Which concept focuses on keeping systems operational with no single failure point by having multiple paths or components?

• A. Fault Tolerance
• B. High Availability
• C. Redundancy
• D. SPOF

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested isHigh Availability, which focuses on keeping systems up with minimal downtime by removing single points of failure through redundant paths or components and automatic failover. In practice, this means duplicating critical parts of the system—such as servers, networks, or storage—and using mechanisms like clustering or load balancing so if one piece fails, another can take over without interrupting service. This approach aims for near-continuous operation and quick recovery, rather than requiring zero downtime at all times.

Compared to fault tolerance, high availability emphasizes reducing downtime to acceptable levels through redundancy and rapid failover, which is typically less costly and complex than full fault-tolerant designs. Redundancy is a key technique within high availability, while a single point of failure is precisely what this concept seeks to avoid.