Design Distributed Cache
What is a Distributed Cache?
A distributed cache is a caching system that stores data across multiple servers, allowing applications to retrieve frequently accessed data much faster than querying a primary database.
The core idea is to reduce latency and database load by keeping "hot" data in memory, spread across a cluster of cache nodes that can scale horizontally. Unlike a single-server cache, a distributed cache can handle massive amounts of data and traffic by adding more nodes to the cluster.
Popular Examples: Redis, Memcached, Amazon ElastiCache, Hazelcast
In this article, we will explore the high-level design of a distributed cache.
This problem tests your understanding of caching strategies, data partitioning, consistency trade-offs, and fault tolerance.
Let's start by clarifying the requirements: