Backup servers?

[Ilax]

There ARE servers in California. BUT they are not for gameplay, they are servers for updates etc.... So they are not as big or capable of just throwing the gameplay data on there & power em up.

Kinda like you said, California are just relay server, they don't hold as much information as the one in japan.

Best example that i can explain is the latency, if you would be connected direct to the japan server (from US) your lag would be horrible due to all the relay, and SE would also have 0 control on it, so a quick workaround for SE is to put a server somewhere in US (like California). Now instead receive information direct from japan, the japan server sync the info with California server allowing info to be released at same time for user in japan and user in USA.

So ya that server is useless without the master server Is of course more then that, but it give you an idea of what that server do. Another way to see it is a radio station and a station that just boost the signal.