Creating subscription databases

About this task

The procedure described here is suitable for:

• Any database that is populated with data from the publication database by downloading the data over a communications link

• Large databases that are populated with data from a backup

Note: If you are using Windows Terminal Services, you need to log on to the application server machine for the site where iBase is installed and create the subscription database on the database or application server for the site.

To create a security connection file

All sites must start with a copy of the same security data as the publisher site. This is distributed either as a Microsoft Access security file that is upsized to SQL Server or as an SQL Server backup. If you do not have this yet, see:

• Creating New Security Files and a Publication Database

• Preparing Existing Security Files

Procedure

At the subscriber site:

1. Ensure that the database template supplied by the publisher site is copied to the Templates folder for your iBase installation.

2. In iBase Designer, log on as a user with the database creator role, using the correct security connection file for the site.

3. Create a database with the properties described in the following steps.

4. Enter an appropriate database name for the subscriber site. This name becomes the logical name of the SQL Server database so you might want to agree a convention for file naming with your SQL Server administrator. For more information, see Before creating any iBase databases.

5. Select the following for the new database:

   Option	Description
   Database type	Select SQL Server. You cannot replicate Microsoft Access databases.
   Server	Enter the name of the server for the subscriber site. Do not select the Local option from the Server list.
   Use Windows Authentication	Turn on the Use Windows Authentication checkbox, unless your SQL Server administrator asks to use SQL Server authentication.
   Audit Level	On the Details page, select the same audit level as set for the publication database. For more information, see How the Audit Log Works in a Replicated Database.
   Template	On the Template page, select the template that contains the database schema. This must be identical to the schema of the publication database. See Updating the Database Design.
   Database identifier	On the Advanced page, enter a unique site identifier, up to five characters in length. This is usually the same identifier as the security connection file used at the subscriber site. For example, the site identifier for a subscription database and its security connection file might be SUB.
   Soft Delete	On the Advanced page, turn on the Soft Delete checkbox. (Attention: You must use Soft Delete in a replicated database. Users are not able to open the database if this is turned off.)
   Read Only	On the Advanced page, turn on the Read Only checkbox if the subscription database is to be read-only. The database still receive updates from the Publisher in the usual way.

6. Click OK to create the new database. The new database is opened if it is created successfully.

7. Verify that the database contains the correct entity and link types, semantic types, code lists.

   Note:

   • If the database schema seems incorrect, contact the iBase administrator responsible for the publication database. The corrections must be made in the publication database. The schema for the publication and subscription databases must be identical.

   • If changes are made to the schema, you must delete the connection file and the SQL Server database and start again.

8. Do not turn on Audit History at this stage. You do this later after the SQL Server administrator finishes configuring replication.

9. Close the database.

10. Repeat this procedure for each subscriber site.

What to do next

The preparation for the iBase database at the subscriber sites is now complete:

• Notify the SQL Server administrator that the subscription databases are ready for replication to be configured. You must tell the administrator if any of these databases are read-only. Notify the SQL Server administrator that the audit log database can also be configured at this stage.

• After you are notified that replication is configured, test that replication is working correctly. See Testing Replicated Databases.