Distributed systems / updated May 18, 2026
Consistent Hashing Ring
A small experiment measuring key movement, virtual nodes, and load spread across membership changes.
Question
How many keys move when a node joins or leaves, and how much do virtual nodes improve distribution?
Setup
Generate one million keys, map them onto a ring, vary the virtual node count, and compare key movement and per-node load.
Expected Result
More virtual nodes should reduce skew, while membership changes should move only the keys adjacent to changed ring positions.