---
title: Add a new replica
description: Add a new PingDS replica using setup profiles, optionally importing LDIF or restoring a backup offline before starting the server.
component: pingds
version: 8
page_id: pingds:config-guide:repl-add-replica
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingds/8.1/config-guide/repl-add-replica.html
llms_txt: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingds/llms.txt
docs_for_agents: https://developer.pingidentity.com/build-with-ai/docs-for-agents.md
revdate: 2025-05-21T10:02:12Z
keywords: ["Features", "LDAP", "Replication"]
superseded_by: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingds/8.1/config-guide/repl-add-replica.html
---

# Add a new replica

Adding a new replica means [installing a new DS server](../install-guide/preface.html).

* If you have the user data as LDIF and can import it using one of the setup profiles, set the new replica up with the appropriate setup profiles, importing the data from LDIF at setup time.

* If you must import user data from LDIF you can't import through a setup profile, or you opt to get the user data by restoring backup files from another replica:

  1. Set the new replica up with the appropriate setup profiles, *omitting the `setup --start` option to prevent the new server from starting*.

  2. With the new replica stopped, [import the LDIF *offline*](import-export.html#import-ldif) or [restore the data from backup *offline*](../maintenance-guide/backup-restore.html#restore-offline).

  3. Start the new replica.

     |   |                                                                                                                              |
     | - | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
     |   | If you accidentally started the new replica before you restored the data from backup, remove the new replica and start over. |