MCSE Training Guide (70-229). Designing and Implementing Databases with MicrosoftR SQL ServerT 2000 Enterprise Edition

Replication, with its many benefits, serves as a backbone for many businesses. Without replication, businesses would be incapable of carrying out robust branch operations across the globe. DBAs favor replication for the following reasons:

• The primary and most certainly obvious reason for implementing replication is that businesses are capable of having data copied from server to server in a multi-site enterprise, which provides flexibility and more efficient use of networking resources.

• Replication allows for a greater concurrent use of data. That is, more people can work with copies of data at the same time. Also, with copies of the database distributed, users can benefit from multiple machines providing a form of load balancing.

• Replication is perfect for the traveling salesman or roaming disconnected user . It enables mobile users who work on laptops to be updated with current database information when they do connect.

Replication clearly provides numerous benefits. The next section starts you off with a foundation on replication: the Publisher/Subscriber metaphor. This concept encompasses the main replication components that are needed in even the most basic replication: the Publisher, Subscriber, and Distributor.