replication interval for site link vs connection object

Hello,

Site links and connection objects are both important components in Active Directory for managing replication. The main difference between them is the scope and purpose of the object:

Site Links: Site links are objects used to connect replication traffic between different sites. It is commonly used to manage cross-site replication between sites, ensuring that Active Directory data is synchronized between domain controllers in different geographical locations. The site link contains a Replication Interval property that defines the time between replications between the two sites, which defaults to 180 minutes.

Additionally, the site link contains a "change schedule" attribute that specifies when the replication operation should occur. For example, if the network is busy during business hours, the administrator may schedule a large amount of replication work to occur at night to avoid disrupting daily business operations.

Connection Object: A connection object is an object that represents the replication relationship between two specific domain controllers. Whenever a connection is established between domain controllers, a connection object is created. Each connection object also has its own "change schedule," a more microscopic level of control that allows fine-grained adjustments to replication times between specific DC pairs.

This means that even if replication windows are set at the site link level, administrators can set different replication schedules for each pair of DCs to meet specific needs or network conditions. For example, if there is a large amount of data exchanged between two DCs, more flexible replication times may be needed to avoid congestion.

The "Change Schedule" of the connection object works together with the "Change Schedule" of the site link to manage replication traffic. Site links determine the replication intervals and schedules between sites and control the overall replication frequency and time window. The connection object determines when replication operations between specific domain controllers are performed, fine-tuning the specific DC pair.

Site link properties: Setting Site Link Properties | Microsoft Learn

I hope the information above is helpful.

Best Regards,

Yanhong Liu

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