Single point of failure

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A single point of failure (SPOF) is a part of a system that would stop the entire system from working if it were to fail.^[1] The term single point of failure implies that there is not a backup or redundant option that would enable the system to continue to function without it. SPOFs are undesirable in any system with a goal of high availability or reliability, be it a business practice, software application, or other industrial system. If there is a SPOF present in a system, it produces a potential interruption to the system that is substantially more disruptive than an error would elsewhere in the system.