Replication

Training Division New Delhi

Replication
Allows you to make duplicate copies of your data Move the copies to different locations, and synchronize the data automatically so that all the copies have the same data values. Replication can be implemented between databases on the same server or different servers connected by LANs, WANs, or the Internet.

Components of Replication
Publisher , distributor and subscriber Publication Push and Pull subscriptions Replication agents

Publisher
Is a server that makes data available for replication to other servers. Identifies which data is to be replicated Detects any changed data and maintains information about all publications at that site.

Subscriber
Are servers that store replicated data and receive updates. Subscribers can make updates to data . A Subscriber can, in turn, become a Publisher to other Subscribers

Distributor
The Distributor server
contains the distribution database stores metadata, history data, and (for transactional publications) transactions.

Publication
Is a collection of articles, and an article is a grouping of data to be replicated. An article can be an entire table, only certain columns (using a vertical filter), only certain rows (using a horizontal filter), or even a stored procedure (in some types of replication). A publication can have multiple articles.

Push Subscription
Publisher propagates the changes to a Subscriber without a request from the Subscriber to do so. Typically, used in applications that are required to send changes to Subscribers whenever and as soon as they occur. Best for publications that require near real-time movement of data . Used in cases when the higher processor overhead at the Publisher does not affect performance. Changes can also be pushed to Subscribers on a scheduled basis.

Pull Subscription
With a pull subscription, the Subscriber asks for periodic updates of all changes at the Publisher. Pull subscriptions are best for publications having a large number of Subscribers eg.Subscribers using the Internet. Pull subscriptions allow the user to determine when the data changes are synchronized. A single publication can support a mixture of push and pull subscriptions.

Agents
Snapshot agent Log reader agent Distribution agent Merge agent

Snap shot Agent

Prepares schema and initial data files of published tables and stored procedures. Stores the snapshot on the Distributor and records information about the synchronization status in the distribution database. Each publication has its own Snapshot Agent that runs on the Distributor and connects to the Publisher. The Snapshot Agent is run typically under SQL Server Agent and can be administered directly using SQL Server Enterprise Manager.

Log reader Agent

The Log Reader Agent moves transactions marked for replication from the transaction log on the Publisher to the distribution database. Each database published using transactional replication has its own Log Reader Agent that runs on the Distributor and connects to the Publisher.

Distribution Agent
The Distributor receives all changes to published data, stores the changes in its distribution database, and transmits them to Subscribers. The Distributor may or may not be the same computer as the Publisher.

Push subscriptions to either snapshot or transactional publications have Distribution Agents that run on the Distributor. Pull subscriptions to either snapshot or transactional publications have Distribution Agents that run on the Subscriber instead of the Distributor. Merge publications do not have a Distribution Agent.

Merge Agent
It is the agent in merge replication, that applies initial snapshot jobs held in publication database tables to Subscribers. It also merges incremental data changes that have occurred since the initial snapshot was created. Push subscriptions to merge publications have Merge Agents that run on the Publisher.

Pull subscriptions to merge publications have Merge Agents that run on the Subscriber.

Types of replication
Snapshot

Transactional

Merge

Snapshot replication
? Simplest type of replication ? A picture, or snapshot, of the published data in the database at a moment in time . ? All this data is sent to the Subscriber instead of sending just the changes in data. ? Hence subscribers are updated by a total refresh of the data set. ? Guarantees transactional consistency between the Publisher and Subscriber.

Snapshot replication is carried out by the Snapshot Agent and the Distribution Agent.

The Snapshot Agent prepares snapshot files containing schema and data of published tables and stores the files in the snapshot folder on the Distributor, and records synchronization jobs in the distribution database on the Distributor.

The Distribution Agent moves the snapshot jobs held in the distribution database tables to the destination tables at the Subscribers.

The distribution database is used only by replication and does not contain any user tables.

Transactional replication
? ? ? Used to replicate two distinct types of objects: tables and stored procedures. Uses the transaction log to capture changes that were made to data in an article. The modifications made to the data like Insert,Delete etc are monitored and stores these changes in the distribution database. Changes are then sent to Subscribers and applied in the same order.

The Snapshot Agent ?

? ? prepares snapshot files containing schema and data of published tables, stores the files in the snapshot folder on the Distributor records synchronization jobs in the distribution database on the Distributor.

The Log Reader Agent ?

? monitors the transaction log of each database set up for replication copies the transactions marked for replication from the transaction log into the distribution database.

The Distribution Agent ?

moves the transactions and initial snapshot jobs held in the distribution database tables to Subscribers.

Merge replication
? Merge replication tracks changes in a source database and synchronizes the values between the Publisher and Subscribers, all of whom may update data. Data changes at the destination database are propagated to the source database.

Replication is carried out by the Snapshot Agent and Merge Agent. The Snapshot Agent
? ? ? prepares snapshot files containing schema and data of published tables, stores the files in the snapshot folder on the Distributor, records synchronization jobs in the publication database.

The Merge Agent

? ? ? applies the initial snapshot jobs held in the publication database tables to the Subscriber. merges incremental data changes that occurred at Publisher after the initial snapshot was created the

reconciles conflicts according to rules you configure or using a custom resolver you create.

Steps in replication :
I. Configuring replication (a) Done by replication wizards, available from the SQL Server Enterprise Manager Tools menu. You can use these wizards to enable, modify, and disable servers as Distributors, Publishers, and Subscribers.
Tools >>Replication >> Configure Publishing , Sucbscribers and distribution

Or (b) Using the GUI of Enterprise manager Click on the server name Select replicate data >>configure replication

2. Create Publication Wizard to create a publication (a) Using the Enterprise Manager Tools menu
Tools >>Replication >>Create or manage publication or (b) Use

the GUI of Enterprise manager

Select the create or manage publication icon

3. Use the push or pull subscription Push Subscription Wizard

Push Subscription Wizard to create one or more push subscriptions to each publication on a Publisher.

Using the wizard, you can specify: ?One or more servers or server groups to receive the publication as Subscribers. ?The destination database, which must exist on all Subscribers. ?Subscription properties

Tasks to be performed before the subscription can be created: Create the publication Create a destination database at each subscribing server If selecting more than one server or server group, use the same destination database name at each Subscriber.

How to start the Push Subscription Wizard (Enterprise Manager) To start the Push Subscription Wizard Expand a server group; then expand the Publisher. On the Tools menu, point to Replication, and then click Push Subscription to Others. Expand the database containing the publication in which to create a subscription. Click the publication; then click Push New Subscription. Complete the steps in the wizard.

Pull subscription wizard

Using the Pull Subscription Wizard, you can specify:
? The publication to which you want to subscribe. ? The name of the destination database to be used for the subscription. ? Subscriber properties, such as the synchronization schedule with the Publisher, the visibility of the subscription to other Subscribers, whether the subscription can update data, and what priority each Subscriber has when there is a conflict of changes.

How to start the Pull Subscription Wizard (Enterprise Manager) To start the Pull Subscription Wizard Expand a server group; then expand the Subscriber.

On the Tools menu, point to Replication, and then click Pull Subscription To.... Click Pull New Subscription. Complete the steps in the wizard.