A method and system for synchronizing M application rules across N database instances. N and M are each at least 2. A rule synchronization agent is executed which updates N1 database instances with the M application rules and does not update a remaining N-N1 database instances with the M application rules if N1 is equal to N. N1 is at least 1. If N1 is less than N, then each of the remaining N-N1 database instances include a first and/or second characteristic. The first characteristic is that the remaining database instances include the M application rules upon initiation of the executing. The second characteristic is that the agent is unable to access the remaining database instance during the executing.