G->TechLink: G->Pointer's Technology Link

Transactional replication typically starts with a snapshot of the publication database objects and data. As soon as the initial snapshot is taken, subsequent data changes and schema modifications made at the Publisher are usually delivered to the Subscriber as they occur (in near real time). The data changes are applied to the Subscriber in the same order and within the same transaction boundaries as they occurred at the Publisher; therefore, within a publication, transactional consistency is guaranteed. Transactional replication is typically used in server-to-server environments and is appropriate in each of the following cases: You want incremental changes to be propagated to Subscribers as they occur. The application requires low latency between the time changes are made at the Publisher and the changes arrive at the Subscriber. The application requires access to intermediate data states. For example, if a row changes five times, transactional replication allows an applic...

Merge replication, like transactional replication, typically starts with a snapshot of the publication database objects and data. Subsequent data changes and schema modifications made at the Publisher and Subscribers are tracked with triggers. The Subscriber synchronizes with the Publisher when connected to the network and exchanges all rows that have changed between the Publisher and Subscriber since the last time synchronization occurred. Merge replication is typically used in server-to-client environments. Merge replication is appropriate in any of the following situations: Multiple Subscribers might update the same data at various times and propagate those changes to the Publisher and to other Subscribers. Subscribers need to receive data, make changes offline, and later synchronize changes with the Publisher and other Subscribers. Each Subscriber requires a different partition of data. Conflicts might occur and, when they do, you need the ability to detect and resolve th...

Although the default option is "Multidimensional and Data Mining Mode" Microsoft actually recommends for new projects "Tabular Mode". According to the Model Features overview Multidimensional supports all features. Microsoft offers a white paper on choosing a Tabular or Multidimensional Modeling Experience in SQL Server 2012 Analysis Services . Tabular Mode Tabular solutions use relational modeling constructs such as tables and relationships for modeling data, and the in-memory analytics engine for storing and calculating data. Because tabular is the newer solution, you might think that migrating an existing multidimensional solution to a tabular format is the correct course of action, but this is usually not the case. Tabular does not supersede multidimensional, and the two formats are not interchangeable. Unless you have a specific reason to do so, do not rebuild an existing multidimensional solution if it is already meeting the needs of your organizatio...

Note: Still needs Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5. Instance Features The configuration and operation of each instance feature of a SQL Server instance is isolated from other SQL Server instances. SQL Server instances can operate side-by-side on the same computer. Database Engine Services Includes the Database Engine, the core service for storing, processing and securing data. The Database Engine provides controlled access and rapid transaction processing and also provides rich support for sustaining high availability. The Database Engine also provides support for the utility control point in the SQL Server Utility. Only Database Engine Services and Analysis Services can be clustered. SQL Server Replication Includes a set of technologies for copying and distributing data and database objects from one database to another and synchronizing between the databases for consistency. You can use replication to distribute data to different locations, and to remote a...