Replication Model

Hello,
I am just playing about with replication and trying to work the best way
to keep a central database updated.
We have a laptop user who will need to be able to work in disconnected mode
(MSDE) then connect up and replicate changes back to a server from which
others can run reports. The server copy will never be updated besides from
the changes replicated down from the 1 laptop user.
What would be the best model for this? Seems I have a few options but was
hoping someone could point me in the right direction of which machine would
be the publisher, the type (merge, snapshot) and whether push or pull. I
understand the concepts of publisher, subscriber etc, but am just unsure of
how it all fits together.
Thanks is advance
- Ed
Hi
It sounds like your application would probably be a candidate for merge
replication, especially if there is a future need for more than one client
updating the data and if you are replicating larger volumes of data.
Snapshot replication would be more applicable if the data was not updatable
and the frequency of replication low.
You don't say which version of SQL Server is running on the server, this may
effect how you administer the replication and you may want to check out the
topic "Understanding SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine (MSDE 2000)" in Books
Online.
John
"Ed." wrote:

> Hello,
> I am just playing about with replication and trying to work the best way
> to keep a central database updated.
> We have a laptop user who will need to be able to work in disconnected mode
> (MSDE) then connect up and replicate changes back to a server from which
> others can run reports. The server copy will never be updated besides from
> the changes replicated down from the 1 laptop user.
> What would be the best model for this? Seems I have a few options but was
> hoping someone could point me in the right direction of which machine would
> be the publisher, the type (merge, snapshot) and whether push or pull. I
> understand the concepts of publisher, subscriber etc, but am just unsure of
> how it all fits together.
> Thanks is advance
> - Ed
>
>