---
title: Initializing data on all servers
description: Initialize user data across all PingDirectory servers during deployment automation by importing data on one server and replicating it with dsreplication.
component: pingdirectory
version: 10.2
page_id: pingdirectory:pingdirectory_server_administration_guide:pd_ds_init_data_all_servers
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingdirectory/11.1/pingdirectory_server_administration_guide/pd_ds_init_data_all_servers.html
llms_txt: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingdirectory/llms.txt
docs_for_agents: https://developer.pingidentity.com/build-with-ai/docs-for-agents.md
revdate: 2023-09-13T00:00:00Z
superseded_by: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingdirectory/11.1/pingdirectory_server_administration_guide/pd_ds_init_data_all_servers.html
section_ids:
  about-this-task: About this task
  steps: Steps
---

# Initializing data on all servers

## About this task

Skip this step if you are using one of the following methods to load data during the initial setup:

* Each server instance imports the same user data from one or more LDIF backup files

* Data is synchronized from another source, such as an Active Directory server, to all servers

* No data is imported initially

Data must be imported and available on a single server only. Servers that don't feature user data must be initialized reliably and quickly. The absence of user data during the initial setup doesn't prevent the environment from being set up correctly.

## Steps

1. Create or obtain the `topology.json` file either manually or by using external automation. When promoting from a dev/test environment to a stage/prod environment, you can obtain a `topology.json` file using the `manage-topology export` subcommand.

2. Import data into one of the server instances, as follows:

   ```
   import-ldif --backendID userRoot \
     --ldifFile userData0.ldif \
     --ldifFile userData1.ldif
   ```

3. Initialize data on each server by using this server as the initial source:

   ```
   dsreplication initialize \
     --topologyFilePath /path/to/topology.json \
     --retryTimeoutSeconds 120
   ```

   For the sake of simplicity, other `dsreplication` options are not shown.