DAF deployment requires a destination repository on the asset management server for every target repository that receives deployed data. A destination repository is an unversioned GSARepository instance that points to the database of the matching target site repository. Only repository asset deployment requires a destination repository. File assets are deployed directly from the asset management server to the target sites over a TCP connection.

The following graphic shows one versioned source repository that deploys to two target sites, staging and production. The asset management server has two destination repositories, one for staging and another for production. The production site is configured for switch deployment: the production site repository and the corresponding destination repository each point to a SwitchingDataSource that directs them to the active data source.

As part of the deployment setup process for ATG Content Administration, you need to create and configure destination repositories (see Configure Deployment Data Sources and Destination Repositories). Later, when you set up deployment topology, you specify mappings between the source and destination repositories.