CAP theorem: revision of its related consistency models

Abstract

The CAP theorem states that only two of these properties can be simultaneously guaranteed in a distributed service: (i) consistency, (ii) availability, and (iii) network partition tolerance. This theorem was stated and proved assuming that “consistency” refers to atomic consistency. However, multiple consistency models exist and atomic consistency is located at the strongest edge of that spectrum. Many distributed services deployed in cloud platforms should be highly available and scalable. Network partitions may arise in those deployments and should be tolerated. One way of dealing with CAP constraints consists in relaxing consistency. Therefore, it is interesting to explore the set of consistency models not supported in an available and partition-tolerant service (CAP-constrained models). Other weaker consistency models could be maintained when scalable services are deployed in partitionable systems (CAP-free models). Three contributions arise: (1) multiple other CAPconstrained models are identified, (2) a borderline between CAP-constrained and CAP-free models is set, and (3) a hierarchy of consistency models depending on their strength and convergence is built.