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Encyclopedia of Database Systems pp 1–2Cite as

Eventual Consistency

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Synonyms

Lazy replication; Optimistic replication

Definition

In a replicated database, the consistency level defines whether and how the values of the replicas of a logical object may diverge in the presence of updates. Eventual consistency is the weakest consistency level that guarantees convergence. Informally, it requires that all replicas of an object will eventually reach the same final value, assuming that no new updates are submitted to the object.

Formal Definition and Usage

Eventual consistency is an important correctness criteria in systems with a lazy, update-anywhere strategy, also referred to as optimistic replication. Update operations can be submitted and executed on any node, and the propagation of updates occurs lazily after they are committed. Conflict resolution and reconciliation must ensure that all replicas (copies) of a logical object eventually converge to the same value. Different objects are considered independent. Especially in wide-area settings, also...

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Recommended Reading

  1. Saito Y, Shapiro M. Optimistic replication. ACM Comput Surv. 2005;37(1):42–81.

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  2. Vogels W. Eventually consistent. ACM Queue. 2008;6(6):14–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Terry D. Replicated data consistency explained through baseball. Commun ACM. 2013;56(12):82–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. UPMC-LIP6 & INRIA Paris, Paris, France

    Marc Shapiro

  2. School of Computer Science, McGill University, 3480 University Street, H3A0E9, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Bettina Kemme

Authors
  1. Marc Shapiro
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  2. Bettina Kemme
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marc Shapiro .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Georgia Institute of Technology College of Computing, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    Ling Liu

  2. University of Waterloo School of Computer Science, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

    M. Tamer Özsu

Section Editor information

  1. School of Computer Science, McGill University, 3480 University Street, H3A0E9, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Bettina Kemme

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Shapiro, M., Kemme, B. (2018). Eventual Consistency. In: Liu, L., Özsu, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Database Systems. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-7993-3_1366-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-7993-3_1366-3

  • Received:

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-7993-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-7993-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Computer SciencesReference Module Computer Science and Engineering

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Eventual Consistency
    Published:
    14 September 2017

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-7993-3_1366-3

  2. Original

    Eventual Consistency
    Published:
    12 April 2017

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-7993-3_1366-2

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