Multiple server replication: One-to-Many Replication Feature

PowerSync® 5.0-S & -RTS contain a feature that enables the replication of selected source directories and files to more than one destination. This feature can be used with local drives or over a network connection using either mapped drives or UNC paths. This enables organizations to maintain network servers that scale horizontally across the network. Benefits include data access load balancing, better end-user response times, reduced network traffic, and assured current data availability.

When would I want to use this feature?

One-to-Many Replication is used to maintain a high level of data consistency in selected directories on a number of networked servers. Network load balancing and data protection are key benefits derived from One-to-Many Replication. The primary capabilities of this feature are to automatically distribute (replicate) the contents of selected directories to a number of servers (replicas) on a scheduled basis.

How the One-to-Many feature works

This feature allows the network administrator to use the PowerSync® user interface to setup an automatic replication from one or more source servers to one or more destination servers that are connected to the network. This operation is identical to setting up PowerSync to perform a one-to-one replication or synchronization except that more than two paths are selected.

Group replication is accomplished by replicating from the left side, or master drive, to each of the right side destination paths. These paths will be replicated as shown below to insure that all right side drive paths receive a replica of the master (left side) path.

Left                          Right
AA =============>BB
AA =============>CC
AA =============>DD

Setting Up a One-to-Many Replication

To set up a One-to-Many Replication:
1. In the main PowerSync® screen, select the source directory on the left and the first destination path on the right.
2. Click New on the Tool Bar. This brings up the "New Auto-Sync™" dialog (Figure 1 below).
3. Check the Replicate Left to Right check box. Clear the warning dialog and click Replicate Options. Set the desired options and click OK
4. Click Additional Sync Paths.... and the "Additional paths to sync" dialog appears (Figure 2 below).
5. In the Additional paths to sync dialog, click Browse and the "Browse for Folder" dialog appears. (Figure 3 below)
6. Select the desired destination path from the tree and OK.

Steps 4 through 6 can be repeated to select additional destination paths.

How do I run this replication automatically?

While in the New or Edit Auto-Sync™ dialog box:
1. In the Confirmation Options, turn off all confirmations
2. Schedule the Replication the same as you would schedule a Auto-Sync (Figure 4 below) Click on the Schedule button and select the desired trigger type and scheduled time(s) Make sure the "Schedule sync immediately" box is checked or the replicate will not trigger at the scheduled time(s).

Figure 1 - New Auto-Sync dialog used to setup One-to-Many Replication

Figure 2 Adding Paths for One-Many Replication

Figure 3 Browsing to Select UNC Directory Paths

Figure 4 - Choosing a Schedule Event

Note: You can either select the UNC paths or setup drive mapping for each drive to be replicated.  This requires that the destination directories are shared. It is recommended that you perform the replicate when the applications associated with these files are shut down or at a low activity rate. Note that PowerSync may not replicate a file that is open, it will log an error and continue