SQL Transactional Replication - Renitialzation processing wiht Snapshot Agent Job

Question

Fellow SQLers.
I am trying to understand exactly what occurs inside sql when replication initialization/reinitialization of a subscription is doing within the snapshot agent routine.

I already understand what files it creates and why. But I do not understand if the processing occurring by the snapshot agent is loading the subscriber db directly or is it pumping it up to the distributor and the synchronizer agent job is doing the loading.

Appreciate any clarification.

Thx
MG

Answer 1

Hi @Mark Gordon ,

> But I do not understand if the processing occurring by the snapshot agent is loading the subscriber db directly or is it pumping it up to the distributor and the synchronizer agent job is doing the loading.

The initial dataset is typically a snapshot that is created by the Snapshot Agent and distributed and applied by the Distribution Agent. The Snapshot Agent prepares snapshot files containing schema and data of published tables and database objects, stores the files in the snapshot folder. The Distribution Agent copies the initial snapshot files from the snapshot folder to Subscribers.

Suggest you read MS document How Transactional Replication Works to get more information.

Best regards,
Cathy

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Answer 2

It does not push the data to the distribution database.

I suggest you look at this:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/relational-databases/replication/snapshot-replication?view=sql-server-ver15