The Base Path is the location in which geodatabase updates (.mdb or .gdb files) are stored and made available to the Web Service. The Web Service uses these files to create the delta file sent to the client to update a client geodatabase.

Geodatabase Replication allows for multiple replication servers. However, all replication servers must point to the same Base Path. For example, assume there are two replication servers: RS1 and RS2. The Base Path location on RS1 is D:\GDB Replication\ServerBase\. This directory must be shared (as discussed below) and RS2 must point to \\RS1\GDB Replication\ServerBase\ as its Base Path.

It is recommended that the Base Path be as close to the replication server as possible for optimal performance.

The Base Path is simply a directory structure with the appropriate sharing and permissions. Figure 1 shows a sample directory structure for a Base Path.

Figure 1

In figure 1, the Base Path is the ServerBase folder in the example above. You can name the Base Path anything you'd like.

Assign Directory Permissions

The Base Path must meet the following requirements:

The Base Path directory must be shared with the domain user and grant Read and Write share permissions (Sharing tab).
The Base Path directory must grant the following permissions to all clients requiring updates: Read & Execute, List Folder Contents, Read (Security tab). This allows users to get updated information using the File Copy (UNCopy) method.
The Base Path directory must grant the following permissions to the domain user (Security tab): Modify, Read & Execute, List Folder Contents, Read, Write.
The Base Path directory must grant the permissions displayed in Figure 2 to the domain user. To access this screen, right-click the Base Path, select Properties and click the Security tab. Click Advanced. Select the domain user and click Edit. Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008: Right-click the Base Path, select Properties and click the Security tab. Click Advanced. Select the domain user and click Change Permissions, then click Edit.

Figure 2, Base Path permissions for domain user

While creating the Base Path directory, you may wish to include an Initial Extracts folder. This folder holds the geodatabase from which the first delta will be created (geodatabase created in the Before You Begin section). If you wish to maintain initial extract geodatabases for your replicas, create an Initial Extract folder. You can name this folder anything you'd like.