Database Distribution Strategy

Centralized

• central location, central control
• "distributed" use at other locations

Segmented

• stored/controlled at various locations
• no replication -- any specific data entity stored in only location

Replicated

• redundancy of data at various sites
• replication of data insures against loss of data itself or loss of access to data if the central database goes down.

Decentralized

• Data stored/controlled independently at various sites/departments.

Hybrid

• some combination of the above.