mirror of
https://github.com/bigchaindb/bigchaindb.git
synced 2024-10-13 13:34:05 +00:00
10 lines
897 B
Markdown
10 lines
897 B
Markdown
# Terminology: Nodes, Clusters & Federations
|
|
|
|
A **BigchainDB node** is a server or set of closely-linked servers running RethinkDB Server, BigchainDB Server, and other BigchainDB-related software. Each node is controlled by one person or organization.
|
|
|
|
A set of BigchainDB nodes can connect to each other to form a **cluster**. Each node in the cluster runs the same software. A cluster contains one logical RethinkDB datastore. A cluster may have additional servers to do things such as cluster monitoring.
|
|
|
|
The people and organizations that run the nodes in a cluster belong to a **federation** (i.e. another organization). A federation must have some sort of governance structure to make decisions. If a cluster is run by a single company, then the federation is just that company.
|
|
|
|
Confusingly, sometimes we refer to a cluster as a federation. You can probably tell what we mean from context.
|