Weird Replication Scenario

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Tom Winter - 10 Jul 2006 16:37 GMT

I'm hoping to get some advice on how to do replication for an Access 2003
database.

I've got two offices, neither of which are ever directly connected to each
other (no VPN, no dial-up, etc. Believe me, I would love it if I could have
that, but the bosses say no.) Both have regular Internet access. The only
way these two sites can exchange files is by one office manually uploaded a
file on a special web site, and then the other office manually downloading
from the same web site. (I know it's weird, but go with me. I can't use an
FTP server or an IIS server at both sites or anything nice like that.)

How do I get replication to work? Will I have to send the entire database
back and forth?

Thanks for your help. I'm a newbie to Access replication.

Tom Winter
tom@nospam.amosfivesix.com

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David W. Fenton - 11 Jul 2006 00:37 GMT

> I'm hoping to get some advice on how to do replication for an
> Access 2003 database.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> it if I could have that, but the bosses say no.) Both have regular
> Internet access.

This contradicts what you said above.

If they have regular Internet access, then you can set up a VPN
across the Internet and run indirect replication across that VPN.

> . . . The only
> way these two sites can exchange files is by one office manually
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> How do I get replication to work? Will I have to send the entire
> database back and forth?

No, you can't do that, as that breaks replication. Replication only
works with the replicas synching in place, in their final locations.

With Internet access, you can set up a VPN (you need only set up the
Windows VPN server on a workstation on one end and the VPN client on
another machine on the other end -- no special hardware or software
is needed), and then use indirect replication across that VPN.

If you don't want to do that, then you can't use replication.

Period.

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David W. Fenton http://www.dfenton.com/
usenet at dfenton dot com http://www.dfenton.com/DFA/

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Tom Winter - 11 Jul 2006 01:19 GMT

The powers that be will NOT let me setup a VPN. Believe, I'd love to. They
won't listen though.

Will this scenario work: I set up my master database and the replica both on
my computer. We use the transfer web site I talked about below to send the
second database over to the other site. They make changes as needed. They
transfer the entire database back using the transfer web site. I put that
transferred database back in the exact location it started out on my
computer. I do a sync. Then send it back, replacing the copy they had
before. And we just keep doing this forever. Does this sound like it would
work?

-Tom

>> I'm hoping to get some advice on how to do replication for an
>> Access 2003 database.
[quoted text clipped - 30 lines]
>
> Period.

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David W. Fenton - 12 Jul 2006 00:20 GMT

> The powers that be will NOT let me setup a VPN. Believe, I'd love
> to. They won't listen though.

Then you can't use Jet replication.

> Will this scenario work: I set up my master database and the
> replica both on my computer. We use the transfer web site I talked
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> we just keep doing this forever. Does this sound like it would
> work?

No, it will never work. It will create dead a replica every time you
transfer the file, and then you'll never know for certain if your
synchs are completing 100%, and are then in danger of losing the
whole replica set should some irreparable errors develop.

You obviously don't have sufficient understanding of how Jet
replication works or you would not have asked this question.

The key point:

Replicas must be synched IN PLACE. Period. End of statement. No
qualifications, no ifs and or buts.

Signature

David W. Fenton http://www.dfenton.com/
usenet at dfenton dot com http://www.dfenton.com/DFA/

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Tom Winter - 12 Jul 2006 13:47 GMT

> No, it will never work. It will create dead a replica every time you
> transfer the file,

I would delete that replica when it's transferred. I wouldn't have it
existing in two places.

I will only be synced in one place. Access wouldn't know I'm moving it
around. As long as ->I<- don't screw up in moving it around, I don't see why
it wouldn't work.

-Tom

>> The powers that be will NOT let me setup a VPN. Believe, I'd love
>> to. They won't listen though.
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> Replicas must be synched IN PLACE. Period. End of statement. No
> qualifications, no ifs and or buts.

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David W. Fenton - 12 Jul 2006 23:55 GMT

>> No, it will never work. It will create dead a replica every time
>> you transfer the file,
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> moving it around. As long as ->I<- don't screw up in moving it
> around, I don't see why it wouldn't work.

If you synch it with another replica, it gets a new ReplicaID and is
listed in the MSysReplicas table. It no longer exists, but is still
in the list of replicas. That's the definition of a dead replica.

Again, you need to understand more about how Jet replication works
in order that you can comprehend why what you're suggesting is an
incredibly bad idea, doomed to eventual failure and loss of the
replica set.

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David W. Fenton http://www.dfenton.com/
usenet at dfenton dot com http://www.dfenton.com/DFA/

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