Distributed updates

A distributed update keeps all copies of a request in an ownership chain synchronized with the master copy (the request with ownership). Modified information in the master request is automatically sent to other requests in the chain at a specified time interval: daily, hourly, immediately, or whenever ownership of the request is returned.

For example, suppose you have a broken keyboard. You submit a replacement request on the sanfrancisco server. Because the chicago server handles office equipment replacements, the sanfrancisco server uses a Data + Ownership distributed transfer to send the request to the chicago server. This creates an ownership chain between the sanfrancsico and chicago copies of the request. After the keyboard is replaced, the status of the master request on the chicago server is changed to Completed. Because the distributed mapping between the forms is configured to update the other copies in the ownership chain immediately, this change triggers the DSO to update the status of the copy on the sanfrancisco server.

Consider the following factors when deciding whether distributed updates are required:

• When distributed transfers occur between two forms whose requests are static, the copy on the source server probably does not need to be updated because the master request does not change after it is transferred. For example, Data Only and Independent Copy transfers usually fit this criteria.
• If users at the target site modify the master request and users at the source site need those modifications, copies in the ownership chain should be updated. For example, Data + Ownership transfers usually fit this criteria.

The following figure shows the basic flow of a distributed update. (The request in the darker form has ownership after the operation is completed.)

Distributed update flow

For an example of how to set up a distributed update, see Distributed-update-scenario.