Replication Overview; Read-Write Replica/Read-Only Replica; Supplier/Consumer - Netscape DIRECTORY SERVER 6.02 - ADMINISTRATOR Administrator's Manual

Replication Overview

For conceptual information on how you can use replication in your directory
deployment, see the Netscape Directory Server Deployment Guide.
Replication Overview
Replication is the mechanism by which directory data is automatically copied from
one Directory Server to another. Updates of any kind—entry additions,
modifications, or even deletions—are automatically mirrored to other Directory
Servers using replication. This section contains information on the following
replication concepts:
•

Read-Write Replica/Read-Only Replica

•

Supplier/Consumer

• Change Log
• Unit of Replication
• Replication Identity
• Replication Agreement
• Compatibility with Earlier Versions of Directory Server
Read-Write Replica/Read-Only Replica
A database that participates in replication is defined as a replica. There are two
kinds of replicas: read-write or read-only. A read-write replica contains master
copies of directory information and can be updated. A read-only replica refers all
update operations to read-write replicas. A server can hold any number of
read-only or read-write replicas.
Supplier/Consumer
A server that holds a replica that is copied to a replica on a different server is called
a supplier for that replica. A server that holds a replica that is copied from a
different server is called a consumer for that replica. Generally, the replica on the
supplier server is a read-write replica, and the one on the consumer server is a
read-only replica. There are exceptions to this statement:
276 Netscape Directory Server Administrator's Guide • May 2002