Create a replica without having direct server access
Thomas Hampel
5 July 2013Here the problem:
You want to create a new replica of an existing database on a server which you are responsible for, you are not allowed to access the remote server.
Not having access means your user ID is e.g. in an access deny group, or in a more simple scenario a firewall is blocking direct access.
However, how would you pull a new replica from the remote server down to yours?
The answer is simple - you can set up a replica stub on your server without the need of accessing the remote server.
Step by step instructions
1. Switch to your workspace, make sure you have no database selected.
2. Use File\Replication\New Replica
3. Type the Servername + Filename >from< which you want to pull the replica.
4. Click "Select"
Now your client will try to connect to the remote server, which of course wont work.
5. A dialog box will display, showing an incomplete question
Here you have to select "Yes" without knowing what the question actually means.
Note: Obviously thats a bug, but it seems that it has not been fixed yet.
6. Choose to which server you want to put the replica, also define a file name of your choice.
7. Disable "Create Immediately"
8. Hit okay to create an uninitialized replica stub
9. Last and final step is to replicate this database on console level using the command:
>pull remoteserver/ou/o localpath/filename.nsf
A note for beginners:
Your server also must be allowed to read from the remote server and the target server needs to know how to reach the source server...so make sure you have propper name resolution or connection documents in place.