What does the term 'fault tolerance' indicate in technology?

The term 'fault tolerance' in technology refers to the capability of a system to continue operating properly in the event of a failure of some of its components. This is crucial in systems where downtime can lead to significant issues, such as data loss, financial loss, or safety hazards.

When a system is designed with fault tolerance in mind, it incorporates redundancies and fail-safes that allow it to quickly recover from component failures without a loss of overall performance or functionality. For instance, in a fault-tolerant system, if one server fails, others can seamlessly take over its workload, ensuring that users experience minimal disruption.

The other options focus on different aspects of technology management and system operation. Replacing faulty devices is a maintenance aspect, not a characteristic of fault tolerance itself. Backup power systems pertain more to power supply reliability than to the resilience of the system's components under failure. The limitation of total user access deals with security or resource allocation, which does not relate to a system's ability to function after component failures. Thus, the focus on maintaining performance despite these failures accurately captures the essence of fault tolerance.