How to Synchronize a Replica

  • Article

Applies To: System Center Data Protection Manager 2010

DPM provides two methods for synchronizing a replica: incremental synchronization and synchronization with consistency check. Incremental synchronization (also referred to as synchronization) transfers the changes to protected data from the protected computer to the DPM server and then applies the changes to the replica. Synchronization with consistency check transfers the data changes from the protected computer to the DPM server but also performs block-by-block verification to ensure that all the data on the replica is consistent with the protected data.

You might need to manually synchronize a replica in the following situations:

  • You can manually synchronize a replica before you create a recovery point to ensure that you are getting the latest possible recovery point. For this purpose, choose incremental synchronization.

  • You must perform a manual consistency check when a replica becomes inconsistent due to an overflow of the change journal or an unexpected shutdown of the protected computer. All synchronization and recovery point jobs will fail until the replica is made consistent by performing a consistency check.

  • When you manually create a replica from tape or other removable media rather than over the network, you must perform a consistency check before data protection can begin.

  • You should manually synchronize a replica when you make configuration changes to a protected computer, such as the following:

    • Adding items to or removing items from a storage group

    • Changing the file location of protected items on a protected computer

For more information about synchronization methods, see What Is Synchronization?

To manually synchronize a replica

  1. In DPM Administrator Console, click Protection on the navigation bar.

  2. In the display pane, select the replica that you want to synchronize.

  3. In the Actions pane, click Create recovery point - disk.

  4. In the Create Recovery Point dialog box, select either Create a recovery point after synchronizing or Only synchronize. If you select Only synchronize, changes since the last synchronization are transferred and applied to the replica.

  5. Click OK.

See Also

Tasks

How to Modify Protection Options

Concepts

What Is a Consistency Check?
What Is a Recovery Point?
What Is a Replica?
What Is Synchronization?