Which term describes the automatic switch to a backup system when the primary system cannot continue to operate?

Which term describes the automatic switch to a backup system when the primary system cannot continue to operate?

• A. Failover
• B. Failsoft
• C. Automation
• D. Autoscaling

Answer: (A)

Failover is the automatic switch to a backup system when the primary cannot continue to operate. In practice, a standby component is kept in sync and ready to take over as soon as a fault is detected by health checks or monitoring signals. This handover keeps services available with minimal downtime, which is essential for meeting uptime goals and maintaining continuity. The process is managed by a failover mechanism or cluster manager that redirects workloads and traffic to the backup, often with data replication to avoid loss. The other terms don’t fit as well in this scenario. Failsoft means the system keeps running but with degraded functionality rather than completing a full switch to a backup. Automation refers to automating tasks in general, not specifically switching to a backup system. Autoscaling adjusts capacity based on load, not switching to a backup when a component fails.

Failover is the automatic switch to a backup system when the primary cannot continue to operate. In practice, a standby component is kept in sync and ready to take over as soon as a fault is detected by health checks or monitoring signals. This handover keeps services available with minimal downtime, which is essential for meeting uptime goals and maintaining continuity. The process is managed by a failover mechanism or cluster manager that redirects workloads and traffic to the backup, often with data replication to avoid loss.

The other terms don’t fit as well in this scenario. Failsoft means the system keeps running but with degraded functionality rather than completing a full switch to a backup. Automation refers to automating tasks in general, not specifically switching to a backup system. Autoscaling adjusts capacity based on load, not switching to a backup when a component fails.