When Dbvisit Replicate prepares a table for replication it captures the SCN of the Oracle database to record the starting point. This is done through the prepare statement. The prepare statement does not start the replication, but initiates the following:
1. Marks the table on Mine to be mined.
2. Sets the conflict handlers.
3. Records the SCN (or sets the starting point - in some terminology this is called instantiation). When the actual replication begins (through the start mine command), it will start mining (or replicating) from this SCN for the table.