sql server replication: We have a fairly large database that we attempting to setup transactional
replication on. Just to restore a copy of this database took almost a day.
What is the best method for establishing transactional replication on a large
database? Should we set it up and run the initial snapshot the way we would
any other database or is there a better (faster) method?

Thanks,
Mark

Mark,
what version are you using? If SQL Server 2000 then you can do a nosync
initialization. If SQL 2005 then there is the option of 'replication support
only'. Please see these articles for more info:
http://www.replicationanswers.com/NoSyncInitializations.asp
http://www.replicationanswers.com/NoSyncOn2005.asp
Cheers,
Paul Ibison SQL Server MVP, www.replicationanswers.com

In SQL 2000 this is hard to do, but you can do a no-sync subscription the
moment the backup completes, then restore the backup on the subscriber,
start up your distribution agent and do validations to determine how out of
sync you are.

In SQL 2005 you can do an initialize from backup.

--
Hilary Cotter
Director of Text Mining and Database Strategy
RelevantNOISE.Com - Dedicated to mining blogs for business intelligence.

This posting is my own and doesn't necessarily represent RelevantNoise's
positions, strategies or opinions.

Looking for a SQL Server replication book?
http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602.html

Looking for a FAQ on Indexing Services/SQL FTS
http://www.indexserverfaq.com



[quoted text, click to view]

We are using SQL 2000. I think the big question is, how long will it take to
snapshot and transfer a database that is almost 250GB in size? The two
systems are right next to each other, and both are brand new and have 4
processors.

Thanks,
Mark

[quoted text, click to view]