Synchronizing connected replicas(ArcInfo and ArcEditor only)
Release 9.2 Last modified March 25, 2008	Print all topics in : "Managing Distributed Data"

About synchronizing connected replicas

To synchronize replicas in a connected environment you can use the Synchronize Changes wizard in ArcMap or ArcCatalog. To learn about synchronizing in a connected environment, see connected synchronization.

The wizard prvodes the following options:

Direction

Connected synchronization allows you to choose the direction in which the changes will be sent. For example, for two way replias you can send changes to the relatative replica, get changes from the relative replica to move changes in both directions. For check-out replicas, only the option to send changes from the child replica to parent replica option is available. For one way replicas, only the option to send changes from the parent replica to child replica is available. If you choose both directions, changes are first sent in one direction and then sent in the opposite direction all in one operation.

Reconcile Options

During synchronization, a reconcile and post may occur between the synchronization version and the replica version. For information on the synchronization and replica versions and on when reconciles occur, see synchronization and versioning. During this reconcile, conflicts may occur. You can choose a reconcile policy to define how to handle these conflicts. Reconcile policies include the following:

• Manual - With this policy, if a conflict occurs the reconcile operation is aborted and the replica is marked as in conflict. This gives you an opportunity to perform the reconcile afterwards either manually or by running some custom reconcile code. Once the reconcile is applied and the changes posted to the replica version, the replica is no longer in conflict. While the replica is in conflict it can continue to receive changes but cannot send changes.
  
Learn more about Resolving synchronization conflicts manually.


• In favor of the geodatabase1 - In this case, the representation in geodatabase1 is automatically used over the representation in geodatabase2 if there is a conflict. Since the conflicts are resolved automatically, the replica is never in a conflict state after synchronizing with this policy.
  


• In favor of the geodatabase2 - In this case, the representation in geodatabase2 is automatically used over the representation in geodatabase1 if there is a conflict. Since the conflicts are resolved automatically, the replica is never in a conflict state after synchronizing with this policy.
  

The default policy is for the parent replica's representation to be used. This can be either in favor of geodatabase1 or in favor of geodatabase2 depending on which one contains the parent replica.

For two way replication, if you choose to synchronize in both directions you cannot choose a manual reconcile policy.

You can also choose between column level and row level conflict detection for this reconcile.
Learn more about Reconciling a version

How to synchronize connected replicas

1. To activate the synchronize wizard in ArcMap, click the Synchronize button on the Distributed Geodatabase toolbar. The synchronize wizard suppots both local and remote geodatabases. Remote geodatabases are accessed in ArcMap through map serivces that have the geodata access capability enabled.
   
2. To get more information on Synchronization click the About Getting Replica Changes button
   
3. In ArcCatalog right click the geodatabase you want to synchronize with and open the Distributed Geodatabase pull right menu. Right click geodata services published thorugh ArcGIS server to access remote geodatabases. Click Synchronize Changes.
   
4. Choose the replica that you want to synchronize. Once selected, the dialog will show the replica type.
   
5. Browse for the local or remote geodatabase containing that replica. Note that if the connection information for the relative replica is stored with the replica, it appears automatically and you don't need to browse.
   
6. Choose the direction in which you would like to send changes. If the replica is check out/check in or one way then you may only choose the appropriate direction. If the replica is two way then you can send changes from geodatabase one to geodatabase two, from two to one, or in both directions.
   
7. Click next.
   
8. For check-out replicas there is an option to reconcile and post with the parent version upon synchronization. For two way and one way replicas, this is always checked on.
   
9. Next, choose how you would like to define conflicts: By Object or By Attribute. Defining conflicts by object will detect conflicts by row while defining them by attribute detects conflicts by column.
   
10. You also have a choice of how you want conflicts resolved: in favor of geodatabase 1, in favor of geodatabase 2, or to resolve conflicts manually.
    
11. Click finish.
    

Tip

The import phase of the synchronization process occurs within a transaction. The second phase of a synchronization includes a reconcile which also occurs in a transaction. Resources, such as undo space or logical log files, will vary with the amount of changes to be synchronized. If the import phase completes, but the reconcile phase errors, the replica will appear as if in conflict and you can later go in and complete the reconcile manually

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