​  A distributed system is a collection of computers on the same network which process data independently and once data has been updated in one computer, other computers of the same system automatically update their database too.
   A distributed system can also be defined as a collection of independent computers that appears to its users as a single coherent system
  Distributed processing refers to the type of processing where computers in various geographical locations are interconnected via communication links for the purpose of local processing and data access and/or transfer.
  In distributed processing data processing occurs on each of the computers, unlike a centralized processing system in which terminals are connected to a host computer that performs all of the data processing.

• Quicker response time
• Improved data integrity
• Resource sharing
• Parallel processing due to many processors leads to increased performance, reliability and fault tolerance

• Network failure paralyses operations
• Vulnerable to security threats
• Difficult to configure

• Kangasharju, J. (2008). Chapter 1: Distributed Systems. Retrieved 2019, from cs.helsinki: https://www.cs.helsinki.fi/u/jakangas/Teaching/DistSys/DistSys-08f-1.pdf
• technopedia. (n.d.). Distributed System. Retrieved 2019, from Technopedia: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/18909/distributed-system