Centralized Database and Distributed Database are two
different approaches to organizing and managing databases.
Here's a distinction between them:
Centralized Database:
A centralized database is a single, unified database system
located at a single site or server. All data storage,
management, and processing occur at this central location.
Here are its characteristics:
Location: All data resides on a single server or site.
Control: Administration, management, and security are
centralized, making it easier to control data.
Access: Users from different locations access the database
remotely over a network.
Data Integrity: Easier to maintain data consistency and
integrity since changes are managed centrally.
Scalability: Scaling can be challenging as all operations occur
on the central server.
Performance: Performance might degrade as the database
grows due to the limitations of a single server.
Data Redundancy: Less redundancy as data is stored in one
place.
Cost: Lower infrastructure and maintenance costs compared to
distributed databases for small-scale systems.
Backup and Recovery: Backup and recovery are centralized,
simplifying the process.
Distributed Database:
A distributed database spreads data across multiple servers or
sites. It's designed to handle data fragmentation and
replication, providing more flexibility. Here are its
characteristics:
Location: Data is distributed across multiple servers or sites,
often geographically dispersed.
Control: Administration and management might be more
complex due to multiple locations.
Access: Users from different locations can access local data
directly, reducing network traffic.
Data Integrity: Ensuring data consistency across distributed
nodes can be more challenging.
Scalability: Can scale more easily by adding new nodes as
data and user load increase.
Performance: Performance can be better as data is
distributed, reducing load on individual servers.
Data Redundancy: Data can be replicated to ensure
availability and fault tolerance.
Cost: Higher infrastructure and maintenance costs due to
multiple servers and potential replication.
Backup and Recovery: Backup and recovery need to be
managed across multiple locations.