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Best Tricks to Troubleshoot IBM Notes Replication Issues

  author
Rollins Duke   
Published: April 15th, 2023 • 4 Min Read

The process of synchronizing the Lotus Notes data or documents from the same databases but on divergent servers over time is known as Replication. For replication process, there is a special copy of databases called Replica, which enables the user to exchange modification in the database. Therefore, in the write-up, we have come up to troubleshot replication issues with IBM Lotus Notes application.

Local Replication in Lotus Notes

In Lotus Notes, there are following two replication processes:

  • Server – to – Server replication process that requires connection document and server console for initiating. It consists usage of server’s replicator.
  • Workstation – to – Server replication process allow the user to read and work upon local replica. It does not contain any server’s replicator usage.

Causes of Replication Issues

Following are the factors that affect the replication procedure in IBM notes and cause:

  1. Replication Schedule: If the scheduled date is mentioned incorrectly in connection documentation, then it will lead to error in replication.
  2. Replication Type: Push-Push, Pull-Pull, Push-only, and Pull-only are four types of replication. Selection of any one of four types may prevent bi-directional replication.
  3. Server Access List: For instance, the server permission for replication is not allowed then the procedure will not take place.
  4. Authentication: A handshaking process should be enabled between the replication parties. In other words, if a common certificate is not there between parties then replication will not occur.
  5. Replica ID: If applications do not have identical replica ID then they cannot replicate.
  6. Replication Settings: In case the replication setting is disabled by the user then they cannot replicate database.
  7. Access Control List: If the targeted server does not have an application for ACL access on the server that is to be initiated, then few application documents might not replicate correctly.

Troubleshooting Replication Issues

To troubleshoot replication issues, we have to check the above-mentioned factors whether those factors are properly set or not because the replication issues take place due to incorrect modification/settings of factors.

To check or properly set the factors to follow the following workarounds for checking each factor and update it if they are incorrectly set:

For Replication Schedule

  1. Open IBM Domino Administrator and then go to Configuration tab.
  2. On left-hand side select Server and expand it
  3. Now open a connection document and select Schedule tab.
  4. Now check whether the replication schedule is enabled or not. If it is disabled then enable it for replication.

For Replication Type

  1. Open IBM Domino Administrator.
  2. Select Local and the go to Replication/Routing tab.
  3. Search for Replication type box and on that review the type of replication.
  4. If the replication type is correct (according to you) then no changes are required but if not then click on drag button and select the type you wish to enable & click OK.

For Server Access Field

  1. Open IBM Domino Administrator and select Local that is on the left-hand side of the window.
  2. Now select Server option and expand it
  3. After expanding, click on Current Server Document and then go to Security tab.
  4. Under tab, scroll down the window until you do not determine server access field and check the name of the targeted server. If the server name is not displayed then mention the name by writing the proper name of the server where you want to give access to replicate.

For Authentication

  1. Open IBM Domino Administrator and then go to Configuration tab.
  2. On the right-hand side of your page, go to Certification tab and select Cross Certify option.
  3. Now you have to verify each other server id i.e. targeted server and source server
  4. If all is correct then click Cancel else update the details and click OK

For Replica ID

  1. Open Lotus Notes application.
  2. Open workspace of Lotus Notes where replication copy is available.
  3. Now right click on replica created and go to Application >> Properties
  4. Click on i tab on the window that appears in front of you and checks the replica id. Make sure that replica id is identical to database id.

For ACL

  1. Open Lotus Notes application
  2. Open workspace of Lotus Notes where replication copy is available.
  3. Now right click on replica created and go to Application >> Access Control
  4. Check the targeted server whether it is available or not and if not then click on Add button for adding the server

Conclusion

Above are the workarounds of different factors that create errors at the time when they are incorrectly set and when set correctly we troubleshoot the replication issues.