The merge process could not initialize the subscription

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bluefish - 17 Jan 2006 18:52 GMT

Hi,
I am new DBA doing my first replication troubleshooting. we have a log
shipping application that takes a snap shot of the origin tables, and
generate 4 articles. Four tables are then synchronized using a merge agent,
which runs every hour to destination database.

We have taken the log shipping down for couple of weeks, and now I am trying
to synchronize these two. But get following error.
The merge process could not initialize the subscription.

Anyone knows anything about this? and how to troubleshoot.

Thank you much in advance.
Sam

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Hilary Cotter - 17 Jan 2006 21:50 GMT

Are you sure this is log shipping? It sounds like plain vanilla merge
replication to me. Can you post the exact error message you are getting? Or
it the message "The merge process could not initialize the subscription. "
the complete message?

It sounds like you need to reinitialize this subscription (locate the
publication in the publications folder, and locate the subscription in the
Right Hand Side, and right click on it and select reinitialize) and re-run
the snapshot agent. Next time the merge agent runs it will correct the
problem.

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Hilary Cotter
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> Hi,
> I am new DBA doing my first replication troubleshooting. we have a log
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> Thank you much in advance.
> Sam

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bluefish - 17 Jan 2006 22:10 GMT

Thanks. Yes this is part of our log shipping that uses merge replication.
In fact I tried that and it did not work. What worked for me was to delete
the subscription, and delete the entries in the destination tables. Then I
took a new snapshot, and recreated the subscription. I initialize it before
the synchronization begin.

Thanks much for posting this. Let me know if you have any thought/commnets.
Sam

> Are you sure this is log shipping? It sounds like plain vanilla merge
> replication to me. Can you post the exact error message you are getting? Or
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> > Thank you much in advance.
> > Sam

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Michael Hotek - 23 Jan 2006 12:57 GMT

That doesn't make any sense. Log shipping and replication are two
completely different technologies. Log shipping relies on backups of the
transaction log being applied on a continuing basis. Replication transfers
changes on an individual basis very close to the time in which it occurs.
Log shipping will pick up all sorts of things like index creation,
reindexing, etc. It also is an all or nothing for the database.
Replication only moves insert, update, and delete statements and the
subscriber can have a completely different structure than the publisher.

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Mike
http://www.solidqualitylearning.com
Disclaimer: This communication is an original work and represents my sole
views on the subject. It does not represent the views of any other person
or entity either by inference or direct reference.

> Thanks. Yes this is part of our log shipping that uses merge replication.
> In fact I tried that and it did not work. What worked for me was to delete
[quoted text clipped - 38 lines]
>> > Thank you much in advance.
>> > Sam

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bluefish - 23 Jan 2006 14:36 GMT

Mike,
We are using the full back up and Tlog back ups, but for the purpose of
applying them, but we use merge replication as well. This may be different
from the regular logshipping ( I am not sure, since I have not done it
before). However, how it works is that we take the back up from Server A to a
Drive X which is in Synch with Drive Y, and And Server B picks up the logs
from Drive y to apply. The Server A has all that back up information that get
pushed to Server B via snapshop, and merge replication which runs every
hours. This is how server B knows that a back up is available and to apply
it. It seem to work fine and we have upto the minute back up.
Thank you
Sam

Since ou

> That doesn't make any sense. Log shipping and replication are two
> completely different technologies. Log shipping relies on backups of the
[quoted text clipped - 47 lines]
> >> > Thank you much in advance.
> >> > Sam

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Michael Hotek - 25 Jan 2006 19:18 GMT

I understand, but that is impossible. Merge replication does not deal with
backup files and does not know what a back (of any kind) is. Merge
replication utilizes 3 tables internal to the database to determine which
data to send between publisher/subscriber pairs. It has no ability to
backup a database in any form just as it has no capability to restore a
backup of any form.

What you are describing is pure and simple log shipping.

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> Mike,
> We are using the full back up and Tlog back ups, but for the purpose of
[quoted text clipped - 73 lines]
>> >> > Thank you much in advance.
>> >> > Sam

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bluefish - 30 Jan 2006 15:31 GMT

That is correct. Merge replication does not back up the database. It is used
in the log shipping process to transfer the information.

> I understand, but that is impossible. Merge replication does not deal with
> backup files and does not know what a back (of any kind) is. Merge
[quoted text clipped - 82 lines]
> >> >> > Thank you much in advance.
> >> >> > Sam

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Michael Hotek - 31 Jan 2006 05:10 GMT

I give up. Merge replication (replmerg.exe) has absolutely no capability to
do this, never has, and never will. What you are describing is pure and
simple log shipping which is an entirely different feature using an entirely
different command set. If you're using merge replication to backup a
database, restore a database, or transfer a database backup between
machines, I would definitely like to see it, because in over a decade of
doing this, I have never come across any piece of any replication engine by
any database vendor or 3rd party product that had any capability to do what
you are describing.

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> That is correct. Merge replication does not back up the database. It is
> used
[quoted text clipped - 102 lines]
>> >> >> > Thank you much in advance.
>> >> >> > Sam

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