HIGH AVAILABILITY Meaning and
Definition
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High availability refers to the characteristic or capability of a system, service, or infrastructure to remain fully operational and accessible for an extended period, without experiencing any significant downtime or disruptions. It is a measure of reliability and resilience that ensures systems are continuously available and able to perform their intended functions, even in the face of hardware failure, software faults, or other unforeseen events.
In the context of technology, high availability typically applies to computer systems, networks, or applications that are crucial for business operations, where any downtime can result in significant financial losses, reduced productivity, or negative customer experiences. Achieving high availability involves implementing various strategies and mechanisms, such as redundancy, load balancing, failover, and disaster recovery, to minimize the likelihood and impact of failures.
Redundancy plays a critical role in high availability by duplicating key components and distributing workloads across multiple resources, ensuring that if one component fails, another takes over seamlessly. Load balancing helps distribute incoming traffic evenly across multiple servers or nodes, preventing any single resource from being overwhelmed and ensuring efficient utilization. Failover mechanisms automatically switch to a backup system or resource when the primary one becomes unavailable, ensuring continuous operation. Disaster recovery plans outline procedures and tools to recover from catastrophic events, enabling systems to return to normal functioning as quickly as possible.
Overall, high availability is a fundamental principle in designing and managing robust and resilient systems that prioritize uninterrupted accessibility, maximum uptime, and efficient recovery in the event of failures or disruptions.
Etymology of HIGH AVAILABILITY
The word "high availability" does not possess a distinct etymology as it is a compound term created from the words "high" and "availability".
"High" is originally from the Old English word "heah", which means "tall" or "great". It has been used since the 13th century with the meaning of "great in quantity, amount, or degree". Over time, it has also been associated with the notions of importance, excellence, and superiority.
"Availability" is derived from the Latin word "disponibilitas", which means "aptitude" or "fitness". It entered the English language around the early 19th century and refers to the state of being obtainable, ready, or accessible.
The combination of these two words in the context of "high availability" is typically used to describe a system, service, or technology that remains accessible and functioning efficiently for extended periods.
