A distributed database architecture is a design that comprises several nodes working together to store, manage, and access data. This approach offers improved scalability, availability, performance, and fault tolerance compared to traditional single-server databases. Distributed databases can scale vertically by adding more nodes, ensuring high availability even if one node goes down. They also provide reduced network traffic by storing data closer to where it will be used. However, designing and implementing a distributed database architecture is more complex and costly than a single database instance, with higher costs for hardware, software, and skilled personnel. The choice of architecture depends on the application's specific needs, including data partitioning, replication, and consistency models.