Re: Need Feedback on Trans. Replication w/ Remote Distributor

Hi Geoff,

Thank you so much.... yes, this is probably exactly the kind of information
I was in need of. I knew I was missing something about all of this
replication business!!!

I will start reading into Log Shipping, hoping the BOL will give me a good
foundation. I have only vaguely heard the term before, so I will need to
get myself up to speed in that arena. I'll save my questions until I have
at least done my own preliminary studying. But I do need to ask if that can
be done over FTP protocols?

As for backups, we use Veritas NetBackup and have uniquely specified ports
for that traffic through our firewall between LAN & DMZ. Yes, Exec mgmt has
also decided that all backups go through our 100Mbit firewall.... that's
why they want a standby DB in the DMZ. I would rather a dedicated mgmt
network on secondary NICs, but I dont get to make the final say..... go
figure. ;-)

However, nowadays, I'm beginning to wonder if there is such a thing as too
much security... I've been finding the tighter the better - you know...
single function and hard-coded applications are making more and more sense.
Plus they keep passing more and more laws that you may be better off erring
on the side of excess. Just my 2 cents on the security end.

Thanks again Geoff! Your feedback was very much appropriate and
appreciated!!!

Keith C. Jakobs, MCP


"Geoff N. Hiten" <SRDBA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:OcVcS$Q2FHA.400@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> First, don't apologize for the post length. I strongly prefer a detailed
> post with relevant information to a "my server don't work, help, TIA"
post.
>
> Second, Transactional replication will give you a read-only copy of the
> data, but not of the complete database schema. All objects don't get
> replicated and stuff like Identity columns, referential integrity, unique
> constraints, views, and stored procedures just won't work the way you
think
> it will. The short answer is that without a LOT of extra work, you can't
> use a subscriber in place of a publisher as a DR strategy.
>
> If you don't use any file copy protocols other than FTP, how do you get
> backups off of the host computer? There is such a thing as too much
> security.
>
> I would use Log Shipping to handle the creating and maintaining a warm
> standby server. There are some scripts in the SQL 2000 Resource Kit as
well
> as various web sites that you can adapt for your own use.
>
> I realize this isn't answering the question you asked, but it may be the
> answer you really need.
>
> --
> Geoff N. Hiten
> Senior Database Administrator
> Microsoft SQL Server MVP
>
>
> "Keith Jakobs, MCP" <elohir@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:OIcAYyM2FHA.4008@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Greetings:
> >
> > I have been asked to set up replication between two SQL servers on our
> > network. Though I am primarily a network security engineer, and would
> > consider myself just above a novice SQL Admin, replication is definitely
> > new
> > territory for me, and I was hoping I could get some help and feedback on
> > what I think I am trying to accomplish...
> >
> > The scenario: We have a SQL server that currently serves as the backend
> > database for a web-based application. It consists of several databases
> > (on
> > one instance) with no clustering nor data redudancy other than the RAID
> > structures currently housing the data. A second server has been
purchased
> > with much more processing power, that they wish to use as a failover
> > device,
> > but do not wish to make it the PRODUCTION box until/unless the current
box
> > fails. They just want a copy of the data to be duplicated to another
> > device
> > as close to real-time as possible (and without clustering).
> >
> > So, because of the power of the new box compared to the old one, I had
> > decided based on my initial research, to set up Transactional
Replication
> > between the two boxes, and defining the new server (Server B) as the
> > Remote
> > Distributor and Subscriber with the original production server (Server
A)
> > as
> > only a Publisher. I also intended/hoped to use pull subscriptions. The
> > intent of all these decisions being to absolutely minimize the
additional
> > overhead on the original production box. What I have not been able to
> > find
> > is any documentation on how to configure an alternate snapshot location
> > when
> > using a remote distributor that is the sole subscriber. Can this be
done?
> >
> > The reason I need to use alternate snapshots (I believe) is because when
I
> > do implement this on the production servers, they exist in a DMZ zone
that
> > not only has no domain, but also does not have any NetBIOS nor windows
> > mgmt
> > protocols enabled (except Terminal Services for Remote Admin). There is
> > NO
> > Windows SMB file sharing, so I need snapshots to be distributed to the
> > subscriber via FTP .... but as I said, the subscriber IS the
distributor.
> >
> > Can this be done? Did I inadvertently make my first replication project
> > too
> > complex? Did I overlook something as to how it can be done? Basically
I
> > am
> > stuck at the point where I have definied my first susbscription, did NOT
> > create an initial snapshot yet, and am trying to figure out how to
> > configure
> > the 'Snapshot Location' properties on the Publisher so that it will
deploy
> > the snapshot to a location that the Distributor/Subscriber can access
via
> > FTP, BEFORE running the snapshot agent for the first time.
> >
> > And yes, this is all on a test environment using Virtual PC's at the
> > moment.
> >
> > My apologies for the length of this message, but I know how much it
helps
> > to
> > have as much detail up front as possible. And Thank you in advance for
> > any
> > feedback or recommendations.
> >
> > Keith C. Jakobs, MCP
> >
> >
> > [FYI... Exec mgmt has INSISTED that all System files, program files, SQL
> > data and transaction logs are configured on the SAME RAID-5 partition on
4
> > physical disks with a 5th hot spare drive... I've tried to convince them
> > to
> > allocate dedicated log drives and pull swap files off the RAID-5, but
they
> > are not interested in deploying multiple physical disk structures on a
> > single server]
> >
> >
>
>


.

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