What's "best" depends on your environment.

Native SQL Server technologies include:

1.  A full backup and restore everyday (if your database is small enough and you have enough time)

2.  Log shipping (can...

You have three options:

1.  When you setup merge replication, you can have SQL Server allocate a "pool" of numbers to each subscriber.  For example, new records added at subscriber1 would...

1.  SQL Server does not consolidate transactions in any way.  In your first example - all 12 transactions are distributed to the subscribers.  As far as rows inserted "out of...