Which statement best describes synchronous vs asynchronous replication?

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Multiple Choice

Which statement best describes synchronous vs asynchronous replication?

The main idea here is how timing affects data consistency between a primary and its replica. In synchronous replication, a write is considered successful only after the remote replica has received and acknowledged it, so the change is mirrored in real time. In asynchronous replication, the write is acknowledged locally and the data is sent to the remote site afterward, so the replica lags behind by some delay. This description—real-time mirroring for synchronous and delayed replication for asynchronous—captures the fundamental difference between the two modes. The other statements aren’t accurate: synchronous replication isn’t defined by “real-time links” versus “asynchronous channels” in that way, and it can be used with storage arrays. Also, synchronous replication isn’t always faster; it often adds latency because each write waits for remote acknowledgment, whereas asynchronous replication can be faster since it doesn’t wait for the remote side.

The main idea here is how timing affects data consistency between a primary and its replica. In synchronous replication, a write is considered successful only after the remote replica has received and acknowledged it, so the change is mirrored in real time. In asynchronous replication, the write is acknowledged locally and the data is sent to the remote site afterward, so the replica lags behind by some delay.

This description—real-time mirroring for synchronous and delayed replication for asynchronous—captures the fundamental difference between the two modes. The other statements aren’t accurate: synchronous replication isn’t defined by “real-time links” versus “asynchronous channels” in that way, and it can be used with storage arrays. Also, synchronous replication isn’t always faster; it often adds latency because each write waits for remote acknowledgment, whereas asynchronous replication can be faster since it doesn’t wait for the remote side.

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