We've got a SQL Server 2000 to store the data. There are 2 offices,
Office A and Office B. The primary server is hosted in office A and both
staffs in Office A and Office B can modify the data in the system. We
are planning to setup one more server in Office B in order to improve
the performance of the system. Data should be synchronized among two
regions.

What issues should be considered? How can we configure our database
server?

Thanks!

Vin

Sounds like Office A is your publisher and distributor and office B server
will be a subscriber. Merge replication (continuous) will keep the data in
both offices in sync.The replication wizards are simple to use. There is one
to setup the merge publication and another to create a merge subscriber.

Things to consider are:

1. stay away from identity columns.
2. you need to generate prime keys so they are unique even if the link
between your 2 offices is down for a time. Therefore control files will work
but only if there are separate control numbers for your offices or prime keys
are office code + unique value.
3. When you setup the publication do not set subscribers to never expire.
Doing this prevents sql from cleaning up the merge system tables and they
just keep growing.


Chris.