October 26, 2006 at 11:33 am
In 2007 we plan on moving many of our SQL Servers (2000 & 2005) to a SAN. We will also be investigating the best way to replicate data from our production SAN to a Disaster Recovery SAN. I would like to know if people rely on built-in SQL Server replication / log shipping or third party products like DoubleTake or MirrorView. What's the advantage, if any, to using a third-party product?
Thanks, Dave
October 26, 2006 at 11:56 am
My position with replication (SQL Server, Oracle and Sybase) is to use the "built-in" tools and not even consider the 3rd party products. But I take this position on most (all) third party products and only look at them if they really offer something extra. I also don't normally hire outside consultants or consulting services to do these jobs; although I am a consultant/contractor myself. My usual comment/argument goes like this "I don't want something on my system I can't build myself - how will I manage it if it breaks?"
Sybase replication is so difficult, largely due to their own (corporate) mismanagement, and lack of documentation, even lack of product to test without carefully issued trial license keys, that you usually end up needing their internal consultants... and even their own people don't usually know how to make things work. Even their best guy starts from scratch each time with a test replication of one table with two columns... and everything he does, he does from there... and when something breaks, he goes back to it.
Oracle is "hard" to use; but at least you can download (or get CD/DVD) the software and experiement, and the documentation isn't hard to find. They also do a good job of supporting and have a database available only to DBAs with a support contract. There are also one or two really good DBAs that have internet sites which are very helpful.
I can see why people would select third party software, thinking that the saleman is right when he talks about "value added"... if it's too hard to use, a product that simplifies makes it good, right?
With SQL Server, replication is there in EVERY installation... and people can experiment with it... it has a pretty GUI which makes people "not afraid" and it really is pretty simple... at least on the surface.
If I were you I would spend a month or two building something and make a decision after that. I am not even aware of the benefits of third party software for SQL Server... just haven't looked, haven't exhausted my own resources yet.
Thank-you,
David Russell
Any Cloud, Any Database, Oracle since 1982
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