100 Interview Questions On Transactional Replication In Sql Server

Interview Questions On Transactional Replication In Sql Server: It is a method of transferring data from one database to other in approx real time. It facilitates real time data distribution across databases. The common question in this topic might be regarding scenarios on latency management, snapshot creation and resolving conflicts.

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Interview Questions On Transactional Replication In Sql Server

The preparation for interview on this domain requires deep understanding of concepts like Publisher, Distributor, Subscriber roles and other issues also. In this post, you will get 100 key interview questions about Transactional Replication, covering foundational concepts to advanced configurations, offering valuable insights for both new and experienced professionals who are looking for a promising career.

Basics of Transactional Replication

1. What is SQL Server Replication?
2. Can you explain the purpose of Transactional Replication?
3. How does Transactional Replication differ from Snapshot Replication and Merge Replication?
4. What are the primary components of Transactional Replication?
5. What is the role of a Publisher in Transactional Replication?
6. What is the role of a Subscriber in Transactional Replication?
7. What is the role of a Distributor in Transactional Replication?
8. Describe the function of a Log Reader Agent in Transactional Replication.
9. What is the role of a Distribution Agent in Transactional Replication?
10. What kind of data changes can be replicated using Transactional Replication?

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Setup and Configuration

11. How do you configure Transactional Replication in SQL Server?
12. Can you replicate data between different SQL Server versions?
13. How do you set up a Distributor for Transactional Replication?
14. What permissions are required for setting up Transactional Replication?
15. Can a SQL Server instance be both Publisher and Subscriber?
16. How do you create a Publication in Transactional Replication?
17. What options are available for initializing a Subscription?
18. How do you create a Subscription in Transactional Replication?
19. How can you use scripts to configure Transactional Replication?
20. What are the key considerations when choosing a Distributor?

Agents and Jobs

21. What is the Log Reader Agent, and how does it work?
22. What is the Distribution Agent, and what does it do?
23. What is the Snapshot Agent, and when is it used in Transactional Replication?
24. How do you monitor replication agents?
25. How would you troubleshoot a Distribution Agent that fails?
26. What agent profiles are available, and when would you use a custom profile?
27. Can multiple Distribution Agents be used for a single Publication?
28. How can you change the schedule of replication agent jobs?
29. How would you restart a failed replication agent?
30. What happens if the Log Reader Agent stops?

Performance and Optimization

31. How does Transactional Replication impact system performance?
32. What are some best practices for optimizing Transactional Replication?
33. How do you monitor latency in Transactional Replication?
34. What tools or methods are used to measure replication performance?
35. Can replication impact network performance? If so, how?
36. How would you handle a large volume of transactions in Transactional Replication?
37. How can you reduce the size of the Distribution database?
38. What are some common bottlenecks in Transactional Replication?
39. How can replication filters be used to optimize data replication?
40. What role does indexing play in Transactional Replication performance?

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Error Handling and Troubleshooting

41. How do you troubleshoot Transactional Replication failures?
42. What are some common errors in Transactional Replication?
43. How would you resolve latency issues in Transactional Replication?
44. What tools are available for troubleshooting Transactional Replication?
45. How would you handle a Subscriber that has fallen behind in synchronization?
46. What happens if the Publisher or Distributor goes offline?
47. How can you prevent duplicate key errors in Transactional Replication?
48. How do you reinitialize a Subscription?
49. What are some common causes of data loss in Transactional Replication?
50. How do you troubleshoot schema changes not replicating to Subscribers?

Advanced Configuration

51. How does updating a Subscriber work in Transactional Replication?
52. Can you replicate only a subset of columns from a table?
53. Can you replicate only a subset of rows from a table?
54. What is article filtering, and how is it configured?
55. How do you handle identity columns in Transactional Replication?
56. What is a bidirectional transactional replication setup?
57. Can you replicate stored procedures in Transactional Replication?
58. How do you handle replication of DDL changes?
59. What are the options for replicating schema changes?
60. How would you configure Transactional Replication over a WAN?

Security and Permissions

61. What are the security considerations for Transactional Replication?
62. How are roles and permissions managed in Transactional Replication?
63. What accounts are required for replication agents?
64. How do you set up security for cross-domain replication?
65. What are the best practices for securing replication data in transit?
66. How does encryption work with Transactional Replication?
67. What are potential security risks with Transactional Replication?
68. How would you manage permissions for multiple Subscribers?

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Monitoring and Maintenance

69. How do you monitor the health of Transactional Replication?
70. What are the key performance counters for Transactional Replication?
71. How do you identify latency in Transactional Replication?
72. How often should the Distribution database be maintained?
73. What tools are available for monitoring Transactional Replication?
74. How would you configure alerts for Transactional Replication issues?
75. How would you monitor the size of the Distribution database?
76. What is the purpose of the Replication Monitor?
77. How do you monitor agent history in Transactional Replication?
78. What information is available in replication system tables?

Design and Scalability

79. What are the limitations of Transactional Replication?
80. How does Transactional Replication handle large databases?
81. Can you replicate to multiple Subscribers? How?
82. What factors influence Transactional Replication scalability?
83. What is peer-to-peer replication, and how is it different?
84. How would you design a replication topology for high availability?
85. What are the limitations on replicating large objects?
86. How can you manage a topology with multiple Publishers?
87. How does Transactional Replication affect the transaction log?
88. How would you handle cross-database transactional replication?

Miscellaneous

89. What are some alternatives to Transactional Replication?
90. How does SQL Server Always On affect Transactional Replication?
91. What changes were introduced in SQL Server for replication between versions?
92. Can replication be used for disaster recovery? How?
93. How do you test a Transactional Replication setup?
94. What is the difference between push and pull subscriptions?
95. How do you change a Subscriber’s sync method from push to pull?
96. Can you automate replication setup and teardown with PowerShell?
97. What factors should be considered when choosing a publication database?
98. Can Transactional Replication work across different geographic locations?
99. How does Transactional Replication differ from Change Data Capture (CDC)?
100. How would you set up replication for reporting purposes without impacting performance?

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Mastering Transactional Replication enhances data reliability, scalability, and real-time reporting capabilities in SQL Server. These interview questions provide an in-depth foundation for handling SQL Server replication, ensuring robust replication setups and optimized performance for business-critical applications.