Getting Started with Sync Framework

Question

I'm having some trouble getting started with the Sync Framework. In doing research, it looks like the Sync Framework is a better fit for what we need than replication or a custom-rolled solution.

Basically, we need to keep some datasets synced from our central office with every store in the company to overcome shortfalls with crappy DSL service and bad wiring.

Anyway, I've read through the MSDN articles on SQL Server syncing with the Sync Framework, and looked at some of the example projects they provide, and I'm still at a loss as to where to start.

I really would like to see just an outline of the process that an app we write would have to go through to register with the central office, pull down the initial dataset, and then stay synchronized.

In summary, I'm looking for an outline of how to two-way sync a client SQL Server Express instance with a SQL Server Enterprise instance.

Answer 1

Have you gone over the MSDN samples? For example there is a step by step sample that covers pretty much everything at Synchronizing a Remote Replica By Using a Proxy Provider.

Btw, for SQL Server Express data sync to central EE, over crappy DSL, you'll have much better mileage (better throughput, higher availability, much bigger scalability) using Service Broker actually. I know of deployments that sync data over DSL lines between 1600 POS Express instances and the central EE server.

Answer 2

If you are looking for an introduction to what the sync services are capable of, you can do worse than watch Microsofts Daniel Moths 18min intro video at http://channel9.msdn.com/posts/DanielMoth/ADONET-Sync-Services-v10/

Your biggest problem is making sure, when designing your databbase, that you can partition the data into sections that can be syncronised to different locations easily. E.g. contacts to sales people and not having overlapping contacts...