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1.1.3. What Scale Do You Need?
š” First Principle: Scale determines architecture complexity. Don't pay for global distribution when you only serve one region. Don't use single-region when your users are worldwide. Match scale to actual requirements.
| Scale | Characteristics | Service Implications |
|---|---|---|
| Single-region | All users in one geography | Standard services, lowest cost |
| Multi-region | Users in several regions, DR needed | Geo-replication, read replicas |
| Global | Users worldwide, <10ms latency required | Cosmos DB, globally distributed services |
Reasoning Tool: When a question mentions "users in Tokyo, London, and New York" or "sub-10ms latency globally," think global scale ā Cosmos DB. If it just says "company database," assume single-region.
Written byAlvin Varughese
Founderā¢15 professional certifications