How to synchronize two SQL Server 2005 databases?

Question

Hi!

I'm looking for a tool (best for free) which can synchronize two SQL Server 2005 databases.

I have a sql database that is hosted on a server and another sql database that is hosted on aclient. Both have the same database schema. Each client has its own sql server because the application needs to run offline.

The client is being connected to the company network regularly (each day). When the connection is being established, I would like to run a delta synchronization with the tool. Not all data from the server database is required on the client database, just a subset which is determined by the user of the client computer.

Do you know a tool which supports this?

Best Regards
Oliver Hanappi

Answer 1

Have you tried using MS Sql server replication. I think that this can handle offline replicas.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms151787(SQL.90).aspx

Answer 2

Merge replication is included with MSSQL and is intended for exactly the scenario you're describing: offline clients (e.g. laptops) need to work with data, then merge their changes when they reconnect.

There's lots of information in Books Online, but replication in general is a complex and somewhat tricky subject, so you need to plan and test carefully.

Simon