Fault tolerance意思

"Fault tolerance" is a term used in various fields, including engineering, computer science, and systems design, to describe the ability of a system to continue functioning despite the presence of a fault, failure, or damage. The concept is particularly important in designing systems that must operate reliably, even in the face of hardware or software malfunctions, environmental stresses, or other types of disturbances.

In computer science and engineering, fault tolerance is often achieved through redundancy, where multiple components are used to perform the same function. If one component fails, the others can take over, ensuring that the system as a whole continues to operate. Redundancy can be applied at different levels, from individual components like power supplies and hard drives, to entire servers or nodes in a distributed system.

Fault tolerance is a key consideration in designing reliable systems, especially those that are critical to safety, security, or the economy, such as financial systems, communication networks, and spacecraft. The goal is to ensure that the system can withstand a certain level of failure without compromising its primary functions, thereby maintaining the integrity and availability of the system.