Replication in SQL Server provides a flexible and customizable solution for data distribution and synchronization
Replication in SQL Server is like making copies of data and automatically updating those copies in different places so everyone has the same information.
Replication works by identifying a set of source tables in a database, known as the publisher, and then copying and applying changes made to those tables to one or more destination tables in another database, known as the subscriber(s). The replication process involves three main components: the publisher, the distributor, and the subscriber.
Publisher: The publisher is the database server that hosts the source tables. It determines which tables and data to replicate. You can configure the publisher to replicate the entire database, specific tables, procedures, or even specific columns within tables.
Distributor: The distributor acts as an intermediary between the publisher and the subscriber(s). Its primary role is to receive the replicated data changes from the publisher and then distribute them to the appropriate subscriber(s). The distributor can be configured on the same server as the publisher or on a separate server.
Subscriber: The subscriber is the database server that receives the replicated data. It can be configured as a read-only copy of the published data or as a server that allows modifications to the replicated data. SQL Server supports different types of subscribers, such as push subscribers (where the distributor pushes changes to the subscriber) and pull subscribers (where the subscriber pulls changes from the distributor).