After you configure replication, you can view and modify options by using the properties dialog boxes for replication. Properties are available for the Publisher, its Subscribers, and the Distributor, publications, push subscriptions, pull subscriptions, and replication agents.
After you have configured a Publisher and Distributor using the Configure Publishing and Distribution Wizard, you can view and modify those options using the Publisher and Distributor properties. The Publisher and Distributor properties include the following tabs and information.
| Tab | Information |
|---|---|
| Distributor | The distributor name, distribution databases, properties for the distribution database, buttons to create or delete a distribution database, a button to see the agent profiles for all replication agents, and the administrative link password for Publishers to connect to the Distributor. |
| Publishers | A list of Publishers that have been enabled to use this Distributor during replication, and buttons to enable, disable, or specify new Publishers. |
| Publication Databases | A list of databases that are enabled for transactional replication (includes snapshot replication) and/or merge replication, and buttons to enable or disable the databases for transactional replication and/or merge replication. |
| Subscribers | A list of Subscribers configured to receive data from this Distributor, and buttons to enable, disable, or specify new Subscribers. |
To open Publisher and Distributor properties
After you have created a publication using the Create Publication Wizard, you can view and modify most options using publication properties. Some options can be specified only when the publication is created, and some options cannot be changed if there are active subscriptions for the publication. The publication properties include the following tabs and information.
| Tab | Information |
|---|---|
| General | The publication name, publishing database, description, type of publication, and subscription expiration. |
| Articles | The data and database objects that will be published as part of the publication. You can show and add objects that are not currently being published and set the properties for articles. |
| Filter Columns | Allows you to choose the columns you want to publish from within a table article. You can also add a column to the table and to the publication. If you specified not to filter any articles when creating your publication, the Filter Columns tab will not appear in the publication properties. |
| Filter Rows | Shows any row filters on table articles. Click the table article properties (...) button and you can add row filters. If you specified not to filter any articles when creating your publication, the Filter Rows tab will not appear in the publication properties. |
| Subscriptions | Shows push subscriptions. This tab also provides buttons to create, delete, reinitialize, reinitialize all, and view the properties for subscriptions. |
| Subscription Options | Provides subscription options such as allowing anonymous pull subscriptions, allowing snapshot files to be available to initialize new subscriptions immediately, allowing pull subscriptions, allowing attachable subscription databases, and allowing transformation of published data. |
| Snapshot | Lists the snapshot format (native Microsoft® SQL Server™ format or character mode format), whether concurrent snapshot processing is enabled (for transactional replication only), and paths to scripts that will be applied before and after the snapshot is applied at the Subscriber. |
| Snapshot Location | Provides options for generating the snapshot in its default location, an alternate location, compressing the snapshot files, and specifying Subscriber access to the snapshot folder using File Transfer Protocol (FTP). |
| Publication Access List | Lists the logins that must be used by pull subscriptions and immediate updating subscriptions when accessing this publication. |
| Sync Partners (merge publications) | Provides an option to allow Subscribers to synchronize with servers other than the Publisher at which the subscription was created. You can select the co-Publishers and Subscribers that can serve as alternate synchronization partners for Subscribers to the publication. |
| Updatable (snapshot or transactional publications) | Provides options such as allowing immediate updating subscriptions, queued updating subscriptions, where data conflicts are reported, the conflict resolution policy for updatable subscriptions, where to queue changes if queued updating subscriptions are allowed (in a SQL Server 2000 database or using Microsoft Message Queuing). |
| Status | Shows Snapshot Agent status, when the agent last ran, when it is scheduled to run next, buttons to run the agent now, show agent properties, explore the snapshot folder. SQLServerAgent service and MSDTC service status and buttons to start or refresh the services. |
To open publication properties
The push subscription properties dialog box includes the following tabs and information.
| Tab | Information |
|---|---|
| General | The Subscriber name, Subscriber database, type of subscription, status, priority when resolving conflicts (for merge publications), immediate updating subscription or queued updating subscription (for snapshot replication or transactional replication). |
| Synchronization | Specifies where the Merge Agent (for merge replication) or the Distribution Agent (for snapshot replication or transactional replication) runs. |
To open push subscription properties
The pull subscription properties dialog box includes the following tabs and information.
| Tab | Information |
|---|---|
| General | The Subscriber name, Subscriber database, type of subscription, status, priority when resolving conflicts (for merge publications), immediate updating subscription or queued updating subscription (for snapshot replication or transactional replication). |
| Synchronization | Specifies when the subscription was last synchronized, Distribution Agent properties, the option to synchronize this subscription using Windows Synchronization Manager, where the Distribution Agent (snapshot replication or transactional replication) or the merge agent (merge replication) runs, and if it is an updatable subscription, whether immediate updating or queued updating is being used. |
| Security | The Distributor login and Publisher login information. |
| Snapshot Delivery | The Snapshot location information. |
To open pull subscription properties
Properties are available for all agents. The agent properties dialog box includes the following tabs and information. SQL Server Agent is hosting the agents, so SQL Server Agent controls the agent schedule and several agent processes automatically.
| Tab | Information |
|---|---|
| General | The agent name, when created, last modified, owner, and description. |
| Steps | The ID, step name, type of step, the action if the step succeeds, the action if the step fails, and buttons to create, insert, edit, and delete steps. SQL Server Agent completes these steps, so you should not need to change them. |
| Schedules | The name of the schedule or alert, the enabled status of the schedule or alert, the description, and buttons to create, edit, or delete schedules and alerts. |
| Notifications | Actions to perform when the job completes, including send e-mail, send a page, net send, write to the Microsoft Windows NT® 4.0 or Windows 2000 application event log, and delete the job automatically. You can choose to initiate these actions when the job fails, succeeds, or whenever the job is completed. |
To open agent properties
Administering and Monitoring Replication