How to: Initialize a Subscription Manually (Replication Transact-SQL Programming)

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While the initial snapshot is normally used to initialize a subscription, subscriptions to publications can be initialized without using a snapshot, provided that the schema and initial data are already present at the subscriber.

Important

If there is activity on a database published using transactional replication between the time data and schema are copied to the Subscriber and the time at which the subscription is manually initialized, changes resulting from this activity might not be replicated to the Subscriber.

Subscriptions can be initialized manually using replication stored procedures.

To manually initialize a pull subscription to a transactional publication

  1. Ensure that the schema and data exist on the subscription database. For more information, see Initializing a Transactional Subscription Without a Snapshot.

  2. At the Publisher on the publication database, execute sp_addsubscription. Specify @publication, @subscriber, the name of the database at the Subscriber containing the published data for @destination_db, a value of pull for @subscription_type, and a value of replication support only for @sync_type. For more information, see How to: Create a Pull Subscription (Replication Transact-SQL Programming).

  3. At the Subscriber, execute sp_addpullsubscription. For updating subscriptions, see How to: Create an Updatable Subscription to a Transactional Publication (Replication Transact-SQL Programming).

  4. At the Subscriber, execute sp_addpullsubscription_agent. For more information, see How to: Create a Pull Subscription (Replication Transact-SQL Programming).

  5. Start the Distribution Agent to transfer replication objects and download the latest changes from the Publisher. For more information, see How to: Synchronize a Pull Subscription (Replication Programming).

To manually initialize a push subscription to a transactional publication

  1. Ensure that the schema and data exist on the subscription database. For more information, see Initializing a Transactional Subscription Without a Snapshot.

  2. At the Publisher on the publication database, execute sp_addsubscription. Specify the name of the database at the Subscriber containing the published data for @destination_db, a value of push for @subscription_type, and a value of replication support only for @sync_type. For updating subscriptions, see How to: Create an Updatable Subscription to a Transactional Publication (Replication Transact-SQL Programming).

  3. At the Publisher on the publication database, execute sp_addpushsubscription_agent. For more information, see How to: Create a Push Subscription (Replication Transact-SQL Programming).

  4. Start the Distribution Agent to transfer replication objects and download the latest changes from the Publisher. For more information, see How to: Synchronize a Push Subscription (Replication Programming).

To manually initialize a pull subscription to a merge publication

  1. Ensure that the schema and data exist on the subscription database. This can be done by restoring a backup of the publication database at the Subscriber. For more information, see Initializing a Merge Subscription Without a Snapshot.

  2. At the Publisher, execute sp_addmergesubscription. Specify @publication, @subscriber, @subscriber_db, and a value of pull for @subscription_type. This registers the pull subscription.

  3. At the Subscriber on the database containing the published data, execute sp_addmergepullsubscription. Specify a value of none for @sync_type.

  4. At the Subscriber, execute sp_addmergepullsubscription_agent. For more information, see How to: Create a Pull Subscription (Replication Transact-SQL Programming).

  5. Start the Merge Agent to transfer replication objects and download the latest changes from the Publisher. For more information, see How to: Synchronize a Pull Subscription (Replication Programming).

To manually initialize a push subscription to a merge publication

  1. Ensure that the schema and data exist on the subscription database. This can be done by restoring a backup of the publication database at the Subscriber. For more information, see Initializing a Merge Subscription Without a Snapshot.

  2. At the Publisher on the publication database, execute sp_addmergesubscription. Specify the name of the database at the Subscriber containing the published data for @subscriber_db, a value of push for @subscription_type, and a value of none for @sync_type.

  3. At the Publisher on the publication database, execute sp_addmergepushsubscription_agent. For more information, see How to: Create a Push Subscription (Replication Transact-SQL Programming).

  4. Start the Merge Agent to transfer replication objects and download the latest changes from the Publisher. For more information, see How to: Synchronize a Push Subscription (Replication Programming).

See Also

Other Resources

Backing Up and Restoring Replicated Databases
How to: Initialize a Subscription Manually (SQL Server Management Studio)
Initializing a Merge Subscription Without a Snapshot
Initializing a Transactional Subscription Without a Snapshot

Help and Information

Getting SQL Server 2005 Assistance