubleshooting: Identifying and resolving issues in a distributed system can be more difficult compared to a centralized system. For example, diagnosing performance problems in a distributed application can require analyzing logs and metrics from multiple nodes.

• Data loss or overloading due to network dependency: There can be instances when the data sent from one node to another node can be lost midway in its journey from the source node to the destination node. This results in some important messages being lost, which is detrimental to a company. A distributed system can experience overloading if all nodes attempt to send data at the same time.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, we can say that distributed systems have a significant impact on our lives. On the positive side, they enable us to access information and resources from anywhere. They also offer increased scalability and reliability. However, there are challenges, particularly in terms of security and complexity. These systems can be vulnerable to attacks and can be difficult to manage and troubleshoot. Overall, while distributed systems offer many benefits, they also come with their share of drawbacks and it’s important to be aware of both.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What are the advantages of a distributed system?

Distributed systems offer several advantages. Firstly, they provide improved reliability and fault tolerance. With distributed systems, if one component fails, the system can continue to operate using other available components. Additionally, distributed systems can handle high volumes of data and traffic, allowing for scalability. They also offer better performance by distributing the workload across multiple machines, which can lead to faster processing times. Lastly, distributed systems provide increased flexibility and accessibility, as they can be accessed from different locations and devices.

2. What are the disadvantages of a distributed system?

While distributed systems have numerous advantages, they also come with some disadvantages. One of the main challenges is the complexity of designing and managing such systems. Coordinating and synchronizing different components can be difficult, and ensuring consistency across all nodes can be a complex task. Another disadvantage is the increased network overhead. Communication between nodes in a distributed system requires network communication, which can introduce latency and additional costs. Additionally, security can be a concern in distributed systems, as the distributed nature can make it more vulnerable to attacks and breaches. Finally, debugging and troubleshooting can be more challenging in distributed systems due to the increased complexity and the need to identify and resolve issues across multiple components.

3. How does a distributed system improve reliability?

Distributed systems improve reliability by providing fault tolerance. If one component fails, the system can continue to operate using other available components. The system is able to handle failures more gracefully when the workload is distributed across multiple machines. Additionally, data replication can be used in distributed systems to ensure data availability even in the event of failures. Multiple nodes replicate data, allowing the system to continue operating even if some are unavailable.

4. How does a distributed system handle scalability?

Distributed systems are designed to handle scalability by distributing the workload across multiple machines. As the demand for resources increases, additional machines can be added to the system to handle the increased load. This allows the system to scale horizontally, adding more machines to the network. The distributed nature of the system also enables it to handle high levels of traffic and accommodate a growing number of users. By distributing the workload, the system can effectively balance the load. This prevents any single machine from becoming a bottleneck. Thus, increased demand can be handled without sacrificing performance or reliability. Additionally, distributed systems often employ techniques such as load balancing and data partitioning to further optimize scalability. Load balancing ensures that the workload is evenly distributed across all machines, while data partitioning allows for efficient storage and retrieval of data across the distributed network. Overall, the scalability of a distributed system is crucial in accommodating the ever-increasing demands of modern applications and ensuring a seamless user experience.

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