[id='xsite_masters-{context}']
= Site Masters
Site masters are the nodes in {brandname} clusters that are responsible for
sending and receiving requests from backup locations.

If a node is not a site master, it must forward backup requests to a local site
master. Only site masters can send requests to backup locations.

For optimal performance, you should configure all nodes as site masters. This
increases the speed of backup requests because each node in the cluster can
backup to remote sites directly without having to forward backup requests to
site masters.

[NOTE]
====
Diagrams in this document illustrate {brandname} clusters with one site master
because this is the default for the JGroups RELAY2 protocol. Likewise, a single 
site master is easier to illustrate because each site master in a cluster
communicates with each site master in the remote cluster.
====
