The ultimate guide to using distributed databases

A distributed database stores records in multiple locations, connected through a central network managed by a Distributed Database Management System (DDBMS). This allows virtually unlimited data storage. There are two main types of distributed databases: homogeneous and heterogeneous. Homogeneous databases have identical nodes, while heterogeneous ones use different software or data management schema. Data can be stored using replication or fragmentation methods. Replicated databases store duplicate copies on multiple nodes for faster recall, while fragmented databases split data by rows (horizontal) or columns (vertical). Distributed databases offer benefits such as increased storage capability, scalability, cost-effectiveness, reliability, and speed. However, they may also pose challenges in management, communication issues, and maintaining consensus. Large organizations like Netflix and manufacturing companies often use distributed databases to manage massive amounts of data across multiple locations.