Working with a replicated database in iBase

In a replicated database, you should only add data (whether manually or by scheduled import), or edit or delete data while replication is either configured or temporarily stopped. You must not add, edit, or delete data while replication is disabled.

There are a number of other differences between replicated and non-replicated databases that might affect day-to-day working. For an overview of these, see Differences between Working in a Replicated and Non-Replicated Database.

When replication is stopped

Replication might be temporarily stopped because it is suspended by the SQL Server administrator or interrupted by a technical problem. When this occurs, changes cannot be replicated between sites until replication is restarted.

Depending on the reason why replication is temporarily stopped, you can choose to:

  • Ask users to log on using a different server and open a different replicated database. This requires Windows Terminal Services or similar.

  • Allow your users to continue working but consider discouraging operations such as importing (because there is an increased risk that conflicts occur). After replication is running again, review any conflicts that might occur.

  • Take the database offline to allow users who are currently working to save their work before closing their sessions, and to prevent others from starting new sessions.

When replication is disabled

Whenever replication needs to be disabled. You should take the database offline before the SQL Server administrator disables replication. iBase administrators can still open an offline database.

When replication is disabled, it is no longer configured in SQL Server and any changes that are made to the data cannot be replicated to other sites and are not replicated even when replication is reconfigured. In contrast, you can only change the database schema when replication is disabled.

Before replication is disabled, you need to review any existing conflicts. All Subscribers must be online and connected to the Publisher at this stage.

Note: If it becomes necessary to change the data, you need to work in the publication database, and inform the SQL Server administrator so that they can configure replication appropriately.