Sql-server – How to synchronize two SQL Server 2005 databases

sql serversql-server-2005synchronization

I'm looking for a tool (best for free) which can synchronize two SQL Server 2005 databases.

I have a sql database that is hosted on a server and another sql database that is hosted on aclient. Both have the same database schema. Each client has its own sql server because the application needs to run offline.

The client is being connected to the company network regularly (each day). When the connection is being established, I would like to run a delta synchronization with the tool. Not all data from the server database is required on the client database, just a subset which is determined by the user of the client computer.

Do you know a tool which supports this?

Best Regards
Oliver Hanappi

Best Answer

Late one but hopefully useful…

I’m surprised no one mentioned any of the third party tools and there are so many of these on the market. Some are even free like MS tablediff utility (only command line interface though).

As for myself I’ve used comparison tool from Apex as well as Adept SQL with great success in similar scenarios.

Also there is a comparison tool from Red Gate that is considered one of the top tools but I haven’t used it really.

Note that these aren’t free but my guess is that these will be worth spending some money VS setting up replication.

Syntax:

ALTER TABLE {TABLENAME} 
ADD {COLUMNNAME} {TYPE} {NULL|NOT NULL} 
CONSTRAINT {CONSTRAINT_NAME} DEFAULT {DEFAULT_VALUE}
WITH VALUES

Example:

ALTER TABLE SomeTable
        ADD SomeCol Bit NULL --Or NOT NULL.
 CONSTRAINT D_SomeTable_SomeCol --When Omitted a Default-Constraint Name is autogenerated.
    DEFAULT (0)--Optional Default-Constraint.
WITH VALUES --Add if Column is Nullable and you want the Default Value for Existing Records.

Notes:

Optional Constraint Name:
If you leave out CONSTRAINT D_SomeTable_SomeCol then SQL Server will autogenerate
a Default-Contraint with a funny Name like: DF__SomeTa__SomeC__4FB7FEF6

Optional With-Values Statement:
The WITH VALUES is only needed when your Column is Nullable
and you want the Default Value used for Existing Records.
If your Column is NOT NULL, then it will automatically use the Default Value
for all Existing Records, whether you specify WITH VALUES or not.

How Inserts work with a Default-Constraint:
If you insert a Record into SomeTable and do not Specify SomeCol's value, then it will Default to 0.
If you insert a Record and Specify SomeCol's value as NULL (and your column allows nulls),
then the Default-Constraint will not be used and NULL will be inserted as the Value.

Notes were based on everyone's great feedback below.
Special Thanks to:
@Yatrix, @WalterStabosz, @YahooSerious, and @StackMan for their Comments.

Sql – How to return only the Date from a SQL Server DateTime datatype

SELECT DATEADD(dd, 0, DATEDIFF(dd, 0, @your_date))

for example

SELECT DATEADD(dd, 0, DATEDIFF(dd, 0, GETDATE()))

gives me

2008-09-22 00:00:00.000

Pros:

No varchar<->datetime conversions required
No need to think about locale

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Sql – Add a column with a default value to an existing table in SQL Server

Syntax:

Example:

Notes:

Sql – How to return only the Date from a SQL Server DateTime datatype

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