Question About Merging Data between Databases

We have a database that contains data used by other applications. For each new release of the applications there is new data and schema added to the database. We are at a point where we need to add data for mulitple releases, but we do not want the data or the schema for the new release to be put into a previous release. We do want any new data or schema added to prior release to be brought forward to a newer release.

We have been looking at SQL Replication but that seems to fall down if you make schema changes in your subscribers.

I was wondering if anyone else has run into this problem. Also we may be working on 2-3 releases at one time so data and schema changes will need to flow down, but we do not want them to flow up.

If the objects you are changing on the subscribers are articles that are in replication, then I would understand if you have problems. Replication may meet your needs here, but any schema changes at the publisher would have to be recreated at the subscribers as well.

Depending on how up-to-date the data needs to be you may want to look at creating SSIS packages between the different versions or look into making triggers that populate the different versions.