Professional Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 Administration

16.2. Replication Models

There are quite a few different ways that replication can be set up. This section covers some of the most common replication topologies. These can be considered the basic building blocks, and from these considerably more complex topologies can be constructed.

16.2.1. Single Publisher, One or More Subscribers

This is perhaps the simplest topology to use with a single publishing database, with one or more subscription databases. This topology might be used where you need to keep a hot standby system, or distribute data from a central office to multiple field offices. Figure 16-1 shows the basic structure of this topology with the distributor on the publishing server.

Figure 16-1. Figure 16-1

Figure 16-2 shows a more advanced option with a separate server for the distribution database. Use this option when you need more performance at the distributor than you can get from a single server acting as the publisher and distributor.

Figure 16-2. Figure 16-2

Figure 16-3 shows the next variant, with multiple subscription databases.

16.2.2. Multiple Publishers, Single Subscriber

In a Point of Service (POS) application, it is often necessary to send data from the many POS terminals in a store to a central system either in the store or at head office where the ...