# Create a Data Directory

Before starting the Central Administration server for the first time, you must create a data directory for the server. This directory is where the server stores deployment and working directories for each EMS server it manages.

You cannot share the data directory between Central Administration server instances. That is, each running Central Administration server requires its own data directory.

On startup, the Central Administration server looks for a data directory named `emsca_data` in the working directory. If you wish to specify a different name or location, use the `--data` command line option or related configuration file property to point the server to the correct location.

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