To use a disk file for a partition, create the file before you execute the create partition command.
You can create an empty file and set its permissions so that Replication Server can read and write to the file. Replication Server extends the file to the size you specify.
Partitions can be either raw disk partitions, which is preferable, or operating system files. Where a choice is available, raw disk partitions provide the best recoverability, since disk writes to raw disk partitions are not buffered by the operating system.