How Distributed Databases Work: A Comprehensive Guide

Distributed Database Systems provide several benefits such as reliability, fast response, and node decoupling. It allows users to access data from multiple sites without interruption. Additionally, it offers lower communication costs for administrators, faster response rates, and improved efficiency due to data being stored close to the user. The system works in various environments, including homogeneous and heterogeneous databases. For distribution, there are four basic strategies: data replication, horizontal partitioning, vertical partitioning, and a combination of these options. Each strategy has its advantages and disadvantages.

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How does Distributed Database works?
June 26th, 2019
A distributed database is considered as a database in which two or more files are located in two
different places. However, they are either connected through same network or lies in a
completely different network. It is a single huge database in which portions of the data are stored
in multiple physical locations and processing system is done by distributing the data among
various nodes of database. It is a system in which a huge database is settled down in a distributed
manner in several physical location to avoid any kind of confusions while dealing with those
database. The distributed database system is managed in a centralized manner by connecting
the data logically. This helps in managing the bulk data in a manner as if it was all stored in one
single place. In such a centralized data base it is seen that the data are synchronized in such a
manner that deletes or updates done in one location is automatically upgraded in other parts of
the data. This is the concept of distributed database in making the management of bulk data
easy.
Definition of Network
Network is defined as a system that helps in connecting multiple devices together that helps them
to communicate effectively. Networks can be small or it can consist of billions of devices that
are connected to each other. Networking is of various types and each has some role or the other
to perform. Two major types of networks are LAN and WAN. The first type is a local area
network that allows for forming network to a specific and personalized area such as home, office
and campus. Within this also there are single or large network depending on the space of the
area. On the other hand, WAN is wide area network that is not limited to a single area and spread

over multiple locations. WAN is seen to consist of multiple LAN system and these LANs are
connected with the help of internet. Moreover, WAN allows to limit the access to the network
with the help of authentication, firewalls and other security systems.
Network is also defined according to characteristics that helps in categorizing different types of
networks such as typology, protocol and architecture and forms an integral part in distributed
database system.
The typology is the geometric arrangement of network in a system in the form of a ring, star, bus
and others.
Protocol is another characteristics that defines a set of rules and signals that help the networks
use to communicate to each other. For example, the protocol for LAN is Ethernet.
Architecture is another network characteristics that shows the design or form of the network such
as peer to peer or server architecture.
The characteristics of the networks plays an important role in a distributed database because it
helps in connecting data in different location effectively and in a secured manner.
Features of Distributed Database
In a collection or group it is seen that distributed database is logically connected to each other
and is often described under a single database. This means that a distributed database is not
kept in a spread manner and is represented in a collaborative form. This interdependency of
database on each other from different location is done with the help of a processor. The
processors in a site connects with another site with the help of network and do not have any kind
of multiprocessing configuration. However, there are misconceptions that the distributed

database system is loosely connected to each other in a file. In reality it is not so because the
entire process of distributed database system is a complicated one. Based on these facts,
distributed database has various types of features that helps defines them clearly, such as:
 Location independent
 Distributed query processing
 Reliability on safety and reduction in data loss
 Internal and external security system
 Cost effective by reducing the bandwidth prices
 Ease of access to the data even if failure occurs in umbrella network
 Easy integration of more nodes to the database
 Efficiency of speed and resources
There are some concerns connected to distributed database system such as it should be kept up-
to-date and there should be consistency while using the data that is remotely stored.
Advantages of Distributed Database system
Distributed database is capable of offering various types of advantages to the business in
maintenance of large size data in a simpler and systematic form. This type of database is able to
make modular development which means that a system can easily be expanded by connected
new computers or local data to a site. Then the site is connected to the distributed system without
much interruption.
Distributed database also offers advantages over a centralized database system by preventing
the system to stop working completely. In time of failure it is seen that centralized database
system stops completely, while in a distributed database in case of failure the system becomes

slow and continue to perform until the error is fixed completely. This allows the user of the
database from stopping their work completely in time of failure.
In addition to the above benefits it is also seen that the distributed database system helps in
offering lower communication costs to the admin. The admin can access the data effectively if is
located close to where it is extracted the most. This facility helps in reducing the cost of the
database admins. This is because communication becomes easier in this system by locating the
data closer to the point of use.
Response rate for extraction of particular information or data is done at a faster rate with the help
of distributed database system. This is because the data is distributed in such a manner that it is
kept close to the users in a particular site and they can use the data anytime they want from the
site. These are some of the advantages that distributed database offers to the user for handling
large and complex data.
Environment in which Distributed Database Works
The ability to create a distributed version of a database has been existing since 1980s. This is
done based on various types of distributed database environment that is widely categorized as
homogenous and heterogeneous database. This shows that the process of distributed database
system does not work in a single type of system and is spread over sites. This means that
multiple computers and networks are involved in the process. This has led to the categorization
of environment of database in two different categories.
Homogenous database- environment helps the sites to store the database identically. This type
of environment works in a way in which the structures are same in all the sites such as operating

system, database management system and data structures. This environment further works under
two environment that is autonomous and non-autonomous.
Autonomous- in this each DBMS works in an independent manner by passing messages back and
forth and helps in sharing data updates.
Non-autonomous- in this environment the central database management system works and
coordinates database access across sites and update other nodes.
Heterogeneous Database- in this environment different sites use different types of software to
reach the problems of query processing and transactions. In such type of environment the
distributed database is stored in different sites in such a way that one site is unaware of what is
having in another site. In such process the company uses different data models for storing the
database and hence translation has to be done to connect from one model to another.
In a heterogeneous environment it is seen that distributed database system works in a much
complex manner and involves various steps unlike homogeneous database. There are two broad
categories of nodes such as systems and gateway. System helps in supporting one or all the
functionality of the logical database. Gateway on the other hand, helps in creating paths for other
databases without creating much benefit for one single logical database.
Options for Distributing a Database
Distribution of a database in a site in a number of forms depending on the characteristics of the
data. There are four basic strategies adopted by Distribution Database system to distribute the
data across multiples sites. The types of strategies that distributed database can use in its
process are data replication, horizontal partitioning, vertical partitioning and combination of the

above. The characteristics and the processes involved in each of these options can be explained
with the help of relational databases.
Data Replication
In this type of option it is seen that the entire data relation is stored in two or more number of
sites. In this type of processes it is seen that the database is distributed or stored in copies in
different systems entirely. This is a ways distributed database system will allow for fault
tolerance capacity by storing a copy of all data in number of sites. Such type of processes in
common in an information system organization in which the database is removed from a
centralized position and moved to location specific server so that it is kept close to the user. This
type of method help in using either synchronous or asynchronous distributed database
technologies. Thus, replication is a copied version of the entire database stored in every site that
the organization use to access.
Advantages of replication are huge due to ease of usage and highly secured process. Some of the
advantages of using the replication process of distributed database are:
Reliability- this means that one site containing the relation database fails then another site can be
approached easily to get a copy of the database. The available copies can then be uploaded after
the transaction takes place and failed nodes can be updated once they are repaired and return to
service.
Fast response- this process allows for fast response of database in case of need because the data
is stored near to the user to be processed quickly.

Node decoupling- is another benefit of replication process for distributing database because in
this each transaction may move without coordinating with another network as each site has the
access to entire database.
Data Replication process also faces various kinds of disadvantages such as space for storage
requirement as the database is huge and also complexities and cost attached to updating the
database because each site has to be updated about any new relation.
Horizontal Partitioning
This is yet another process that is used in distributed database in which some of the rows in a
relation are put in one site and other rows are put under a base relation in other site. It is done in
a horizontal or base form as the name suggests and the rows of database is distributed in number
of sites. This can be seen with the help of an example that is customer relations in which the
rows are located in home branches. In this system in case the transaction is made in the home
branch then the transaction is processes locally and response time is reduced. In case the
customer makes a transaction in another branch then the data is send to the home branch for
processing and then send back to the initiating branch.
This process of distributed database system also has various types of advantages and
disadvantages from the efficiency it adds to data management. The advantages of using
horizontal partitioning are:
Efficiency- this means that the data in this system is stored close to the user and separated from
other data that is used by some other users. This reduces the chances of confusion and improved
efficiencies to a great extent.

Local optimization- data is stored in such a way that it can help in improving the performance of
local access.
Security- it is the biggest advantage of using this process because all types of data is not
available in one place and data that is not relevant is kept separately without any kind of
distraction.
The use of horizontal partitioning also has various kinds of disadvantages attached to it such as
inconsistent access speed, which means that the data is required from various points and this
increases the access time. Moreover, there is backup vulnerability, which means that due to lack
of replication of similar kinds of data when one type of data become damaged in one site then it
is completely lost and cannot be updated.
Vertical Partitioning
Vertical partitioning is yet another form of distributed database process in which the data is
partitioned column wise. Some of the columns of the data or relations are projected in one site
and other columns are projected under a base relation in other site. In this type of process the
distributed database system works in a separate manner as it works in horizontal partitioning
system. The data or relations that are shared in each of the sites are connected to each other with
the help of a common domain so that it can be extracted easily.
Vertical partition of database also has some advantages and disadvantages of being used and
getting destroyed. The advantages of vertical partitioning is similar to that of horizontal partition
system because in this process as well data are kept separately without much replication. The
only exception that in vertical partition the combination of the data is much complication
difficult to make compared to horizontal partitions.

In addition to these three types of partitioning of data that takes place in the distributed
database one can also make use of a combination of operations and strategies such as:
Data such as engineering parts, accounting and customer are centralized at different location in a
distributed manner,
Standard parts of the data can be partitioned horizontally across multiple location.
Standard price list is usually replicated in various locations to manage right information on price
changes
The entire process of system of distributed database works in a complicated and enlarge
manner and needs to be managed effectively. The decision regarding partitioning the data
depends on the extent of critical level a data holds for the business and the importance it holds in
different locations. Some data are replicated across different geographical locations, while others
are replicated partially and partially it is distributed with the help of horizontal or vertical
partitions. Distributed database also involves the distribution of the database in a fragmented
manner when a branch of a business interact with same accounts in various ways. In addition to
this, the distributed database system also works with the help of other processes such as
reorganized data and separate scheme data in which the databases are adjusted according to the
decisions made and the data that fits different departments and situation. This shows the wide
working system of the distributed database system that has been an integral part of various
known and developed companies in the form of Amazon SimpleDB, Apache Ignite and others.
Each of them specializes in storing and computing large volumes of data.