Asynchronous Replication

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What Does Asynchronous Replication Mean?

Asynchronous replication is a data storage backup technique where data is not immediately backed up during or immediately after the primary storage acknowledges write complete, but rather done over a period of time. This method results in a system with good performance and lesser bandwidth requirement, but the backups are not immediately available if something happens to the primary storage.

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Techopedia Explains Asynchronous Replication

In an asynchronous replication backup system, the data is written to the primary storage first, then depending on the settings and the type of implementation, replicates the data into a separate remote storage medium like magnetic tape or high-density disks. The copying or replication is done in predetermined intervals.

This method allows for good performance without taking a hit to bandwidth usage as data is not replicated to remote backups in real-time, as in a synchronous replication method. Data is only backed up after predetermined times. This does not guarantee 100% backup, so it should be used for less sensitive data or information that has tolerance for loss.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.