State Consistency — Structural Reference

Orientation

Systems may maintain, replicate, or expose multiple relevant representations or observations of state.

Those representations do not necessarily need to be permanently identical in order to satisfy a defined consistency requirement.

State consistency concerns whether relevant state representations or observations satisfy the consistency constraint or guarantee applicable to the system.

Problem Space

State Divergence

Relevant state representations may differ temporarily or under conditions permitted by the applicable consistency model.

Consistency Requirements

Different systems may define different guarantees governing permissible relationships, observations, divergence, or convergence among relevant states.

Mechanism Separation

Synchronization, replication, consensus, and conflict-resolution mechanisms may support consistency requirements but do not define state consistency by themselves.

System Boundary

The state consistency boundary separates consistency conditions and guarantees from the mechanisms used to maintain, restore, or implement them.

Within Boundary

Relevant state representations or observations, consistency constraints or guarantees, permissible divergence, and required consistency conditions are considered.

At Boundary

System-specific consistency models determine which relationships or observations among relevant states satisfy the applicable requirement.

Outside Boundary

Synchronization, replication, consensus, quorum, conflict resolution, and other implementation mechanisms are not treated as the definition of state consistency.

Structure

Context and positioning are described in About.

Formal definition, scope boundaries, and structural models are provided in Method.