With database replication, it is no longer necessary to make a separate backup copy of your database. Each member of the replica set serves as a backup of the replicable portion of the database. If the Design Master is corrupted or unusable, do not copy or restore an older version of the Design Master; instead, make another member of the replica set the Design Master. To make a replica the Design Master, either use the DesignMasterID property as described in the “Moving the Design Master” section later in this chapter, or use the Microsoft Access menu command by pointing to Replication on the Tools menu and then clicking Recover Design Master.
Caution Do not to back up and restore members of the replica set as you would ordinary files. If you back up and restore the Design Master, you could lose critical information about changes to the design of the database as well as the ability of the Design Master to synchronize with the other replicas in the set.