Replication to server with different Port

I have a SQL server running on a remote location that has a different port
enabled to connect other than the default one, which means that when I want
to register I have to specify the port number as well eg.
Server1\InstanceName,4001 .
I am trying to carry out merge replication between the server and the MSDE
on my box. I have set up the pubisher, registered the SQL Server from
Enterprise Manager on my machine and on setting up the subscriber I am able
to view the publication in the list of registered servers. Creating the
subscription works fine, but when I try to sync , I get the error 'The
process could not connect to Distributor 'Server1\InstanceName' . I feel that
this is because of the port since it is not mentioned in the message and SQL
is trying to use the default port. Is there some workaround for this?
Jax,
for a named instance, there is no default port - it is assigned at creation
from the list of available ports, and your port number won't necessarily be
the same as mine, for the first named instance. Usually the port number is
not specified in the replication definition, and it is dynamically picked up
(hence the slammer virus on UDP, port 1434 ). Do you have 1434 blocked? If
not, then please try designing without the port number and see if this
works.
Also, The SQL Server Agent service (SQLServerAgent) at the client should not
use the LocalSystem account. It needs to use a standard domain account.
Finally, please check that the agents use impersonation.
Cheers,
Paul Ibison SQL Server MVP, www.replicationanswers.com
(recommended sql server 2000 replication book:
http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602p.html)

Replication Tables page in BOL doesn't refer to MSMERGE_ARTICLEHISTORY

Hi, Not sure if I should post this here or at connect but I noticed that

ms-help://MS.SQLCC.v9/MS.SQLSVR.v9.en/tsqlref9/html/5696ee73-5d7c-4f26-b7ee-6831c9c3edf7.htm

doesn't include MSMERGE_ARTICLEHISTORY

but that this table is referenced here in BOL

ms-help://MS.SQLCC.v9/MS.SQLSVR.v9.en/rpldata9/html/7d4c67e4-d683-4ba5-81bd-e6ce4f7489bf.htm

Also if anyone is looking at doing anything with the first link I think it would be great if they subdivided these tables into the types of replication and not just into the databases in which they can be found.

I know it's a bit of a difficult one given tables can exist in more than one place but I think that would be helpful.

Cheers, James

That's great feedback. Two things you might want to note:

We update Books Online quite frequently. I'm not sure which release you have, since it isn't embedded within the URL you have here. The issue you're describing might be fixed in a later release. As always, you can find the latest release of Books Online here:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sql/2005/downloads/books.mspx

Secondly, it would help us (and everyone who uses Books Online) if you would make this comment again, using the "Feedback" button on the topic. That works for both the web and the installed version of Books Online, and what it does is open a "bug" to the writer assigned to the topic on that page. That way you'll get a quick response from the writer, who might not be trolling these forums. That isn't to say that you shouldn't post things here; on the contrary, questions in a public forum are a great way to let others who are having the same problem see your comments. It's just that we would like the feedback as well so that we can evaluate the page properly and get you a good response.

We have had older versions of Books Online be corrected in later releases, and in some cases made more clear. As you're pointing out here, not every format or layout is useful for every situation. Sometimes its a matter of competing goals, so it becomes more of a challenge to satisfy multiple audiences/goals in a single topic.

Once again, thanks to everyone who uses SQL Server Books Online and who sends feedback, good or bad. We like to hear when we've done things right, but we also need to make sure our documentation is the best in the world. Since we have so many constraints, from legal to the 9 languages we publish in, it's helpful for us to hear back from the community. I was a DBA for 19 years before I came here, so I know how important it is to have accurate info!

Replication on wireless networks - Urgent

I have an application that uses SQL Server merge replication. This application uses a settings.ini file to connect to the server/publisher. This file contains the publisher name, publisher database name, subscriber name, subscriber database name and conne
ction string.
This application works fine over the LAN and even WLAN. I want the application to identify the publisher from a server that's on the internet and my subscriber will be a mobile node. The problem is when I put the publisher in a public network, my subscrib
er doesnot recogonise it. I tried giving the IP address of the publisher along with the publisher name in the ini file. But this doesn't work. I do not have the source code of the application and hence cannot do anything inside the application to make it
recogonise the publisher.
Is there a solution for this? Please help.
Rammy,
hopefully using an Alias for the IP address will do it. Also you'll need to
consider the permissions and if you are using Windows authentication for the
agents, then this'll need to be of the pass-through variety. Here is an
article I used to set up VPN access:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=321822
HTH,
Paul Ibison

Replication Monitor could not connect to Distributor

Hello Guys,

I have the following scenario:

PC1 : located in Dubai representing my laptop

PC2: located in Denver ,

Both pcs are connected to each other via the internet as i am using Aliases ,they can both access and see each other using SQL Auth.

I want to implement Merge Replication to Synchronize TestDB ,

I have NO DOMAIN connnecting them.

I Created a new publication ,under security i asked the agent to use the Sa account to connect

When launching the rep monitor i get the following error:

"Replication Monitor could not connect to Distributor 'laptop'."

"Login failed for user ''. The user is not associated with a trusted SQL Server connection. (.Net SqlClient Data Provider)"

Both Publisher and Distributer are on my Laptop ,why cant they connect to each other?

Another Question : could i implement Traditional Merge replication to synchronize my DBs or do i need to configure Web Synch in Merge rep to enable connecting via the internet?!

Thanks Guys!

Moodi

First off while you are free to use web synchronization where appropriate you probably can use traditional merge replication.

It is probably that you have configured replication monitor to connect to your distributor with an account which does not have the necessary rights to monitor SQL server. Can you ensure that SQL Server is able to authenticate using mixed authentication (right click on it, select properties, select security and ensure that SQL Server and windows authentication is selected. Add an account in the sysadmin role or verify you know the sa password. Then right click on your distributor in Replication Monitor and select remove. Then right click and add it again, this time use the sa account and its password to add it.|||

Thanks Hillary,

i was able to fix this by configuring the property of the connection used to connect to distributer ,it was windows auth. so i changed it to run under SQL auth. now replication monitor can run and show all subscribers but i have another problem.

I get the following error when i try to initialize the subscription located on my USA server :

Login failed for user 'NT AUTHORITY\ANONYMOUS LOGON'. [CLIENT: 192.168.1.1]
2007-07-05 11:55:11.00 Logon Error: 18456, Severity: 14, State: 11.

Please note that i am using merge replication via the internet with out web synch. ,when i run the SQL Agent under the local system account i get the above mentioned error although i configured Sa account with the same pwd to be used on both machines.

I created a windows account RepUser on both machines as part of Admin group ,then i configured the agent on both machines to run under this account ,i got the following error:

Login failed for user ''. The user is not associated with a trusted SQL Server connection. [CLIENT: 192.168.1.1]
2007-07-05 11:55:06.15 Logon Error: 17806, Severity: 20, State: 2.

Looks like the SQL agent process account is the one thats being authenticated and NOT the Sa account ,why is this happening?

|||

Hi Ali

I am a little lost here, but it sounds like you need to configure your publication to use a ftp snapshot and then configure ftp for anonymous authentication.

HTH

|||

Hello Hilary ,

Are u saying that if i have two mahcines replicating via the internet then i should have the snapshot folder accessible via FTP?

Ali