Fault Tolerance in Cloud Computing

Fault tolerance in cloud computing means creating a blueprint for ongoing work whenever some parts are down or unavailable. It helps enterprises evaluate their infrastructure needs and requirements and provides services in case the respective device becomes unavailable for some reason.

It does not mean that the alternative system can provide 100% of the entire service. Still, the concept is to keep the system usable and, most importantly, at a reasonable level in operational mode. It is important if enterprises continue growing in a continuous mode and increase their productivity levels.

Main Concepts behind Fault Tolerance in Cloud Computing System

• Replication: Fault-tolerant systems work on running multiple replicas for each service. Thus, if one part of the system goes wrong, other instances can be used to keep it running instead. For example, take a database cluster that has 3 servers with the same information on each. All the actions like data entry, update, and deletion are written on each. Redundant servers will remain idle until a fault tolerance system demands their availability.
• Redundancy: When a system part fails or goes downstate, it is important to have a backup type system. The server works with emergency databases that include many redundant services. For example, a website program with MS SQL as its database may fail midway due to some hardware fault. Then the redundancy concept has to take advantage of a new database when the original is in offline mode.

Techniques for Fault Tolerance in Cloud Computing

• Priority should be given to all services while designing a fault tolerance system. Special preference should be given to the database as it powers many other entities.
• After setting the priorities, the Enterprise has to work on mock tests. For example, Enterprise has a forums website that enables users to log in and post comments. When authentication services fail due to a problem, users will not be able to log in.

Then, the forum becomes read-only and does not serve the purpose. But with fault-tolerant systems, healing will be ensured, and the user can search for information with minimal impact.

Major Attributes of Fault Tolerance in Cloud Computing

• None Point of Failure: The concepts of redundancy and replication define that fault tolerance can occur but with some minor effects. If there is no single point of failure, then the system is not fault-tolerant.
• Accept the fault isolation concept: the fault occurrence is handled separately from other systems. It helps to isolate the Enterprise from an existing system failure.

Existence of Fault Tolerance in Cloud Computing

• System Failure: This can either be a software or hardware issue. A software failure results in a system crash or hangs, which may be due to Stack Overflow or other reasons. Any improper maintenance of physical hardware machines will result in hardware system failure.
• Incidents of Security Breach: There are many reasons why fault tolerance may arise due to security failures. The hacking of the server hurts the server and results in a data breach. Other reasons for requiring fault tolerance in the form of security breaches include ransomware, phishing, virus attacks, etc.

Take-Home Points

Fault tolerance in cloud computing is a crucial concept that must be understood in advance. Enterprises are caught unaware when there is a data leak or system network failure resulting in complete chaos and lack of preparedness. It is advised that all enterprises should actively pursue the matter of fault tolerance.

If an enterprise is in growing mode even when some failure occurs, a fault tolerance system design is necessary. Any constraints should not affect the growth of the Enterprise, especially when using the cloud platform.