What is Replication:

Replication is one of the most important, yet least understood features of Lotus Notes/Domino.

Replication is the process of keeping databases synchronized. That applies to both the design (the look and colors, the forms, the views that display the documents, the security, etc), and the information (documents) inside the databases.

Think of one of the Lotus Notes databases that we use at our company. May be a HelpDesk application, or Email, or a Document Library. That database most likely resides on more than one server in the company. Perhaps employees in Noida access it on Server A, while employees in Hyderabad access it on Server B, Chennai uses Server C, and people in US use Server D. We want everyone to see the same information. So when we create a new document in that database, or edit (update) and existing document, or even delete a document, replication is the Domino process that makes sure those changes are also reflected in the other databases.

Replication occurs on a schedule that your Domino Administrators set-up. For important databases this schedule maybe frequent, such as every 10 minutes, or 5,or even 1. Other databases which are not as "time sensitive" may replicate only once a day.