Data sync over the internet?

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Data sync over the internet?

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timwell SSCertifiable Points: 5315 More actions · Answer 1

OK. Since this is for HR data which doesn't change very often I am thinking of an on-demand system using a web service.

They would have an application on the client at the remote location and an SQL Express database to keep their copy of the data. They log in to the remote application, and in the background it sends a message to the web service that says "Send me all the updates to the records for my staff since XX/XX/XX HH:MM:SS" (the last time we looked). And when they hit "submit" it sends the updates through the same web service to the admin server.

All updates would be centralized on the admin server, and the remote locations have a copy, similar to the existing system where the hard-copy records are at the admin office and they have copies at the remote sites.

The biggest issue is how to keep track of what has been updated and when. That sounds a lot like the transaction log... Is there any way to "patch" into the transaction log to get updates filtered by time and other criteria, which could be shipped to the remote DB and applied to make all the updates?

Or maybe I would be able to extract the information from the log updates and format as xml.

Does that sound reasonable?

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 2

Perhaps Service Broker could be used. I would have to do some investigating to be sure, but it sounds like another viable alternative.

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 3

Instead of a web application, perhaps a One-Click application. It is delivered to the users desktop by the web, but it actually sits on the users desktop. Been a while since I have thought of this type of client but I'm pretty sure that they can still be developed (need to research this more also).

timwell SSCertifiable Points: 5315 More actions · Answer 4

Lynn Pettis (5/24/2012)
Perhaps Service Broker could be used. I would have to do some investigating to be sure, but it sounds like another viable alternative.
Instead of a web application, perhaps a One-Click application. It is delivered to the users desktop by the web, but it actually sits on the users desktop. Been a while since I have thought of this type of client but I'm pretty sure that they can still be developed (need to research this more also).

Thanks for the suggestions. I will check on those.

I have been reading the forums and articles in an attempt to catch up on what I'm supposed to know as a "Database Manager" (my title here). Pretty small company, my supervisor is the CEO, so it's up to me to know what I am supposed to do....

Jared SSC Guru Points: 61793 More actions · Answer 5

timwell (5/24/2012)
Lynn Pettis (5/24/2012)
Perhaps Service Broker could be used. I would have to do some investigating to be sure, but it sounds like another viable alternative.
Instead of a web application, perhaps a One-Click application. It is delivered to the users desktop by the web, but it actually sits on the users desktop. Been a while since I have thought of this type of client but I'm pretty sure that they can still be developed (need to research this more also).
Thanks for the suggestions. I will check on those.
I have been reading the forums and articles in an attempt to catch up on what I'm supposed to know as a "Database Manager" (my title here). Pretty small company, my supervisor is the CEO, so it's up to me to know what I am supposed to do....

Well... As a database manager you really need to know what the application will be like first to make an educated decision. I'm sure you know that by now 🙂 A different topology would be needed if they want each office to function independently, or if they want this to not be web accessible, or if they require a certain level of availability. All of those "types" of questions need to be answered before even thinking about the topology. Then to weigh cost vs performance vs security vs DR. In my company, I am not brought in on the decision as to how they want to application to be built. They may ask for suggestions, but really they decide how they want the application, and then I design the database according to their needs. Or design new specs if needed.

Jared
CE - Microsoft

timwell SSCertifiable Points: 5315 More actions · Answer 6

SQLKnowItAll (5/24/2012)Well... As a database manager you really need to know what the application will be like first to make an educated decision. I'm sure you know that by now 🙂 A different topology would be needed if they want each office to function independently, or if they want this to not be web accessible, or if they require a certain level of availability. All of those "types" of questions need to be answered before even thinking about the topology. Then to weigh cost vs performance vs security vs DR. In my company, I am not brought in on the decision as to how they want to application to be built. They may ask for suggestions, but really they decide how they want the application, and then I design the database according to their needs. Or design new specs if needed.

Hopefully I get some "points" by having to do everything myself. The people making the requests may not know what they are asking for so I will need to know what questions to ask. There is a lot to consider, the "unknown unknowns" and features I didn't know existed...

Thanks for the input.