What does Fault Tolerance refer to?

Fault tolerance refers to the capability of a system to continue functioning properly in the event of a failure or malfunction of one or more of its components. This concept is crucial in ensuring high availability and reliability of systems, particularly in critical applications such as financial transactions, healthcare, or communication networks. A fault-tolerant system is designed with redundancies and safety mechanisms that allow it to either repair or bypass faults without completely halting operations, ensuring that users experience minimal disruption.

The other options relate to aspects of system maintenance and enhancement but do not address the core idea of fault tolerance. Understanding fault tolerance is vital for designing and implementing robust systems that remain operational despite potential issues, thereby ensuring reliability and user trust.