Deploying large data on mongodb replicaset

Question

Can I deploy large database by copying its files (eg. testing database with files: testing.0,testing.1,testing.ns found on mongodb dbpath) from another server to the target servers (replica set) to avoid usage of communication bandwidth for replication (in case it is only deployed to the primary)? So basically I want to avoid the slow process of replication.

If journaling is enabled, what is the effect on the process?

Answer 1

Yes you can, this is a perfectly valid way of solving having to do tedious and time consuming replication between members of a distanced or latenced network.

If journaling is enabled nothing really happens, copying via the file system goes around MongoDB.