Many-to-One (M2O) is a type of data connection in computer science. It is a connection in which one source can send data to many locations or systems. This connection allows a look up from a single source and, in most cases, a response from all the locations or systems to which data is sent.
As an example, a single server computer can connect to multiple station computers in order to allow information to be sent and received from each other. The main computer acts as the source and each connected computer acts as a user or receiver. Each user or receiver can send data back to the source by using the same connection, allowing the source to respond with a tailored answer for each request.
For a database system, a many-to-one connection allows the user of one source to be able to query multiple databases, while only connecting to a single database source. The individual databases can be managed independently and the query results can be returned to the source, or merged into a single data set. This can be used to create a unified view of multiple datasets spread over many servers.
The many-to-one connection type is also useful for managing multiple remote systems. It allows the administrator of a single source, such as a cloud server, to control many remote systems as if they were a single system. Each remote system can have its own customized settings and software, while remaining connected to the source for management and communication.
Many-to-one connections are effective in situations where multiple systems need to communicate, while being limited by a single source. Common application examples include retrieving data from multiple servers, managing multiple remote systems, and querying multiple databases.
