Replication

Simple definition

The replication maintains a second copy close to the current state in order to restart faster in case of a breakdown.

Technical definition

It can be synchronous or asynchronous and can be applied to virtual files, bases, volumes or machines. It reduces the time to resume but also reproduces some deletions or corruptions.

What is it used for ?

High availability, disaster recovery and business continuity.

Practical example

A virtual machine is replicated to a second server to be started if the main host fails.

Common issues

Replication confused with backup
Corruption copied to target
Insufficient bandwidth
Never tested.

Backup · Virtual machine · Hypervisor · NAS · RAID

Key takeaway: This entry explains the general operation of the term. Exact settings may vary depending on software, vendors and environments.