A Replication Server at each primary or replicate site coordinates data replication activities for local data servers and exchanges data with Replication Servers at other sites.
Replication Server performs the following major tasks:
Receives transactions from primary databases through a Replication Agent and distributes them to replicate database sites that have subscriptions for the data
Receives transactions from other Replication Servers and applies them to local replicate databases or forwards them to other replication servers that have subscriptions for the data
Provides guaranteed delivery of transactions to each replicate site
The information needed to accomplish these tasks is stored in Replication Server system tables. The system tables include descriptions of the replicated data and replication objects, such as replication definitions and subscriptions, security records for Replication Server users, routing information for other Replication Server sites, access methods for local databases, and other administrative information.
Replication Server system tables are stored in a database called the Replication Server System Database (RSSD). Alternately, the Replicate Server can use an embedded RSSD (ERSSD). Each Replication Server has its own RSSD.
For more information about Replication Server, see “Replication Server”, and Chapter 5, “Microsoft SQL Server Primary Data Server Issues.”
