Replacing existing proxies and replicas

If you currently use a Helix Proxy, evaluate whether it should be replaced with an edge server. If a proxy is delivering acceptable performance, then it can be left in place indefinitely. You can use proxies in front of edge servers if necessary. Deploying commit and edge servers is notably more complex than deploying a master server and proxy servers. Consider your environment carefully.

Of the three types of replicas available, forwarding replicas are the best candidates to be replaced with edge servers. An edge server provides a better solution than a forwarding replica for many use cases.

Build replicas can be replaced if necessary. If your build processes need to issue write commands other than p4 sync, an edge server is a good option. But if your build replicas are serving adequately, then you can continue to use them indefinitely.

Read-only replicas, typically used for disaster recovery, can remain in place. You can use read-only replicas as part of a backup plan for edge servers.