Difference between data replication and synchronization?

Question

I'm having trouble finding the differences between data synchronization and replication.

From what I can tell, replication is making all data between 2 databases the same. Synchronization doesn't necessarily make ALL DATA between the two databases the same. Replication is a one time transfer, where synchronization can be small updates to keep data consistent? I'm not too sure, please correct me here?

If I was to have a central mySQL database which stores multiple mobiles data, and my aim was to keep the data from the phone the same as the data from mySQL (only the certain users data), would that be synchronization or replication or both? It would initially get all the users data(replication), and then sent any updated data after that(synchronization)?

Hope can someone can clear up the confusion, many thanks!

Answer 1

To put it very bluntly:

• Replication implies strongly that there are two or more copies of (all) the data
• Synchronization implies that two or more copies of data are being kept up-to-date, but not necessarily that each copy contains all of the data (although this is typically the case for database syncing)

But I'd wager the terms are often used interchangeably, I'm pretty sure I could find plenty of examples of "replication" being used to describe multiple databases being kept in sync.

So don't get too hung up on these two terms - they mean the same general thing, but obviously there can be a vast difference in how different database systems or tools achieve whatever they refer to as "replication" or "synchronization".