Making a Binary Copy for Initializing a Server

This section describes how to make a binary copy for initializing a server, and how to make a binary copy that uses minimum disk space.

To Make a Binary Copy For Initializing a Server

Use this procedure to perform a binary copy for initializing a replicated server because it uses the normal backup functionality to create a copy of the server’s database files. Performing a normal backup ensures that all database files are in a coherent state without requiring you to stop the server.

This procedure has certain limitations. The backup and restore operations create copies of the database files on the same machine, thereby doubling the amount of disk space required by those files on each machine. Additionally, the actual copy operation on these files might take a significant amount time if your directory contains gigabytes of data.

For parts of this procedure, you can use DSCC to perform this task. For information, see Directory Service Control Center Interface and the DSCC online help. Other parts of the procedure can only be done using the command line.

1. Install Directory Server on the target machine for the new replicated suffix, create a new instance of the server if necessary, and configure the server according to Restrictions for Using Binary Copy With Replication.

2. Create all replication agreements in your replication topology that involve this replicated suffix.

   Include agreements from suppliers to this replica. If this replica is not a dedicated consumer, include agreements from this replica to its consumers. See Creating Replication Agreements.

3. Select a fully configured and initialized replica of the same type as you want to initialize, either master, hub, or consumer, and perform a normal backup on it according to Binary Backup.

4. Copy or transfer the files from the backup directory to a directory on the target machine by using the ftp command, for example.

5. If you have initialized a new master in a multimaster replication scenario, follow the procedures in Restoring a Master in a Multi-Master Scenario.

To Use Binary Copy for Initializing a Server Using Minimum Disk Space

This procedure uses less disk space and takes less time because it does not make backup copies of the database files. However, it requires you to stop the server that is being cloned to order to ensure that the database files are in a coherent state.

This procedure must not be used to reinitialize a master that has already participated in a multimaster replication scenario. It can only be used to reinitialize a consumer server or to initialize a new master server. To reinitialize an existing master replica, use online initialization, import an LDIF file, or follow the procedure in Making a Binary Copy for Initializing a Server.

For parts of this procedure, you can use DSCC to perform this task. For information, see Directory Service Control Center Interface and the DSCC online help. Other parts of the procedure can only be done using the command line.

1. Install Directory Server on the target machine for the new replicated suffix, create a new instance of the server if necessary, and configure the server according to Restrictions for Using Binary Copy With Replication.

2. Create all replication agreements in your replication topology that involve this replica.

   Include agreements from suppliers to this replica. If this replica is not a dedicated consumer, include agreements from this replica to its consumers. See Creating Replication Agreements.

3. Stop the target server that will be initialized or reinitialized, as described in Starting, Stopping, and Restarting a Directory Server Instance .

4. Select a fully configured and initialized replica of the same type that you want to initialize, either master, hub, or consumer, and stop this server as well.

   If you are cloning a master replica in a multimaster configuration, ensure that it is fully up-to-date with all of the latest changes from the other masters before stopping it.

5. Remove all database files from the target server, including transaction logs, change logs, and region files (__db.xxx files).

   Unless the files have been relocated, database files and transaction logs are located in the instance-path/db directory.

6. Copy or transfer all database files, including transaction logs and change logs, from the source replica machine to the target machine, by using the ftp command, for example.

   Unless the files have been relocated, database files and transaction logs are located in the instance-path/db directory.

   If you are initializing a master or hub replica, you must also copy all files in the change log, which is located in instance-path/changelog by default.

7. Restart both the source and the target servers.