Replicate the Minimal Set of Columns

To enhance replication system performance, specify replicate minimal columns in create replication definition. This clause lets you send only those columns that are required for delete and update operations to replicate databases.

Normally, Replication Server sends all the columns in each row when applying updates and deletes, as well as inserts, in each replicate database. Replication Server normally sends maximum columns to the standby database—if replication definitions are not used for the table or the replication definitions are not used for the standby connection.

Note: You must send all columns when replicating to SQL Remote databases. Do not send minimal columns or replication will fail.
When you set replicate minimal columns:
Note: replicate minimal columns does not apply to insert operations, for which all columns are copied.

A destination Replication Server uses the primary key columns in constructing the data server commands that it applies to the replicate or the standby database.

The following replication definition includes replicate minimal columns:
create replication definition publishers
with primary at TOKYO_DS.pubs2
(pub_id char(4), pub_name varchar(40),
city varchar(20), state char(2))
primary key (pub_id)
replicate minimal columns