We live in an era that is heavily dependent on Information & Technology (IT), which involves the exchange and movement of critical data across different sources spread over a mindboggling range of location and time zones.
In fact, it would not be an overstatement to say that organizations these days rely on the collection, compilation, communication and storage of these vital data culled both from within their own departments and from other external sources including service providers, vendors and customers.
Data replication has, therefore, assumed a high priority area for business establishment of all sizes as any loss or interruption in accessing these data, can wreck havoc on their daily operation.
It is a technique used for copying data from a source to a target in a well coordinated, consistent, easily replicable and comprehensible manner. Continuity in data and easy access of the same is vital for the success of any business.
Disruption in data accessibility or usage due to any natural disaster, a hard disk crash or slow server time can halt the operations of your entire office as different departments share and work upon the same information related to your business.
Data is frequently replicated through electronic copying from one set of database located in a particular computer or a server to another set of database located on other computers or servers. The data is distributed and all users can access and use the same information easily.
This allows different departments in your office to share and work on the same set of data without disturbing their colleagues. There are several ways of replicating your data.
A database on a server can simply be copied to a different server or a different database on that server itself through a process called snapshot replication.
Merger replication compiles the data from multiple databases into one single database whereas in transactional replication, you initially receive a copy of the entire database which is then updated periodically.
Replicating your critical data can be advantageous in several ways depending on the mode of replication you select. However, the basic advantage offered by all database replication procedures is the easy availability of uniform data to a wide section of users whenever and wherever they may require it.
Replicating your data reduces chances of inconsistency and ambiguity among the users. It also ensures that any data modification, addition or deletion performed at one location is reflected in databases used in other locations. This allows multiple users across all your departments to share data of similar quality while working on their individual responsibilities.
Another advantage of data replication is that the process maintains a synchronized copy of all your data as a backup on a separate location thereby ensuring quick access in case of data loss from your own computers or server.
As ongoing changes are automatically reflected in your backup files, you are assured of hassle free disaster recovery of data along with a secured way of storing duplicate copies of your vital company information.