geode-docs/developing/distributed_regions/managing_distributed_regions.html.md.erb

---
title:  Configure Distributed, Replicated, and Preloaded Regions
---

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Plan the configuration and ongoing management of your distributed, replicated, and preloaded regions, and configure the regions.

<a id="configure_distributed_region__section_11E9E1B3EB5845D9A4FB226A992B8D0D"></a>
Before you begin, understand [Basic Configuration and Programming](../../basic_config/book_intro.html).

1.  Choose the region shortcut setting that most closely matches your region configuration. See **`org.apache.geode.cache.RegionShortcut`** or [Region Shortcuts](../../reference/topics/chapter_overview_regionshortcuts.html#concept_ymp_rkz_4dffhdfhk). To create a replicated region, use one of the `REPLICATE` shortcut settings. To create a preloaded region, set your region `data-policy` to `preloaded`. This `cache.xml` declaration creates a replicated region:

    ``` pre
    <region-attributes refid="REPLICATE"> 
    </region-attributes>
    ```

    You can also use gfsh to configure a region. For example:

    ``` pre
    gfsh>create region --name=regionA --type=REPLICATE
    ```

    See [Region Types](../region_options/region_types.html#region_types).

2.  Choose the level of distribution for your region. The region shortcuts in `RegionShortcut` for distributed regions use `distributed-ack` scope. If you need a different scope, set the `region-attributes` `scope` to `distributed-no-ack` or `global`.

    Example:

    ``` pre
    <region-attributes refid="REPLICATE" scope="distributed-no-ack"> 
    </region-attributes>
    ```

3.  If you are using the `distributed-ack` scope, optionally enable concurrency checks for the region.

    Example:

    ``` pre
    <region-attributes refid="REPLICATE" scope="distributed-ack" concurrency-checks-enabled="true"> 
    </region-attributes>
    ```

4.  If you are using `global` scope, program any explicit locking you need in addition to the automated locking provided by <%=vars.product_name%>.

## <a id="configure_distributed_region__section_6F53FB58B8A84D0F8086AFDB08A649F9" class="no-quick-link"></a>Local Destroy and Invalidate in the Replicated Region

Of all the operations that affect the local cache only, only local region destroy is allowed in a replicated region. Other operations are not configurable or throw exceptions. For example, you cannot use local destroy as the expiration action on a replicated region. This is because local operations like entry invalidation and destruction remove data from the local cache only. A replicated region would no longer be complete if data were removed locally but left intact.