To help companies find a server replication solution that\u2019s right for them, we put together this guide discussing the factors you should consider when seeking an SRS solution (speed and scale, reliability, security, visibility, and compatibility with your specific use cases). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our guide is followed by a review of seven of the most popular server replication solutions on the market. We provide a deep dive into our own server replication software, Resilio Active Everywhere, and describe how it seeks to fulfill the criteria above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you want to learn more about Resilio Platform for your team, schedule a demo <\/em>here<\/em><\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n To help you narrow down your list and focus on the right solutions, look for server replication software that meets these five criteria:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In our experience, speed and scale are two of the biggest issues that have historically driven customers away from their old server replication software and to us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, when analyzing a server replication solution, consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Customers have also told us that one of their biggest frustrations with replication tools is reliability. Anyone who\u2019s worked with DFSR knows how often it breaks down and how much time is wasted on error-resolution (in fact, we\u2019ve written multiple articles<\/a> on DFSR errors and alternatives<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Look for a server replication software solution that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Between cybersecurity threats and the need to protect sensitive data, high security is a must for any server replication software. Your solution must:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many of our customers came to us complaining about a lack of visibility with DFSR and similar server replication tools. In other words, they don\u2019t have a centralized location where you can see metrics, build reports, see error logs, and control details like bandwidth usage and schedule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In contrast, having a centralized management UI allows teams to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, beyond the four fundamental requirements above, you also should make sure your replication tool can adapt to the specific scenarios and use cases your organization requires. This includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Below, we discuss 7 server replication software solutions, starting with an in depth discussion of our own \u2014 Resilio Platform \u2014 and how we\u2019ve gone about trying to fulfill the five factors above. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Resilio Active Everywhere (formerly Connect) is a high speed, scalable, P2P solution for syncing and replicating data between servers in real-time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Active Everywhere is used by leading companies in media (Turner Sports, Skywalker Sound, etc.), tech and video games (Larian Studios, Electronic Arts, etc.), retail\/healthcare\/engineering (Mercedes Benz, YUM!, Buckeye Power Sales, etc.), and maritime remote operations (Northern Marine Group, Linblad Expeditions, and more).<\/p>\n\n\n\n What differentiates Resilio from many other server replication tools is its unique P2P file sharing architecture and WAN acceleration technology<\/a> that give Resilio some of the highest transfer speeds (10+ Gbps) that scales easily whether you\u2019re replicating data between 2 servers or 200. Let\u2019s look at why in detail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Resilio\u2019s speed and scalability are primarily the result of two features: Our P2P architecture and WAN optimization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most server replication tools work with a client-server architecture \u2014 a model where one device is designated as the Server and all others as Clients. In this setup, the Server provides the Clients with data and can receive data from the Clients. The Clients, however, can only send or receive data to\/from the Server. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Because the Client computers have limited privileges, replication tools that use the client-server model have to rely on \u201ccloud-hopping\u201d: In order to transfer data from Client A to Client B, the data must first transfer to the Server.<\/p>\n\n\n But Resilio\u2019s P2P architecture is omnidirectional. Every computer is equally privileged, enabling it to overcome the limits of cloud-hopping and deliver:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Faster Transfer Speed<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In a P2P setup, every device can send data directly to any other device. And when moving data to\/from several devices, each receiver can also become a sender \u2014 resulting in transfer speeds that are 3 – 10x faster than any client-server solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Higher Availability<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the client-server model, the entire infrastructure is dependent upon the Server computer, which must be online at all times in order for things to work. But issues such as operating system errors, network disruption, hardware failures, and more can bring the Server down or impact its availability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a P2P model, however, any available device can provide the necessary data or service to any other device \u2014 so you\u2019re never dependent on just one machine and your system is always available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Organic Scalability<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In a client-server model, scaling up your infrastructure to handle larger demand (i.e., more data, more users, and\/or more devices) is complex and costly. For example, if you have more Clients than a single Server can serve, you\u2019ll need to deploy another Server and design a system that balances the load between them. In addition, you simply add more \u201ccloud hopping\u201d slowdowns as you add more clients: Each change on all the clients needs to first go to the server before being pushed to the other clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But a P2P architecture is organically scalable.<\/strong> Every device can share data with every other device. It\u2019s a mesh network. So the more devices you add, the more \u201cservers\u201d you are effectively adding. This dramatically speeds up the transfer process instead of slowing it down: New data on client A can be sent to client B, C, D, etc. and each of them can now send that data to a bunch of other clients, and so on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, more demand also inherently creates more supply \u2014 making P2P solutions perfect for applications that involve large data and\/or many users.<\/p>\n\n\n Further reading: <\/em><\/strong>You can read more about the benefits of P2P file collaboration <\/em>here<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n While P2P architecture optimizes the structure of data transfer, enabling each device to act as a server and communicate with any other device in your network, WAN acceleration optimizes how and when data gets transferred in order to maximize transfer speed, security, and reliability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resilio Platform optimizes WAN transfer better than any other solution available using:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Parallel Transfer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Other WAN optimized server replication solutions (e.g., Aspera, Signiant, UDT, etc.) are designed for the client-server model and can only optimize data transfer point-to-point. But with Resilio\u2019s P2P N-way sync architecture, files can be transferred and replicated across the entire network of devices, rather than just point-to-point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This dramatically increases the speed of data delivery by leveraging internet channels across all locations. And the transfer speed increases as more endpoints are added. Resilio Platform will be 50% faster than one-to-one solutions in a 1:2 transfer scenario and 500% faster in a 1:10 scenario.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Resilio\u2019s Proprietary Transfer Protocol: ZGT<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Resilio Platform optimizes file transfer even more using our proprietary transfer protocol: Zero Gravity Transport \u2122 (ZGT).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Traditional transfer protocols weren\u2019t designed for modern WANs, and are hindered by high packet transmission time and packet loss. ZGT \u2122 minimizes the impact of packet loss and high latency and maximizes transfer speed across any network using:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Further reading:<\/em><\/strong> For more information on how Resilio optimizes WAN transfer, check out our <\/em>WAN optimization whitepaper<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n The combination of P2P architecture and WAN acceleration enables Resilio to provide high-performance transfer regardless of network conditions, enabling enterprise organizations to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resilio\u2019s flexible BYO storage means it can be deployed instantly with your existing infrastructure (on-prem, edge, or cloud). As a vendor-agnostic solution, you can have Resilio Platform up, running, and syncing in as little as 2 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Try our <\/em>transfer speed calculator<\/em><\/a> to see <\/em>how much time we can save for you.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Resilio is also the most resilient server synchronization solution available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resilio\u2019s code is reliable and well-tested, with a codebase that\u2019s been around for 10+ years and installed on more than 10M devices of all types. And it uses simple data structures that are corruption-proof to keep an index of the file system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to speed, our P2P architecture and WAN Optimization provide:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, one of the most common complaints of our customers about their previous server replication software solutions is the lack of customer support. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve made having reliable, always available and fast customer support a priority. We provide 24×7 support and will respond to major issues within 2 hours or less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resilio provides state-of-the-art data security that was reviewed and verified by 3rd party security experts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Securely transfer files over end-to-end encrypted connections using:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other tools (especially DFSR) leave you in the dark about the status of your system. But Resilio\u2019s dashboard, real-time notifications, and detailed logs provide you with clear insight into the state of replication in your network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resilio also enables you to adapt key parameters like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resilio\u2019s configurability empowers you to control costs and resource usage, optimize performance, and spot\/resolve any issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to see if Resilio Platform could be a fit for you, <\/em>schedule a demo<\/em><\/a> or <\/em>learn more here<\/em><\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n5 Factors to Consider When Choosing Server Replication Software<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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1. Speed and Scale<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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2. Reliability and Fault Tolerance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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3. Security<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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4. Centralized Management and Visibility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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5. Use Cases<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Resilio Active Everywhere: Fast, Reliable, P2P-based Server Replication<\/h2>\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.resilio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-4-1024x573.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSpeed and Scale: How Resilio Achieves the Highest Replication Speeds in the Industry<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
P2P Architecture<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"Client-Server](\"https:\/\/blog.resilio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/client-server.gif\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n![\"P2P](\"https:\/\/blog.resilio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/p2p-vs-client-server.gif\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nWAN Acceleration <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Resilio](\"https:\/\/blog.resilio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/resilio-connect-vs-competitors-1024x524.png\")
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High Reliability & Fault Tolerance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Security: End-to-End Encryption<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Centrally Managed & Highly Visible<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.resilio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/agent-hybrid-cloud-gateway_1-1-1024x662.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOther Server Replication Software<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
PeerGFS<\/h3>\n\n\n
![\"PeerGFS](\"https:\/\/blog.resilio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/peergfs-homepage-1024x619.png\")
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.resilio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-2-1024x481.png\")
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