---
title: Introduction to the PingDataSync server
description: The PingDataSync server uses a dataless approach that synchronizes changes directly from the data sources in the background so that applications can continue to update their data sources directly. PingDataSync doesn't store any data from the endpoints themselves, which reduces hardware and administration costs. The server's high-availability mechanisms allow for easy failover from the main PingDataSync server to redundant instances.
component: pingdirectory
version: 11.0
page_id: pingdirectory::pd_sync_main_intro
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingdirectory/11.0/pd_sync_main_intro.html
section_ids:
  pingdatasync-server-features: PingDataSync server features
---

# Introduction to the PingDataSync server

The PingDataSync server uses a dataless approach that synchronizes changes directly from the data sources in the background so that applications can continue to update their data sources directly. PingDataSync doesn't store any data from the endpoints themselves, which reduces hardware and administration costs. The server's high-availability mechanisms allow for easy failover from the main PingDataSync server to redundant instances.

## PingDataSync server features

PingDataSync is designed to run with little administrative maintenance and includes the following features:

* High performance and availability with built-in redundancy.

* Dataless [virtual architecture](pingdatasync_server_administration_guide/pd_sync_data_sync_process.html) for a small-memory footprint and ease of maintenance.

* Comprehensive and straightforward setup that enables mapping [attribute names](pingdatasync_server_administration_guide/pd_sync_about_attr_mapping.html), values, and [distinguished names (DNs)](pingdatasync_server_administration_guide/pd_sync_config_dn_maps.html) between endpoints. For directory server endpoints, this enables schema and directory information tree (DIT) changes without custom coding and scripting.

* Multi-vendor directory server support, including:

  * PingDirectory server

  * [PingDirectoryProxy server](pingdatasync_server_administration_guide/pd_sync_thru_pdproxy_server.html)

  * Sun Directory Server Enterprise Edition

  * Sun Directory Server

  * Oracle Unified Directory

  * OpenDJ

  * [Microsoft AD](pingdatasync_server_administration_guide/pd_sync_ad_systems.html)

  * Generic LDAP directories

* [RDBMS support](pingdatasync_server_administration_guide/pd_sync_with_relational_databases.html), including Oracle Database and Microsoft SQL server systems.

* Proxy server support including PingDirectoryProxy server.

* A [notification mode](pingdatasync_server_administration_guide/pd_sync_in_notification_mode.html) that sends real-time change notifications to the application or service of your choice through the server SDK.