newbie question

Hello,
I'm new to SQL server and I've just inherited a SQL server with a single
user database. The company would like to replicate it to sql server used for
reporting services. I'm thinking that transaction replication is the way to
go as the database is over 40 Gb in size. The only requirements are that the
database be available for reporting.
I've been looking into the database schema and Ive found that there are
seven tables with identity columns and other tables that dont have a primary
key. Can I still use transaction replication? do I need to make any changes
to teh schema?
Thanks
p.s. can somebody point me to a doc that highlights how to implement
transaction replication and what the various components are?
Troy,
for a reporting setup, transactional replication is often used. Log shipping
is sometimes used, but the users have to be disconnected when the logs are
restored which means a big latency if this is done out of office hours. As
for transactional replication, books on line (BOL) is a good resource, as
well as Hilary's book and some web articles
(http://www.mssqlcity.com/Articles/Re...TR/SetupTR.htm).
The main components are the 2 agents: snapshot and distribution whiche are
essentially jobs that run the associated replication executable. The
snapshot agent will create several text files and place them in the
distribution working folder - a share that the subscriber can see. The
distribution agent reads the distribution database to see what commands are
waiting to be executed. It loads the text files and applies them to the
subscriber and then it'll read any subsequent commands involving changes to
the data, and apply these also. Plenty of details in BOL, but what I'd
recommend is to complinment the reading and set it up on one machine by
replicating a table from Northwind to Pubs and so begin to get used to the
whole setup.
Finally, don't worry about the identity columns - they're not relevant for
your purposes and the identity property will not be retained on the
subscriber.
Good luck
Paul Ibison SQL Server MVP, www.replicationanswers.com
(recommended sql server 2000 replication book:
http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602p.html)