Server-to-remote database replication for mobile workforces

In the following example, SQL Remote provides two-way replication between a consolidated database on an office network, and personal databases on the laptop computers of sales representatives. An SMTP email system is used as a message transport.

A hierarchical database environment, with many remote laptop computers and a single consolidated database.

To manage the consolidated database, the office network server runs a SQL Anywhere database server. SQL Remote connects to the consolidated database in the same way as any other client application.

Each sales representative's laptop computer includes a SQL Anywhere personal server, a SQL Anywhere remote database, and SQL Remote.

While away from the office, a sales representative can connect to the internet to run SQL Remote, which carries out the following functions:

  • Collects publication updates from the consolidated database on the office network server.

  • Submits any local updates, such as new orders, to the consolidated database on the office network server.

The publication updates from the office network database may include new specials on the products the sales representative handles, or new pricing and inventory information. These updates are read by SQL Remote on the laptop and applied to the sales representative's remote database automatically, without requiring any additional action from the sales representative.

The new orders recorded by the sales representative are also automatically submitted and applied to the office network database without any extra action from the sales representative.