What is the Distributed Transaction Coordinator?

• SQLDCH

  SSChampion

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  June 10, 2010 at 12:22 pm

  #139370

  Probably a dumb question, but I'm having trouble understanding some basics about MSDTC. Google shows me lots of pages regarding troubleshooting, I just need a basic understanding of what it is and why it's used.

  I have a vendor requirement to turn it on and allow it thru the firewall, need to provide analysis of risk.

  Anyone have links they can provide that would give me an understanding of what this service does? I found some good stuff here, regarding security:

  http://blogs.msdn.com/b/madhuponduru/archive/2005/12/16/504925.aspx

  http://blogs.msdn.com/b/florinlazar/archive/2004/06/18/159127.aspx

  but I'd really like to understand what a 'distributed transaction' is (beyond the basic definition found in BOL), how the service interacts with SQL Server and why it's used.

  TIA

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• Grant Fritchey

  SSC Guru

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  June 11, 2010 at 9:26 am

  #1179269

  Denny Cherry[/url] has a great little explanation of DTC.

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