What are the differences between synchronous and asynchronous replication?

What are the differences between synchronous and asynchronous replication?

Synchronous replication means data is written to both the primary and secondary storage simultaneously, ensuring consistency. Asynchronous replication, on the other hand, allows data to be written to the primary storage first, and then later sent to the secondary storage, which can lead to some lag.

What are the advantages of using synchronous replication?

The main advantage of synchronous replication is data consistency. Since data is written to both locations at the same time, there's no risk of data loss or inconsistency in case of a failure.

Are there any downsides to synchronous replication?

Yes, synchronous replication can introduce latency because the system must wait for the data to be written to both locations before proceeding. This can affect performance, especially over long distances.

When should I consider using asynchronous replication?

Asynchronous replication is ideal for scenarios where performance is critical and some data loss is acceptable, such as in disaster recovery setups where the secondary site is far from the primary.