Safe Read Mode

Safe read mode ensures that any modification made on a specific directory server has been replayed to all other directory servers within the topology before the LDAP call returns. In this mode, if another LDAP client performs a read operation on another directory server in the topology, that client is assured of reading the modification that has just been performed. Safe read mode is the most synchronized manner in which replication can be configured. However, this mode also has the biggest performance impact in terms of write time.

Safe read mode is based on acknowledgments from the LDAP servers rather than the replication servers in a topology. When a modification is made on a directory server, the update is sent to the corresponding replication server. The replication server then forwards the update to the other replication servers in the topology. These replication servers wait for acknowledgment of the modification being replayed on all the directory servers to which the modification is forwarded. When the modification has been replayed on all directory servers in the topology, the replication servers send their acknowledgment back to the first replication server, which in turn sends an acknowledgment to the original directory server.

The first replication server also waits for an acknowledgment from any other directory servers that are directly connected to it before sending the acknowledgment to the original directory server. Only when the original directory server has received an acknowledgment from its replication server does it finally return the end of the operation call to the LDAP client.

At this point, all directory servers in the topology contain the modification. If an LDAP client reads the data from any directory server, it is therefore certain of obtaining the modification.