Lotus Notes servers replicate databases to each other, normally under
a protocol over TCP/IP.  Alternatively, I think it's also possible for
one server to export a file, then transfer that file (e.g., via FTP or
tape transfer or any other method), then import that file on the other
machine.  Has anyone ever used file export/transfer/import for
replication of Notes databases,
and provided tips on how to do it?

Hello,

You can't export a replica directly from Notes, but you can copy your
Replica-file, and tell notes where it is.
From the Notes help:"If you use a remote client, create local replicas
on another computer at the office, copy each replica to a diskette,
and then copy the replicas to your remote client. If a full replica is
too large to fit on a diskette, you can still save time by creating a
partial replica or replica stub to copy to a diskette."
You have to specify a file name (you can also specify a folder and/or
subfolder) in the Replicator options, once you replicated to this
replica, copy the file onto disk, tape or FTP. You can copy that file
onto the machine you want. Don't forget to specify a file name (and
place) on this other machine for the replica. Once that is all done,
Notes should find your replica on the place you specified.

The best thing to do is read the notes help, there's a big chapter
about replication.

additional Links:
www.lotus.com

I hope this helps you out.

Greetings, Cubist

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Request for Answer Clarification by knovak-ga on 14 Jun 2002 14:11 PDT

Thank you, the lead about replica-file is helpful.  However, i'm
interested in optimizing server-to-server replication (not client
replication), through file transfers between the servers.  Do you know
anything about that?

thanks!

---

Clarification of Answer by cubist-ga on 19 Jun 2002 12:31 PDT

Hello,

So it is because replication overloads your network.
Once you set the file name/location you can use any program that
auto-replicates between servers. You can use double take, like 1hotrod
says, but I think it costs a lot of money. If you have time , you can
do it yourself once a day by using something like windows commander,
you can save your locations in there and just push the button to match
folders on different machines. You can also use something like
Treenetcopy (shareware 30-day trial, after that it costs 30$), that
will replicate automatically. You can download it at
http://www.tucows.com/system/preview/257415.html There are also other
programs that will to this, but they will cost lots more (f.e.
Powersync, Folderclone,...) Look on shareware sites (tucows,
winfiles,...) for mirroring software, there is lots of good shareware.

Search terms used:

mirroring software
://www.google.be/search?hl=nl&q=mirroring+software&meta=
file mirroring
://www.google.be/search?q=file+mirroring&hl=nl&meta=
file replication
://www.google.be/search?hl=nl&q=file+replication&meta=

Additional links:

http://www.tucows.com
http://www.winfiles.com

http://www.nsisoftware.com (double take)
http://www.dlcsistemas.com/html/treenetcopy.html (Treenetcopy)
http://www.linkpro.com/ps4_5.htm (powersync)
http://www.folderclone.com/ (folderclone)

I hope this helps you out, if you have anymore questions, feel free to
ask

Greetings,
Cubist

---

Clarification of Answer by cubist-ga on 20 Jun 2002 11:06 PDT

PS: You can also use a script (or batch file) and execute it with the scheduler.

I 'll look in to that. But, I need a little more clarification. Do you
mean you want to do that automatically? Do you think (normal)
replication overloads the network? Or because your other server is not
connected to the same network? Or because you want to perform a
restore with a backup?

Greetings, Cubist

I'm working with a situation where servers are connected over very
high latency and low capacity links, so regular replication takes a
lot of connect time.  Stampede has been tried, and it helped somewhat,
but was too expensive to justify.  If we could use file transfers, we
could move the replications much more efficiently.  (We used to do
something like this to move ccmail in the old days.)

Eventually we'd need to do it automatically (once per day perhaps) and
we could program the transfers ourselves.

I really appreciate you looking at this again. Thanks!

Try using mirroring software like Double Take, you can control the
transfer speed between the servers with any amount of speed you
choose.  You can control what you want to replicate and when.  It can
be used as a real-time rollover for disater recovery, too.

When Lotus Domino replicates, only those items changed/added/deleted
are replicated over.

If you tried with any other means, you are added traffic by
transfering a lot more stuff across the network.