Independent systems fail at different points#
A booking reserves a seat, charges payment, and creates a ticket. If ticket creation fails after the first two succeed, the business outcome spans services and databases that do not share one local transaction.
| Local transaction | Distributed operation |
|---|---|
| One database controls commit | Participants fail independently |
| Rollback within one boundary | Network ambiguity and irreversible effects |
| Simpler correctness boundary | Coordination or compensation required |
Prefer one transactional boundary when requirements allow. Distribution is a business and scaling choice, not a default upgrade.
Related practice problems
Use the manifest-backed prompts below to apply this lesson in a complete design.
- Saga distributed transactions patternMicrosoft Azure Architecture Center
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