The term refers to something that is in excess of that required for normal operation.
Redundancy is a concept in which an entity has more than one piece of something. That can be anything from a piece of information to a backup system, to a repetitive explanation of something (just like what we did here). The idea behind it is that if one fails, there's another to take its place.
In computing, redundancy can refer to extra storage space or an extra power supply on a computer. In this sense, it makes sure the system has enough storage space and power to keep running even when something goes wrong.
In communications, redundancy refers to using multiple channels or paths for data in order to improve reliability or security.
In datacenter design, redundancy refers to having multiple servers or systems able to take over each other's roles if one fails (for example, if you have two web servers and one goes down, the other can pick up the work).
While redundancy is useful in many situations, it becomes an issue as well – writers for instance.
In writing, redundancy is where two words, phrases, or sentences are used in the same text and have the same meaning. It makes the second part unnecessary as it doesn't add to the idea. It's also called tautology or pleonasm. A classic example of redundancy is: "It was freezing cold outside." Both "freezing" and "cold" mean the same thing, hence using both the words in the same sentence became unnecessary.
It is the redundancy of blockchains that makes them extremely fault-tolerant, although this also implies very high storage requirements. When a transaction is added to the blockchain, every node in the network receives a copy of that transaction for storage as part of the chain. This adds overhead to the system, consuming computational and storage resources within each node.
Redundancy has been shown to reduce downtime and increase productivity. The more productive an organization is, the better it will do financially. Redundancy also helps maintain a good reputation for reliability and service in an industry. This can lead to more clients and better revenue.
A redundant system would need multiple processors, which in turn increase the processing capacity of a computer system. This can help improve response time for users who may be waiting for responses from computers that are overloaded or running too slow.
Redundancy can also help with disaster recovery efforts in the event of a server crash or other major disaster that wipes out critical data on the main computer system. If there are additional copies of files held on backup systems, then it's possible to recover lost data from those backups in such an event.
Join the thousands already learning crypto!