Avoid looping when you are Synchronizing two (or more) directories in both directions.

When you are running Synchronizations between two or more directories you will want to avoid returning entries back to their original source.

For example, a set of bidirectional connections syncs A-to-B and also B-to-A. You do not want the new contacts in B to sync back to the originating A domain.

To avoid this:

1. Recommended / Best practice includs using a unique Sync OU on each directory. Meaning if you have two connections syncing into Domain B, each should have a unique Sync OU specified on the Destination tab.

2. Also, on the sync back to A, add an Exclude rule specifically excluding the Sync Containers specified on your Destination tabs.

Example: Two connections

A-to-B sync container ‘AContacts’.
B-to-A sync container ‘BContacts’.

a) On your sync from B-to-A you would exclude the contact that originated from A by using the rule dn:ou=AContacts

b) Conversely, On your sync from A-to-B you would exclude the contact that originated from B by using the rule dn:ou=BContacts

Exclusions are added via the Exclude button on the Custom tab. Add one exclusion per line and remember to Save your changes at the bottom of the Exclude window, and then again on the Custom tab.

For Active Directory and other LDAP directories the rule is in the format:

DN:ou=MyOU

If the CN or OU is not unique within a directory you can further qualify the exclusion rule. For example:

DN:ou=MyOU,ou=Parent OU,dc=domain,dc=com