Description: A physical node in the context of distributed storage systems refers to a physical server that is part of a storage cluster designed to provide high availability and scalability. Each physical node in a storage cluster plays a crucial role in data management and storage, as it hosts essential components such as storage daemons, which are responsible for storing the data itself, and monitor processes, which maintain information about the cluster’s state. The architecture of such systems allows multiple physical nodes to work together to provide a resilient storage solution, where data is replicated and distributed across different nodes to ensure integrity and availability. This structure enables the cluster to adapt to hardware failures, as data can be retrieved from other nodes in case one fails. Additionally, physical nodes can be scaled horizontally, meaning that more servers can be added to the cluster to increase storage capacity and performance without interrupting service. In summary, physical nodes are the foundation upon which distributed storage infrastructure is built, allowing for efficient and secure management of large volumes of data.
