Why replicate?
Keep several copies so a service survives failures, and face what happens when copies disagree.
Planned. This module is part of the plan and is not written yet.
Why it matters
The Lantern runs two mini PCs in hot standby so lessons carry on if one fails. Keeping more than one copy so a service survives is the first idea of replication.
Draft outline · in review- For
- Level 15–16 · 200 Level to 300 Level
- Inside
- 5 lessons and a test · about 75 minutes
- Topic
- Replication and consensus · core, 2 of 4
Inside the module.
5 lessons in order, about 75 minutes in all, then a short test. Learners go at their own pace; the minutes are a guide, not a timetable.
Draft outline · in review
Lesson 1: Copies for survival and speed
Why systems keep replicas: surviving failures, and serving reads close to users.
Explain15 min, from minute 0
Lesson 2: Every Git clone is a replica
Your clone and the shared repository are copies that can drift apart and be brought back together.
Discussion10 min, from minute 15
Lesson 3: When copies disagree
Stale reads, conflicting writes and network partitions.
Explain20 min, from minute 25
Lesson 4: Consistency or availability?
During a network split, a system must choose: refuse requests, or risk copies that disagree.
Worked example20 min, from minute 45
Lesson 5: Check your skills
Decide what different services should choose, and why.
Review10 min, from minute 65
End-of-module test
Explain why systems replicate data and compare availability and consistency when replicas disagree.
Mastered at 85% or more. Retake it until you pass; nothing is lost, and each try gives feedback.
Already know it? A Challenge Test (planned) clears the whole module: 90% overall, no objective below 75%.
Last stageafter about 75 min
Practicalities
Draft outline · in reviewBuilt to run offline
Planned to run on the Lantern's own computer, with no internet needed.
Languages
Planned first in English; every module aims to reach all of the Lantern's languages.
Try a question.
One question from the module, as a learner would meet it. Have a go, then open the worked solution a step at a time.
Draft outline · in review
Two replicas of a mobile-money balance lose contact with each other. A customer asks replica 1 for a withdrawal. What are the system's two choices, and what does each cost?
Work it out on paper first, then show the answer and mark it yourself.
Particulars
Where it sits
What a learner can do after it
- Explain why systems keep several copies of data.
- Compare availability and consistency when copies disagree.
Level
Level 15–16 · 200 Level to 300 Level
Level mappings are approximate. A qualified teacher or lecturer in each country must check them before they appear in the app. Levels 13–18 describe the content, not the learner: “Level 15” means material usually taught in a second-year university course, whoever chooses to learn it.
Difficulty for its level
2 of 4 · Core
Time
About 75 minutes
Alignments
- Aligned to Typical university coursepartial · in reviewTypical third-year distributed systems course: replication
Alignment in review until a qualified teacher or lecturer checks it. No exam body, university or vendor endorses us; learners still sit the real exam. University-level modules give knowledge, not university credit.
Challenge Test
Planned: a Challenge Test to prove you know it and skip it. Pass at 90% overall, with no objective below 75%.
University courses it previews
Computer Science, Software Engineering
On these pathways
The route here.
Everything this module builds on, drawn as a route from its foundations. Solid lanes must be mastered first, or cleared by a Challenge Test; dashed lanes are suggestions that never lock anything.
- CO-BLK-SEQ-01 Instructions in order, Level 1–4, Coding. Planned.
- CO-BLK-SEQ-01Instructions in orderCoding · Primary 1 to Primary 4 (Level 1–4) · Planned
- CO-BLK-LOP-01 Repeat blocks, Level 3–5, Coding. Sample lesson in the demo.
- CO-BLK-LOP-01Repeat blocksCoding · Primary 3 to Primary 5 (Level 3–5) · Sample lesson in the demo Needs Instructions in order (required).Try the sample lesson: Repeat blocks
- DS-CMP-TYP-01 The home row, Level 3–6, Digital skills. Planned.
- DS-CMP-TYP-01The home rowDigital skills · Primary 3 to Primary 6 (Level 3–6) · Planned · recommended
- CO-BLK-CND-01 If this, then that, Level 3–6, Coding. Planned.
- CO-BLK-CND-01If this, then thatCoding · Primary 3 to Primary 6 (Level 3–6) · Planned · recommended
- CO-BLK-LOP-02 Patterns with loops, Level 4–6, Coding. Planned.
- CO-BLK-LOP-02Patterns with loopsCoding · Primary 4 to Primary 6 (Level 4–6) · Planned Needs Repeat blocks (required).
- DS-FIL-ORG-01 Folders that make sense, Level 4–7, Digital skills. Planned.
- DS-FIL-ORG-01Folders that make senseDigital skills · Primary 4 to JSS 1 (Level 4–7) · Planned · recommended
- MA-ARI-ORD-01 Order of operations, Level 5–6, Maths. Planned.
- MA-ARI-ORD-01Order of operationsMaths · Primary 5 to Primary 6 (Level 5–6) · Planned · recommended
- CO-BLK-LOP-03 Loops inside loops, Level 5–7, Coding. Planned.
- CO-BLK-LOP-03Loops inside loopsCoding · Primary 5 to JSS 1 (Level 5–7) · Planned · recommended
- CO-PRG-PYB-01 Your first Python program, Level 7–9, Coding. Planned.
- CO-PRG-PYB-01Your first Python programCoding · JSS 1 to JSS 3 (BECE) (Level 7–9) · Planned Needs Patterns with loops (required), The home row (recommended).
- CO-PRG-PYB-02 Variables, Level 7–9, Coding. Sample lesson in the demo.
- CO-PRG-PYB-02VariablesCoding · JSS 1 to JSS 3 (BECE) (Level 7–9) · Sample lesson in the demo Needs Your first Python program (required).Try the sample lesson: Variables
- CO-PRG-PYB-03 Numbers and calculations, Level 7–9, Coding. Planned.
- CO-PRG-PYB-03Numbers and calculationsCoding · JSS 1 to JSS 3 (BECE) (Level 7–9) · Planned Needs Variables (required), Order of operations (recommended).
- MA-ALG-FRM-01 Substituting into formulae, Level 7–8, Maths. Planned.
- MA-ALG-FRM-01Substituting into formulaeMaths · JSS 1 to JSS 2 (Level 7–8) · Planned · recommended
- CO-NET-HOW-01 Packets, addresses and routes, Level 7–10, Coding. Planned.
- CO-NET-HOW-01Packets, addresses and routesCoding · JSS 1 to SSS 1 (Level 7–10) · Planned
- CO-PRG-PYB-05 Decisions with if, Level 8–10, Coding. Planned.
- CO-PRG-PYB-05Decisions with ifCoding · JSS 2 to SSS 1 (Level 8–10) · Planned Needs Numbers and calculations (required), If this, then that (recommended).
- CO-PRG-PYB-06 Loops in Python, Level 8–10, Coding. Planned.
- CO-PRG-PYB-06Loops in PythonCoding · JSS 2 to SSS 1 (Level 8–10) · Planned Needs Decisions with if (required), Loops inside loops (recommended).
- CO-PRG-PYF-01 Defining functions, Level 8–11, Coding. Planned.
- CO-PRG-PYF-01Defining functionsCoding · JSS 2 to SSS 2 (Level 8–11) · Planned Needs Loops in Python (required).
- CO-PRG-PYB-07 Lists, Level 8–10, Coding. Planned.
- CO-SYS-OPS-01 What an operating system does, Level 8–11, Coding. Planned.
- CO-SYS-OPS-01What an operating system doesCoding · JSS 2 to SSS 2 (Level 8–11) · Planned · recommended
- CO-PRG-PYF-02 Parameters and return values, Level 9–11, Coding. Planned.
- CO-PRG-PYF-02Parameters and return valuesCoding · JSS 3 (BECE) to SSS 2 (Level 9–11) · Planned Needs Defining functions (required), Substituting into formulae (recommended).
- CO-ALG-SRT-01 Linear search, Level 9–11, Coding. Planned.
- CO-ALG-SRT-01Linear searchCoding · JSS 3 (BECE) to SSS 2 (Level 9–11) · Planned Needs Parameters and return values (required), Lists (required).
- CO-PRG-PYF-03 Scope, Level 9–11, Coding. Planned.
- CO-PRG-PYF-03ScopeCoding · JSS 3 (BECE) to SSS 2 (Level 9–11) · Planned Needs Parameters and return values (required).
- CO-PRG-PYF-04 Breaking problems into functions, Level 9–12, Coding. Planned.
- CO-PRG-PYF-04Breaking problems into functionsCoding · JSS 3 (BECE) to SSS 3 (WASSCE) (Level 9–12) · Planned Needs Parameters and return values (required), Lists (required).
- CO-ALG-SRT-03 Simple sorts, Level 10–12, Coding. Planned.
- CO-ALG-SRT-03Simple sortsCoding · SSS 1 to SSS 3 (WASSCE) (Level 10–12) · Planned Needs Linear search (required).
- CO-ALG-SRT-02 Binary search, Level 10–12, Coding. Planned.
- CO-ALG-SRT-02Binary searchCoding · SSS 1 to SSS 3 (WASSCE) (Level 10–12) · Planned Needs Linear search (required).
- CO-PRG-PYF-05RecursionCoding · SSS 2 to A level / JUPEB / foundation year (Level 11–13) · Planned Needs Scope (required).
- CO-ALG-SRT-04Merge sortCoding · SSS 2 to A level / JUPEB / foundation year (Level 11–13) · Planned Needs Simple sorts (required), Recursion (required).
- CO-SWD-GIT-01Why version control?Coding · SSS 3 (WASSCE) to A level / JUPEB / foundation year (Level 12–13) · Planned Needs Parameters and return values (required), Folders that make sense (recommended).
- CO-SWD-GIT-02Commits and historyCoding · SSS 3 (WASSCE) to A level / JUPEB / foundation year (Level 12–13) · Planned Needs Why version control? (required).
- CO-ALG-SRT-05Comparing algorithmsCoding · SSS 3 (WASSCE) to A level / JUPEB / foundation year (Level 12–13) · Planned Needs Binary search (required), Merge sort (required).
- From here on: Beyond school · university levelCO-SWD-GIT-03Branches and mergingCoding · A level / JUPEB / foundation year to 100 Level (Level 13–14) · Planned Needs Commits and history (required).
- CO-SWD-GIT-04Working together with remotesCoding · A level / JUPEB / foundation year to 100 Level (Level 13–14) · Planned Needs Branches and merging (required).
- CO-DST-CCR-01Doing many things at onceCoding · 100 Level to 200 Level (Level 14–15) · Planned Needs Breaking problems into functions (required), Comparing algorithms (required), What an operating system does (recommended).
- CO-DST-FND-01What makes a system distributedCoding · 200 Level (Level 15) · Planned Needs Doing many things at once (required), Packets, addresses and routes (required), Working together with remotes (required).
- CO-DST-REP-01Why replicate?Coding · 200 Level to 300 Level (Level 15–16) · Planned · the destination Needs What makes a system distributed (required).
Help light the room where this is learned.
Every route on this map starts in a classroom with 24 stations, a tutor that works offline and a facilitator upstairs. Four are planned and waiting for light.