How is a cluster defined in MuleSoft?

• A. A cluster is a single Mule runtime engine
• B. A cluster is a set of Mule runtime engines that acts as a unit
• C. A cluster is a virtual server of multiple nodes whose data is replicated across memory
• D. A cluster is a load balancer only

Answer: (C)

Clustering in MuleSoft means multiple Mule runtime engines come together to act as one logical server. In a cluster, several nodes operate in unison, so the system can handle more load and keep running if a node fails. A key part of this setup is that state and data are replicated across the nodes in memory, so each node stays in sync with the others. This in-memory replication provides fast failover and consistent processing across the cluster, which is why the cluster is described as a virtual server made up of multiple nodes. It’s not just a single runtime, and it isn’t merely a load balancer; the cluster combines several runtimes and keeps their state coordinated, while a separate load balancer can distribute incoming requests to the nodes.