Synchronization (computer Science) - Data Synchronization

A distinctly different (but related) concept is that of data synchronization. This refers to the need to keep multiple copies of a set of data coherent with one another.

Examples include:

  • File synchronization, such as syncing a hand-held MP3 player to a desktop computer.
  • Cluster file systems, which are file systems that maintain data or indexes in a coherent fashion across a whole computing cluster.
  • Cache coherency, maintaining multiple copies of data in sync across multiple caches.
  • RAID, where data is written in a redundant fashion across multiple disks, so that the loss of any one disk does not lead to a loss of data.
  • Database replication, where copies of data on a database are kept in sync, despite possible large geographical separation.
  • Journaling, a technique used by many modern file systems to make sure that file metadata are updated on a disk in a coherent, consistent manner.

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