merger replication - best strategy

[Gert Wurzer]

Hi!
It would be very nice if some people out there, using
merge replication can tell me their strategy to get
started with a new subscriber. Is it a good way to copy
a publisher backup to the new subscriber and restore it
there and say that schema and data is already here when
creating the subscription?
I experienced some troubles when I tried to add a new
subscriber and used the initial snapshot transfer to
get the db to the new sub. (no defaults are transferred...???)
Or is it even better to use DTS?

I'd also be very grateful forinformations about RESCUE
STRATEGIES in case of a major database problem of replicated
databases!

Hoping for some answers. TIA & Best Regards
Gert

[Markus]

Hi Gert

I'm just in the middle of a roll out there we face the same problems. I would say there are 2 main things which determin your choicew. First the size of your database and second the type of network connection.
In my case I have to set up merge replication between 10 servers over an ISDN line for a 1GB DB. We decided to make a backup from the publisher, zip it and put it on a CD. Then we restore the DB on the subscribers. This has the advantage that we transfer not only the complete schema incl. Defaults etc. but also all users/roles for the database.
Incase you have a smaller DB and/or a highspeed connection you could use DTS but then you still have to add the users on your subscriber.

Markus


------------
Gert Wurzer at 11/27/00 3:39:17 AM

Hi!
It would be very nice if some people out there, using
merge replication can tell me their strategy to get
started with a new subscriber. Is it a good way to copy
a publisher backup to the new subscriber and restore it
there and say that schema and data is already here when
creating the subscription?
I experienced some troubles when I tried to add a new
subscriber and used the initial snapshot transfer to
get the db to the new sub. (no defaults are transferred...???)
Or is it even better to use DTS?

I'd also be very grateful forinformations about RESCUE
STRATEGIES in case of a major database problem of replicated
databases!

Hoping for some answers. TIA & Best Regards
Gert