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Note  The information in this topic applies only to a Microsoft Access database (.mdb).

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The replica set (replica set: The Design Master and all replicas that share the same database design and unique replica set identifier.) retention period setting controls the number of days non-synchronized (synchronization: The process of updating two members of a replica set by exchanging all updated records and objects in each member. Two replica set members are synchronized when the changes in each have been applied to the other.) records are retained in system tables (system object: Database objects that are defined by the system, such as the table MSysIndexes, or by the user. You can create a system object by naming the object with USys as the first four characters in the object name.). The retention period is established when the database is initially made replicable (replication: The process of copying a database so that two or more copies can exchange updates of data or replicated objects. This exchange is called synchronization.). If you replicate the database by using Data Access Objects (DAO) (Data Access Objects (DAO): A data access interface that communicates with Microsoft Jet and ODBC-compliant data sources to connect to, retrieve, manipulate, and update data and the database structure.) or Jet and Replication Objects (JRO) (JRO: A set of automation interfaces that you can use to perform actions specific to Microsoft Jet databases. Using JRO, you can compact databases, refresh data from the cache, and create and maintain replicated databases.), the default retention period is 60 days. If you replicate the database by using Microsoft Access or Briefcase, the default retention period is 1,000 days.

The retention period can be changed in a Design Master (Design Master: The only member of the replica set in which you can make changes to the database structure that can be propagated to other replicas.) by setting the JRO RetentionPeriod property. The retention period must be between 5 and 32,000 days. The replica set should have a large retention period if the replicas (replica: A copy of a database that is a member of a replica set and can be synchronized with other replicas in the set. Changes to the data in a replicated table in one replica are sent and applied to the other replicas.) do not synchronize frequently. However, if the replicas synchronize frequently and you want to keep the replica size small, specify a shorter retention period.

A replica or Design Master must receive, as well as send, data and schema within the retention period. When you open a replica that expires within 5 days in Microsoft Access, a message reminds you that the replica expires soon. If the retention period expires for a replica, Access will not synchronize changes between the expired replica and the other replicas in the replica set. If a replica does not synchronize with another replica in the set within the retention period, the next time you attempt to synchronize the replica, it gets removed from the replica set. If the Design Master expires, you must recover the Design Master to change an existing or new replica into the Design Master.