Ekaterina Nutriakova
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Watchdog is a service of MetaTrader 4 trading platform. It was developed to synchronize the main server with a redundant one in real-time in case of technical problems. That is how it allows Forex brokers to resolve problems with synchronizations and backups.
As the 21st century is the fast age of Forex, market participants have to work at high speed. And nobody can wait for a human response when it is possible to automate and simplify it. Thus, embedded systems that are used in Forex have to be self-reliant. This feature offers two advantages:
- Fast recovery after the software freeze.
- Freedom from human operator error in a complex situation where problems need to be resolved quickly.
Watchdog is very useful in brokerages work and their client service since is allows to stabilize the connections between participants of the market and control the work globally.
Background of Watchdog
All Forex market participants may be very good in their specific work. But trading will fail if trading operations are not accomplished in time or under unexpected conditions, due to synchronization or backup failure. To avoid such problems, there is a way to guarantee properly executed operations, such as:
- properly running software and hardware on a working computer,
- stable internet connection,
- functioning trading platform.
The most essential guarantee is the real-time servers that Forex market participants use. All of them, including those from MT4 have to be fully operational 24/7.
However, it is hard to implement in one physical server mode and guarantee an absence of all disruptions, since there are many potential risks, such as:
- power cut,
- hardware failure,
- errors in unlicensed software,
- firewall problems,
- software virus.
For these reasons, there is a MetaTrader 4 Watchdog, that helps to synchronize the main server with a redundant one in real-time. If the main server is disrupted, the redundant server can be launched in several minutes to continue work and provide trading.
Watchdog Functions in MT4
MetaTrader 4 WatchDog offers Forex brokerages the following functions:
- Synchronization of executive files, plugins, and data feeds.
- Synchronization of configuration files (at the start, then hourly).
- Full synchronization of trading and client databases, as well as daily report databases (at the start, then hourly).
- Synchronization of quote history (at the start, then hourly).
- Ensures the identity of the trading and client databases with the main server.
- Back up of all bases and configuration files (daily).
