sql server replication:
Should you backup the distribution database? If yes how
often?

Thank You,

In general it is a good practice.

However restoring an old copy of the distribution database into a production
system will cause your log reader and distribution agents to fail.

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Mike,
it depends on the type of replication. It's important for all kinds, but
snapshot and merge can be more easily recovered with an older backup of the
distribution db as it is not used for data. This is most important for
transactional replication, where using the sync with backup option ensures
the distributor backups can't get ahead of the production backups. In BOL
there is a useful topic on "Backing Up and Restoring Replication Databases"
that may help.
Regards,
Paul Ibison

Only if you are using transactional.

If you are using merge, there are no log reader or distribution agents. If
you are using snapshot, there is no log reader.

--
Mike
Principal Mentor
Solid Quality Learning
"More than just Training"
SQL Server MVP
http://www.solidqualitylearning.com
http://www.mssqlserver.com

good point - I missed that!

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