replication factor

Replication factor refers to the number of copies of data stored in a distributed system, such as cloud storage or databases. For example, if the replication factor is set to three, there are three identical copies of the same data stored across different servers. This ensures data reliability and availability; if one server fails or loses data, the other copies can be used to recover it. A higher replication factor increases data safety but requires more storage space and resources. Essentially, it’s a balance between protecting data and efficient use of resources.