The recommended topology is a star topology, in which a hub replica on a server is connected to a number of satellite replicas throughout the organization. The Design Master is placed on a satellite computer, and replicas reside on the hub server and other satellites.
In this scenario, the Design Master is placed on a satellite computer along with Replication Manager, but not have the Design Master on a synchronization schedule. (The administrator can synchronize it with the hub replica when a structural change to the database is needed.) The replica on the hub server becomes the default synchronization partner for each of the other replicas in the organization. In addition to the Design Master and the hub replica, a base replica is used to copy subsequent replicas to remote clients' machines. Once a copy is made on a user's computer and it is synchronized with the hub replica, the copy becomes a true replica with its own globally unique identifier and is integrated into the Replica Set.

Synchronization Details
During synchronization, a client makes an HTTP connection with an Internet or Intranet server. The client builds a message file containing all the design and data changes that have occurred since the replicas were last synchronized, and places it in the FTP file location on the Internet or Intranet server. The Synchronizer on the Internet or Intranet server then applies these changes to its local replica. Next, the Synchronizer builds a message file containing all the design and data changes that have occurred since the client and server replicas were last synchronized, again placing them in the FTP file location. The server sends the name and location of the message file back to the client workstation. The client then transfers the message file from the server to the client workstation using FTP. All the changes specified within the message file are then applied to the client replica.
You don't need a Synchronizer on the client workstation to synchronize databases over the Internet or Intranet. Instead, the Microsoft Jet and Microsoft Windows DLLs handle all aspects of the synchronization. Depending on how the client workstation and the server are configured, establishing a connection with the server may result in the display of a login dialog box at the client workstation. In this case, the synchronization will not occur unless a user at the client workstation types the appropriate user name and password in the login dialog box.
When a client synchronizes changes with an Internet or Intranet server, several DLLs on the client and server computers work together to perform the synchronization. You cannot perform a direct synchronization between two databases over the Internet or Intranet (as you can on a local area network). Instead, the FTP folder on the server acts as a dropbox folder for an indirect synchronization.
There are other methods of providing updates to database information using Internet synchronization. These methods incur additional costs and administrative manpower to implement and manage. If you have an existing database platform that is not MS-Access, we can still provide the web database integration using other products. We can provide the ability for users to add, edit, delete and/or manipulate data using their familiar tools and in the background, provide Internet synchronization to keep the data up to date. Contact us for more details on your specific hardware/software and DBMS installation.