Cap Theorem medium
The PACELC theorem adds a dimension that CAP ignores. What is it?
- A The physical architectural limitations of disk I/O throughput during massive write bursts.
- B The claim that Partition Tolerance is strictly optional when operating on localized LANs.
- C The inherent trade-off between Latency and Consistency when the network is healthy (Else - E).
- D The increased vulnerability to zero-day security threats during a localized network partition.
Answer: C. The inherent trade-off between Latency and Consistency when the network is healthy (Else - E).
CAP only describes system behavior during a network failure (Partition). However, systems spend most of their time in a healthy state. PACELC extends the theory by stating that even when there is no partition (Else), a system must still choose between Latency (L) and Consistency (C). This is because synchronizing data across replicas in real-time introduces network delays, forcing a choice between a fast response with potential staleness or a slow response with proven correctness.
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