File replication help

About the Preferred server properties dialog box

Use the Preferred server properties dialog box to configure your preferred servers. For more information, see Preferred servers and content replication overview.

To open the Preferred server properties dialog box
  1. Click Tools > Distribution > Content replication / Preferred servers.
  2. In the Content replication tree, right click Preferred servers (Targets) and click New preferred server. You can also right-click an existing preferred server and click Properties.

About the Configuration page

Use the Configuration page to specify the preferred server name and read-only credentials. Managed devices will use this information to connect to the preferred server.

  • Server name: The preferred server's resolvable computer name.
  • Description: The server description. This appears in the Replicators tree's Details column.
  • User name: The read-only username to access the server.
  • Password: The password for the user name you entered.
  • Confirm password: Re-enter the password for the user name you entered.
  • Test credentials: Tests the credentials to see if they are valid on the server.

About the IP address ranges page

Use the IP address ranges page to enter a starting and ending IP address range. Only devices within this range can attempt downloads from this server. You can enter multiple IP address ranges.

  • Starting IP address: The range's starting IP address.
  • Ending IP address: The range's ending IP address.
  • Add: Adds the IP address range to the list.
  • Delete: Deletes the selected IP address range.

About the selected replicator page

Use the selected replicator page to select the managed Windows device that you want to be the replicator. A replicator is responsible for copying data from the source server to the preferred server target.

  • Select: Highlight the device you want to be a replicator and click Select to designate it as the replicator.
  • Inventory: Once you selected the replicator, you can click this button to view the device inventory and verify that it's the device you wanted.
  • Clear: Deselects the device as a replicator.

About the Write credentials page

Use the Write credentials page to specify the preferred server's write credentials. The replicator will use these credentials to connect to the preferred server so that a replicator can replicate new or changed files to a preferred server.

  • User name: The username with write permissions to access the server.
  • Password: The password for the user name you entered.
  • Confirm password: Re-enter the password for the user name you entered.
  • Test credentials: Tests the credentials to see if they are valid on the server.

About the Sources page

Use the Sources page to configure the source paths that you want copied to preferred servers.

  • Source paths list: Shows sources that you've configured. Select a source from this list.
  • Include: Adds the selected source to the Included source paths list. Once a source is in the the Included source paths list, its content will be replicated to the preferred server you're configuring when the replication job runs.
  • New: Opens a new source properties dialog box so you can configure a new source if the source you want hasn't been configured yet.
  • Exclude: Removes the selected source from the Included source paths list.
  • Included Source paths list: Shows sources whose content will be replicated to the preferred server you're configuring.

About the Replicator properties dialog box

Use the Replicator properties dialog box to configure a replicator.

About the Identification page

Use the identification page to select the managed Windows device that you want to be the replicator. A replicator is responsible for copying data from the source server to the preferred server target.

  • Select: Highlight the device you want to be a replicator and click Select to designate it as the replicator.
  • Inventory: Once you selected the replicator, you can click this button to view the device inventory and verify that it's the device you wanted.
  • Clear: Deselects the device as a replicator.

About the Preferred servers (Targets) page

  • Preferred server list: Shows all preferred servers that you've configured. Move servers from this list to the Included servers list.
  • Include: Moves the selected preferred server from the Preferred server list to the Included servers list.
  • Exclude: Moves the selected preferred server from the Included servers list to the Preferred server list.
  • Included servers list: Preferred servers in this list will be targets for the replicator you're configuring.

About the selected replicator Settings pages

Use the selected replicator settings pages to configure the replicator's run options and schedule.

About the Settings page

Use the Settings page to see the replicator's settings revision number and the actual revision number last reported by the replicator.

  • Current settings revision: Shows the current revision number. Each time you change and then save the replicator settings, the Current settings revision increments by one.
  • Last revision applied by replicator: Each time the replicator runs it checks for updated settings and then reports the settings revision number it used.
  • Last reported: Shows the most recent date and time that the replicator ran.

About the Selected replicator's Run options page

Use the Selected replicator's Run options page to configure run options, such as bandwidth and user interface settings

  • WAN bandwidth settings: Adjusts the priority of this specific task over other network traffic. The higher the percentage slider is set, the greater the amount of bandwidth being used by this task over any other traffic. WAN connections are usually slower, so it is most often recommended to set this slider at a lower percentage. 
  • LAN bandwidth settings: Adjusts the priority of this specific task over other network traffic. The higher the percentage slider is set, the greater the amount of bandwidth being used by this task over any other traffic. LAN connections are usually faster than WAN connections, so it is most often recommended to set this slider at a higher percentage than that of the WAN.
  • Show progress dialog: Shows a progress dialog box on the replicator. When disabled, the job happens in the background with no notification or status indicators.
  • Allow peer download: When checked, the replicator will first check local peers for source files that it is replicating. If the replicator can't find the file on a peer, it will get the file from the source server. This option can reduce the traffic load on your source server.
  • Limit the number of days files are kept in cache: Replicated files will stay in the local distribution cache on the replicator. By keeping files cached, the replicator doesn't need to transfer files from the source server for every replication job. If for some reason you want to force the replicator to refresh cached files periodically, check this option and enter the number of days.

    Generally, it's safe to leave this option disabled, since any files that change on the source will automatically be updated in the local cache the next time the replication job runs.
  • WAN bandwidth settings: Check this option if you want to use your WAN bandwidth settings when pushing files to targets.
  • LAN bandwidth settings: Check this option if you want to use your LAN bandwidth settings when pushing files to targets.

About the Selected replicator's Schedule page

Use the selected replicator's Schedule page to schedule when a replicator runs. Clicking the add button displays the Schedule content replication dialog box. Schedules that you've configured appear in the schedule list box. You can edit or delete a schedule by selecting it and clicking the appropriate button.

About the Schedule content replication dialog box

  • Time:
    • Start: Click this option to display a calendar where you can select the day you want the task to start. Once you pick a day, you can also enter a time of day. These options default to the current date and time.
    • Repeat after: If you want the task to recur, click the list box and select minutes, hours, or days. Then in the first box enter the length you want for the interval you selected (for example, 10 days).
    • Weekly between: If you want the task to run between certain days of the week, select the start and end days.
    • Monthly between: If you want the task to run between certain dates of the month, set the start and end dates.
  • Maximum duration:
    • Run until replication finishes: When selected, the replication job runs until it finishes.
    • End after: When selected, the replication stops after the amount of time you specify. The job will resume where it left off at the next scheduled replication. This option can be helpful when you're replicating across a slow link at night and you don't want replication traffic interfering with daytime network traffic.
  • Select preferred servers to update:
    • Update all associated preferred servers: The replication will happen for all preferred servers associated with this replicator.
    • Update only the following preferred servers: The replication will happen only for the preferred servers you select. Use this option if you want to schedule replication at different times for different preferred servers.

About the Schedule content replication task dialog box

Use the Schedule content replication task dialog box to schedule a run-once replication task. After creating a scheduled task with this dialog, you need to set a time for it to run in the Scheduled tasks tool.

  • Task name: The name for this task that appears in the Scheduled tasks tool.
  • Create a scheduled task: Creates a scheduled task.
  • Create a policy: Creates a policy.
  • Add selected (or implied) replicators to target list: If you've selected a replicator or a preferred server, this option will be available. This option will then add as task targets the selected replicator and any additional replicators referenced by the associated preferred server configurations.
  • Replicate only to selected preferred servers: If you've selected a replicator, this option will be available. This option creates a task that only targets the replicators you selected.

About the Schedule "apply settings" task

Use the Schedule "apply settings" task to update a replicator with new settings. Access this dialog box from the Content replication pane's toolbar. Replicators automatically check for updated settings before they run. An apply settings task is useful after you've assigned a computer to be a new replicator. Scheduling this task will install the replicator software on the computer.

  • Task name: The name for this task that appears in the Scheduled tasks tool.
  • Create a scheduled task: Creates a scheduled task.
  • Create a policy: Creates a policy.
  • Don't add any replicators to this task: Leaves the target list blank so you can add your own replicator targets in the Scheduled tasks tool.
  • Add all out of date replicators: Adds all replicators that report a settings version that doesn't match the latest.
  • Add only replicators that have not reported (new replicators): Adds newly designated replicators that have never reported or run. This configures new replicators with the latest settings.