sql server replication: I have the following need and I would like to know is Replication the way to
go about it.

I have 12 GB OLTP database with lot of activity on a daily basis. I am being
asked to come up with strategy to keep a backup of this database. In case of
failure (either the server or hard drive or any other kind of failure) we
should have the database available as quickly as possible and with minimal
data loss (this is a central hotel reservation system database. Some times I
could have 10 reservations made in 1 hr and some times 100 in 15 min...I
think 5 or maximum of 10 min of loss is acceptable). I have an additional
server (identical to the production server in power and diskspace) for this
purpose. They both are in the same work group.
--

Clustering would be the recommendation. Transactional
replication and log shipping could be considered in
certain circumstances - lack of money, kit etc but for
this sort of requirement they are very much poor cousins.
Rgds,
Paul Ibison SQL Server MVP, www.replicationanswers.com
(recommended sql server 2000 replication book:
http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602p.html)