Tungsten Replicator 2.0.4 released: usability and power

It has been a bumpy ride, with dozens of issues opened and resolved, but we finally feel that Tungsten Replicator 2.0.4 is ready for prime time. There have been quite a lot of changes. Most notably, the replicator is much faster, especially when it comes to parallel replication, and it is much easier to install, thanks to its new integrated installer, which can validate all the requirements to install the replicator, and suggest remedies when the requirements aren't met. This new installer is so good, in fact, that calling it installer is an insult. It is a legitimate cluster builder, able to install a full fledged cluster from a central location.

Probably equally important, we have caught up with the documentation, and now you can install several replication topologies following detailed instructions from the docs. You will find both HTML and PDF guides, with the steps to install straight master/slave systems, or direct slave takeover, or bi-directional replication. The binaries are available in the project's Downloads page. Later on, you will find the most updated (and possibly less bug-infested) binaries in our build server list. The Release_Notes list all the issues that have been closed since we released 2.0.3. The advanced users will especially appreciate an innovation introduced in the installer, which now allows users to define one or more of --property=key=value. Using this option wisely, you can now customize the replication properties straight at the start. What used to require several commands and a restart of the replicator right after the installation, now flows smoothly and quickly with one single command. With this release, Tungsten Replicator is closer to become a tool for mass consumption. The old installation method (which we have deprecated and renamed, to discourage anyone from using it) required time, constant attention, and it was unforgiving. The new one will let you make your mistakes freely. If something is amiss anywhere in all the servers where you are installing, it won't install and it will tell you what went wrong. This is probably my favorite feature, because it allows Tungsten to be used by less experienced users. Now it's up to the users. We have no illusion that the product is bug free, and we want to hear from users who try it and report on Issues.