SQL Server 2005 Transactional Replication without initial snapshot?!

[Database Administrator]

Hi,

we would like to implement transactional replication for one of our
production databases (size over 250 GB in a 24/7/365 web environment).

During my research for that, I realized that subscribers can be
initialized via backup from the publisher which seems the way to go
considering the size of the DB but unfortunately it seems I still have
to take an initial snapshot of the DB when setting up the publication
(which is not an option due to the fact that the tables get locked
during that time => killing the front end web application ... not even
talking about space constraints on that server).

Since I did not really find anything about this particular problem so
far, my questions are now:

1. Is there a way to go completely without an initial snapshot ?!
2. If so, what are the pitfalls to get around ?!

Any input or tips would be appreciated ... thanks in advance !

Kind regards

Andy

[Database Administrator]

Andreas,
in sp_addsubscription there is the option to 'initialize with backup' for
@sync_type.
This doesn't require a snapshot taking, and works with a restored backup.
Have a look here for the options:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms181702.aspx
HTH,
Paul Ibison, www.replicationanswers.com

[Database Administrator]

Hi Paul,

thanks for that - but how to set up the publication without the initial
snapshot ?! Can I do that using the wizard somehow or do i have to do it
somehow via sp_addpublication (I likely have to set
@allow_initialize_from_backup = true to allow initialization from backup -
but there is nothing like @snapshot = false or anything like that) ...

Sorry for my newbie approach, it's my first rendez-vous with replication ...


Kind regards

Andy

"Paul Ibison" wrote in
message news:0C0D49E5-78B6-4BD4-9EDC-B349699382FB@microsoft.com...
> Andreas,
> in sp_addsubscription there is the option to 'initialize with backup' for
> @sync_type.
> This doesn't require a snapshot taking, and works with a restored backup.
> Have a look here for the options:
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms181702.aspx
> HTH,
> Paul Ibison, www.replicationanswers.com

[Database Administrator]

Andreas - here are the details you need:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../ms147834.aspx
HTH,
Paul Ibison, www.replicationanswers.com

[Database Administrator]

Hi Paul,

after playing around some more on a dev box, I had another look @
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l...4(SQL.90).aspx (How to:
Initialize a Transactional Subscriber from a Backup) ...

I was able to create a subscription & start the replication from a native
backup (publisher, distributer, subscriber all on that dev box) but now I
have one more question:

We (usually) use a third party Software for backups (RedGate SQL Backup) ...
I suppose replication from backup on the other hand only works with a native
backup (since I was not able to make it work using one of our 'regular' .sqb
backup files) - correct ?!

Kind regards,

Andy

"Paul Ibison" wrote in
message news:0C0D49E5-78B6-4BD4-9EDC-B349699382FB@microsoft.com...
> Andreas,
> in sp_addsubscription there is the option to 'initialize with backup' for
> @sync_type.
> This doesn't require a snapshot taking, and works with a restored backup.
> Have a look here for the options:
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms181702.aspx
> HTH,
> Paul Ibison, www.replicationanswers.com