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 Data Replication vs Linked Queries

Author  Topic 

jrunowski
Starting Member

8 Posts

Posted - 2010-09-15 : 09:51:32
Hello,
I was wondering if I could get some opinions and or advice on a "design" question I've been asking myself for the past few weeks. We have a table in our financial system called "Customers". This table contains each customer's ID as well as a full description about the customer. Recently my team has design several internal applications that use the information in the Customers table. My question is, which situation would you prefer or if you have another one in mind I would love to hear that as well.

1. Replication the Customers table to each application database that needs the info.
2. Store only the customerID in each application database and use linked queries to get any additional information about the customer that is needed for that application.

PS Sorry if this is in the incorrect forum group.

Thanks in advance for your help!
Jesse

RickD
Slow But Sure Yak Herding Master

3608 Posts

Posted - 2010-09-15 : 10:10:50
Are the internal application databases on the same SQL Server? If so, then leave it where it is.

If it on different servers, but they are in the same building, check the speed of linked queries (assuming you have some level of control over queries written against the table) before going down the replication route. If linked queries are too slow, do you then want updateable replication or for the table to simply be read only for the subscriptions?
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jrunowski
Starting Member

8 Posts

Posted - 2010-09-15 : 10:39:39
Hi Rick,

Some of the application databases on are the same SQL server but many are not. Most of them are in our main office building, im sure the speed would be fine however that's a good point and something i would need to test. The whole concept of a linked query freaks me out, not sure why i should probably do some more research on them. The replicated data would only be read-only with no need to update the source.

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russell
Pyro-ma-ni-yak

5072 Posts

Posted - 2010-09-15 : 11:00:23
Replicate it. This way the queries against it do not impact the financial system in any way.

I would replicate it to a single reporting server and have all the applications query that
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jrunowski
Starting Member

8 Posts

Posted - 2010-09-15 : 11:26:39
Thanks Russell, thats a good point. I forgot to take into consideration the impact of the link queries on the financial system.
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