SQL Server 2000 Replication 101: Terminology, Types, and Configuration

eplication figures as one of the more prominent features of SQL Server 2000. Replication is a complex application that uses a combination of stored procedures and executables to distribute and copy data between SQL Server databases. If you take care not to get lost in the details and confused by occasionally misleading terms, replication can be an important component in the database architecture of a SQL Server application. In this article, you'll learn about the terminology surrounding replication, the types of replication available in SQL Server, and how to configure (that is, install) replication.

Replication can provide you with some interesting solutions for your data tier architecture because it allows you to use multiple database servers on the back end. You can publish to multiple servers, gather data from multiple servers, provide loosely connected clients with the ability to share data with a centralized database, and scale out database work in a horizontal fashion.

Let's take a look at replication terminology, then the types of replication, and finally with the steps required to configure replication.

Getting clear on terminology is one of the most important hurdles to overcome when diving into SQL Server replication.

Replication Terminology
Getting clear on terminology is one of the most important hurdles to overcome when diving into SQL Server replication, so in this section you'll learn about the basic terms and concepts.

The purpose of SQL Server replication is to copy or distribute a database's data to one or more data sources, usually other SQL Server databases. The destination database(s) could be on the same SQL Server, but most commonly you'll want to get the data from one SQL Server to another SQL Server.