What is a distributed database architecture?

A distributed database consists of three inseparable layers—that is, a load-balancing layer, a compute layer, and a storage layer. A distributed database is a type of database in which data is stored across various physical locations. The data stored in said database is not only physically distributed across locations but is also structured and related to other data according to a predetermined logic. The following diagram illustrates the three-layer architecture of distributed database clusters:

Figure 2.1 – Distributed database cluster architecture

Under the distributed database architecture with storage separated from compute, the stateful storage layer designated for data persistence and push-down computing cannot be expanded as desired. To avoid data loss, it's of great importance to keep multiple copies of data and to adopt a dynamic migration solution to scale out.

The stateless computing layer, on...