What should you do?

You administer several Microsoft SQL Server database servers. Merge replication has been configured for an application that is distributed across offices throughout a wide area network (WAN).

Many of the tables involved in replication use the XML and varchar (max) data types. Occasionally, merge replication fails due to timeout errors.

You need to reduce the occurrence of these timeout errors.

What should you do?
A . Set the Merge agent on the problem subscribers to use the slow link agent profile.
B . Create a snapshot publication, and reconfigure the problem subscribers to use the snapshot publication.
C . Change the Merge agent on the problem subscribers to run continuously.
D . Set the Remote Connection Timeout on the Publisher to 0.

View Answer

Answer: A

Explanation:

When replication is configured, a set of agent profiles is installed on the Distributor. An agent profile contains a set of parameters that are used each time an agent runs: each agent logs in to the Distributor during its startup process and queries for the parameters in its profile.

For merge subscriptions that use Web synchronization, profiles are downloaded and stored at the Subscriber. If the profile is changed, the profile at the Subscriber is updated the next time the Merge Agent runs. For more information about Web synchronization, see Web Synchronization for Merge Replication.

Replication provides a default profile for each agent and additional predefined profiles for the Log Reader Agent, Distribution Agent, and Merge Agent. In addition to the profiles provided, you can create profiles suited to your application requirements. An agent profile allows you to change key parameters easily for all agents associated with that profile. For example, if you have 20 Snapshot Agents and need to change the query timeout value (the – QueryTimeout parameter), you can update the profile used by the Snapshot Agents and all agents of that type will begin using the new value automatically the next time they run.

You might also have different profiles for different instances of an agent. For example, a Merge Agent that connects to the Publisher and Distributor over a dialup connection could use a set of parameters that are better suited to the slower communications link by using the slow link profile.