Explain how to implement an architecture with a single leader and multiple followers for database data processing using the StatefulSet mechanism.

StatefulSet in Kubernetes is used to manage stateful applications with persistent identity for pods. For an architecture with a single master and multiple slaves, you can do the following:

• Create a StatefulSet with the desired number of replicas (e.g., 3).
• Use an init container or application logic to designate one pod as the master and the others as slaves.
• Implement a leader election mechanism or assign the first pod (e.g., named pod-0) as the master in the application configuration.
• Each pod receives a stable network identity, allowing slaves to connect to the master at a fixed address.

Thus, StatefulSet ensures stable names and startup order, which is critical for master-slave architecture where the master handles writes and slaves handle reads.