Using multiple replicators

If you create Connection documents that schedule a server for multiple simultaneous or overlapping replications with different destination servers, set up multiple replicators to handle the replication sessions simultaneously. Multiple replicators efficiently use server resources, shorten replication cycles (especially in hub servers), and save replication time.

About this task

When you use multiple replicators, each replicator handles only one replication session at a time. For example, if Hub-E/East/Renovations is scheduled to replicate with HR-E/East/Renovations and with Hub-W/West/Renovations simultaneously, one replicator handles replication between Hub-E/East/Renovations and HR-E/East/Renovations, while a second replicator handles replication between Hub-E/East/Renovations and Hub-W/West/Renovations.

Multiple replicators handle multiple replications between one source server and multiple destination servers simultaneously. Multiple replicators do not handle replications of multiple individual databases on a source server with a single destination server. For example, if both Database 1 and Database 2 on Hub-E/East/Renovations need to replicate with Hub-W/West/Renovations, only one replicator handles each replication session, one at a time.

Examine the Connection documents that schedule replication on each server. By adjusting the schedules and enabling multiple replicators, you can shorten the time it takes to complete a replication cycle. With this shortened cycle, you can schedule one or more additional cycles per day, which means fewer database updates and speedier replications per cycle. After you start multiple replicators, you can use the Tell command to stop all replicators; however, you cannot use the Tell command to stop a specific replicator.

Enable multiple replicators as follows:

  • From the NOTES.INI file -- Edit the Replicators or ServerTasks setting.
  • From the console -- Enter the Load Replica command at the console. Use this method if you need more replicators and you do notwant to shut down the server to edit the NOTES.INI file. Each time you enter this command, the server loads another replicator.