What does the term "failover" refer to in network systems?

The term "failover" in network systems specifically refers to the automatic transition from a primary system or component to a backup or standby system when a failure or fault is detected. This process ensures continued operation and minimal disruption, allowing services to remain available despite issues in the primary system.

Failover mechanisms are crucial for maintaining high availability in critical applications and services, as they enable swift recovery without requiring manual intervention. Typically, this involves the use of failover clusters, redundant hardware, or sophisticated software that monitors system health and initiates the switch to backup resources seamlessly.

In contrast, the other options describe different aspects of network reliability and performance without aligning with the specific concept of failover. For instance, manual restarts do not qualify as automatic responses to failures, redundant power supplies are about maintaining power continuity rather than service continuity, and bandwidth allocation deals with data transfer efficiency rather than system recovery processes.