Master-Slave Architecture
Updated 2026-08-10
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
A system topology in which a master node handles coordination and decision making while one or more slave nodes carry out the work assigned to them. Its core proposition is that concentrating control in one place buys consistency and simplicity across a distributed system that needs coordination, at the price of a single point of failure and a potential bottleneck at the master. The qualifier is that the master role must be recoverable, so election or failover belongs in the design.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Role split: designate one master node for scheduling and coordination of the whole system. - Obedient execution: let slave nodes carry out assigned work without negotiating the plan. - Failover design: prepare an election or switchover path for when the master fails.
Anchor fast decisions
Distributed work needs a shared decision about order and assignment, and letting every node negotiate that locally produces inconsistency and overhead. A single coordinating node makes those decisions once and broadcasts them, so execution stays consistent and simple, while the same concentration means the master's failure halts coordination and can split the system.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- zh.wikipedia.orghttps://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%AE%A2%E6%88%B7%E7%AB%AF-%E6%9C%8D%E5%8A%A1%E5%99%A8%E6%9E%B6%E6%9E%84verified
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