A. Jesse Jiryu Davis • 6/5/2025

Can We Rely On Timers For Distributed Algorithms?

This technical article examines the use of timers in distributed systems, specifically for leader-based consensus protocols like Raft. It discusses the distrust of timers in asynchronous models, introduces the concept of leader leases that rely on timers to improve efficiency, and argues for their viability within a timed asynchronous model with bounded clock drift. The content references research from MongoDB's Distributed Systems Research Group.

0 comments

#distributed systems #Leader Election #Timers