Distributed Index Handler 26.1
Distributed Index Handler Help

# DistributeByReference

Set `DistributeByReference` to `True` if you want DIH to index data based on the reference of the documents being indexed or replaced in. This option applies to DREADD, DREADDDATA and DREREPLACE index actions. To use distribute by reference mode, you must configure standard field processing options to specify the reference field to use to distribute documents. For details, see the Knowledge Discovery Online Help and Knowledge Discovery Administration Guide.

NOTE: You can use this distribution mode only when MirrorMode is set to `False`. DIH will not start if you attempt to configure this distribution mode when MirrorMode is set to `True`.

Reference-based indexing improves the efficiency of data distribution, and reduces the network traffic and load on the child servers. In this mode, DIH uses the document reference to spread the load evenly between all configured servers. With reference-based indexing, DIH sends only the documents that the child server must index, whereas in plain non-mirror mode, DIH sends all index actions to all servers and the child servers calculate the documents to index.

If you enable this option, you cannot alter the number of child servers that DIH indexes to.

When `DistributeByReference` is set to `True`, DIH always distributes documents according to the reference. If a child server goes down, it queues the documents for that child server, and indexes them when the server becomes available. Unlike simple non-mirror mode, it does not redistribute the documents to available servers.

NOTE: Reference-based indexing can prevent deduplication of documents with different references, so use reference-based indexing only with a `KillDuplicates=REFERENCE` or `KillDuplicates=NONE` setting in the `[Server]` section of the Content componentconfiguration file.

If you have chained DIHs in distribute by reference mode, documents might not be distributed evenly by the child servers. Documents are evenly distributed only if the number of child servers at each level are coprime (that is, they have no common factors).

For example, if you have a parent DIH that has two DIH children, each of which has three Content children, documents are distributed properly if all the DIHs are in distribute by reference mode. However, if the parent DIH is distributing by reference to two DIH children, each of which distributes by reference to four Content children, documents are not evenly distributed.

Type: | Boolean
Default: | False
Required: | No
Configuration Section: | Server
Example: | `DistributeByReference=True`
See Also: | Field Processing Configuration Parameters

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Version 26.1 | Last updated January 2026

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Product: Knowledge Discovery Distributed Index Handler 26.1

Topic Title: DistributeByReference