What is Sybase Replication Server?

Sybase Replication Server ® is a set of tools that moves and synchronizes data from one server to another. It is created and designed to meet these challenges:

• Ensuring that data is continuously available or available for prompt recovery should disaster strike
• Integrating and synchronizing operations across multiple locations
• Supporting timely and thorough data reporting

Sybase has developed a workable solution to data distribution that allows you to reap the benefits of this information strategy while eliminating or minimizing many of the potential costs. There are three types of replication available within Sybase Replication Server.

1. Publish-and-subscribe model—In a functioning Replication server system, transactions occurring in a source database are detected by a Replication Agent™ and transferred to the local Replication server, which distributes the information across LANs and WANs to Replication servers at destination sites. The primary data is the source of the data that Replication server replicates in other databases. You “publish” data at primary sites to which Replication servers at other sites “subscribe.”
2. Warm standby / MSA—Replication server provides warm standby capability with a pair of databases, one as the active database and one as the standby database, which is supported by Replication server functionality.  As clients update the active database, Replication server copies transactions to the standby database, maintaining consistency between the two. Should the active database fail for any reason, you can switch to the standby database, making it the active database, and resume operations with little interruption. MSA provides all the features of the warm standby application. In addition, MSA enables replication to multiple standby databases and allows you to replicate or not replicate specific database objects.
3. Heterogeneous data server support—Sybase Replication Server also supports replicating data to and from non-Sybase data servers. Data can be replicated to non-Sybase data servers such as Oracle, Informix, IBM DB2, and Microsoft SQL Server using Sybase DirectConnect™ gateways. Transactions can be captured and forwarded from non-Sybase data servers using Sybase Replication Agents. Data can also be replicated from a non-Sybase source, through Replication server to a non-Sybase destination.

How soon does the data move?

The data moves asynchronously. The time it takes to reach the destination depends on the size of your transaction, level of activity in that particular database (a database as in Sybase systems), the length of the chain (one or more replication servers that the transaction has to pass through to reach the destination), the thickness of pipe (network) and how busy your replication server is etc. Usually, on a LAN, for small transactions, this is about a second.

Why You Should Consider a Sybase Replication Server

• You want to distribute data: Data distribution allows you to make critical data available to local decision makers while maintaining firm central control over the data.  With Sybase’s Replication Server, data can be shared and replicated between databases allowing you to put the data where it's needed.
• You want to augment your backup strategy: In conjunction with your routine backup, replication provides alternative levels of data protection and integrity, while minimizing user disruptions.  Replication creates a point-in-time copy of the data to be used as the backup source.
• You want to create a fail-over system: Replication Server maintains a near real-time “warm standby” database to which applications can switch with virtually no downtime if the primary site fails. You can manage planned downtime like routine maintenance software upgrades and backup. It protects during unplanned downtime due to machine or network outage. It also provides disaster recovery.  Any system providing HA services should provide continuous availability of data in any scenario.
• You want to replicate data from and to non-Sybase data servers: Data can be replicated to non-Sybase data servers such as Oracle, Informix, IBM DB2, and Microsoft SQL Server using Sybase DirectConnect gateways. Transactions can be captured and forwarded from non-Sybase data servers using Sybase Replication Agents. Data can also be replicated from a non-Sybase source, through Replication Server to a non-Sybase destination.

What You Can Expect From Xtivia

Xtivia’s certified Sybase Replication Server engineers will provide recommendations and strategies to set up a replication server to meet your needs and objectives. Xtivia also provides a Virtual-DBA system that monitors your replication server activities. 

Xtivia delivers:

• Assessments and review requirements
• Replication system design
• Approach and plan details
• Schedule and cost estimates
• Installation
• Testing and validation
• Training to administer replication server
• Replication server monitoring using Virtual-DBA when requested