One of the best ways for a company to prepare for operating after a tragedy is with data replication. This is the process of copying a company’s data base to a separate server. It is designed so both servers have a synchronized operation. Should anything happen to a company’s server, their data can be retrieved from the synchronized server.
According to an article at TDWI, “Replication can synchronize 360-degree views of customers and other business entities across heterogeneous applications. Data replicas are an important component of business continuity, and the use cases for replication span both operational and analytic applications.”
Synchronization
A major part of data replication is synchronization. This is the known as two way replication. During the process data changes can easily travel between the master data base and the remote data base. If the master data base is unable to be used, the changes put into the remote data base can then go back to the master data base when it’s ready.
Table comparison
It is important for a company to have the ability to compare the same tables from both locations. This will enable them to identify any differences and update any table when it’s necessary. Both databases should be connected. The tables should be loosely attached so they don’t react to each other. It is important to have sufficient bandwidth and accurate data modification tools in place.
Transaction Log Processing
This can be an effective way of data replication when overhead needs to be kept as small as possible. This happens whenever data is modified. The changes can be viewed and processed at a later time when the operation is complete. This means that only the modified data will be replicated instead of the entire data base.
Partitioning
This is an effective tool that can be used when not all the database contained in replication model possesses an identical dataset. This may work well when a company has satellite offices that operate separate from the company’s core business. This could be for an operation set up in a separate country.
If you would like to know more about the many aspects of data replication we can help. Contact us today and learn more.