Sybase® Replication Agent™ version 12.5 extends the capabilities of Replication Server® by allowing non-Sybase (heterogeneous) database servers to act as primary data servers in a replication system based on Sybase replication technology.
Sybase Replication Agent is the Sybase solution for replicating table data changing operations and stored procedure invocations against a primary database in the following servers:
IBM DB2 Universal Database (for UNIX and Microsoft Windows platforms)
Informix Dynamic Server
Microsoft SQL Server
Oracle
This book describes Sybase Replication Agent administrative tasks and operations.
This book is intended for System Administrators and Database Administrators who are responsible for maintaining and monitoring primary databases, or a replication system based on Sybase replication technology (Replication Server).
The information in this book is organized as follows:
Chapter 1, “Introduction to Sybase Replication Agent,” provides an introduction to replication system concepts and an overview of the Sybase Replication Agent. This chapter describes the major Replication Agent components and explains how they work.
Chapter 2, “Setting Up Sybase Replication Agent,” describes the initial setup and configuration procedure for Sybase Replication Agent. The setup procedures described in this chapter must be performed after installing the software, and before replication can begin.
Chapter 3, “Administering Sybase Replication Agent,” describes administrative operations, including managing Replication Agent instances and using the Replication Agent administration port to perform a variety of routine administrative tasks.
Chapter 4, “Sybase Replication Agent Command Reference,” describes all the Sybase Replication Agent commands in detail, including syntax, options, usage, and examples (where appropriate).
Chapter 5, “Sybase Replication Agent Configuration Parameters,” describes all the Sybase Replication Agent configuration parameters and the Replication Agent configuration file.
Chapter 6, “Troubleshooting Sybase Replication Agent,” describes basic troubleshooting and system recovery procedures for Sybase Replication Agent and the replication system.
Appendix A, “Administering the Replication Agent for UDB,” describes DB2 Universal Database-specific issues and details peculiar to the Sybase Replication Agent implementation for an IBM DB2 Universal Database primary database.
Appendix B, “Administering the Replication Agent for Informix,” describes Informix-specific issues and details peculiar to the Sybase Replication Agent implementation for an Informix primary database.
Appendix C, “Administering the Replication Agent for Microsoft SQL Server,” describes Microsoft SQL Server-specific issues and details peculiar to the Sybase Replication Agent implementation for a Microsoft SQL Server primary database.
Appendix D, “Administering the Replication Agent for Oracle,” describes Oracle-specific issues and details peculiar to the Sybase Replication Agent implementation for an Oracle primary database.
Appendix E, “Materializing Subscriptions to Primary Data,” describes the materialization process and provides a detailed procedure for materializing subscriptions to primary tables.
A Sybase replication system comprises several components. You might find it useful to have the following documentation available as you install Sybase Replication Agent and set up your replication system.
The Sybase Replication Agent Installation Guide describes how to install and set up the Sybase Replication Agent software. It includes an installation and setup worksheet you can use to collect all the information you need to complete the Replication Agent installation.
The Replication Agent for Oracle Migration Guide describes the migration process from Replication Agent for Oracle version 10.x or 11.x to Sybase Replication Agent.
The Sybase Replication Agent 12.5 release bulletin contains current information that might not have been available when the Sybase Replication Agent guides were published.
The Replication Server Design Guide introduces distributed database system concepts and describes how Replication Server supports distributed database systems, and how to design a replication system.
The Replication Server Administration Guide contains information about Replication Server system administration issues.
The Replication Server Reference Manual contains information about Replication Command Language (RCL) commands and syntax.
The Replication Server Heterogeneous Replication Guide contains information about integrating heterogeneous (non-ASE and non-Sybase) database servers into a replication system based on Sybase replication technology.
The Replication Server Troubleshooting Guide contains information to help diagnose and correct problems in a replication system.
The Sybase Replication Agent 12.5 release bulletin contains information about Java requirements that may not have been available when the Sybase Replication Agent guides were published.
Java documentation available from your operating system vendor describes how to set up and manage your Java environment.
Further information about the Java environment on all platforms can be found at the following URL:
http://java.sun.com
Sybase recommends that you or someone at your site be familiar with the software and database administration tasks for the primary database(s) supported by Sybase Replication Agent:
IBM DB2 Universal Database user documentation describes how to install, configure, and administer an DB2 Universal Database data server. More information about DB2 Universal Database can be found at the IBM DB2 Web site:
http://www.ibm.com/software/data/db2/
Informix user documentation describes how to install, configure, and administer an Informix Dynamic Server data server. More information about Informix Dynamic Server can be found at the IBM Informix Web site:
http://www.ibm.com/software/data/informix/
Microsoft SQL Server user documentation describes how to install, configure, and administer a Microsoft SQL Server data server. More information about Microsoft SQL Server can be found at the Microsoft Web site:
http://microsoft.com/sql/techinfo/
Oracle database user documentation describes how to install, configure, and administer an Oracle database server. More information about Oracle database servers can be found at the Oracle Web site:
http://docs.oracle.com/
Make sure you have the manuals appropriate for the version of Adaptive Server Enterprise you use with your replication system.
The Adaptive Server Enterprise Installation Guide contains information about installing Adaptive Server Enterprise on your system. You can use this guide to help you install a data server for the Replication Server System Database (RSSD) or an Adaptive Server replicate database server.
The Adaptive Server Enterprise System Administration Guide contains information you need to manage Adaptive Server.
The Adaptive Server Enterprise Utility Guide describes isql and how to use it to query and manage database servers.
More information about Adaptive Server Enterprise can be found at the following URL:
http://www.sybase.com/support/manuals/
Use the Sybase Technical Library CD and the Technical Library Product Manuals Web site to learn more about your product:
The Technical Library CD contains product manuals and is included with your software. The DynaText browser (downloadable from Product Manuals) allows you to access technical information about your product in an easy-to-use format.
Refer to the Technical Library Installation Guide in your documentation package for instructions on installing and starting the Technical Library.
The Technical Library Product Manuals Web site is an HTML version of the Technical Library CD that you can access using a standard Web browser. In addition to product manuals, you will find links to the Technical Documents Web site (formerly known as Tech Info Library), the Solved Cases page, and Sybase/Powersoft newsgroups.
To access the Technical Library Product Manuals Web site, go to Product Manuals.
Technical documentation at the Sybase Web site is updated frequently.
For the latest information on product certifications
Point your Web browser to Technical Documents.
Select Products from the navigation bar on the left.
Select a product name from the product list.
Select the Certification Report filter, specify a time frame, and click Go.
Click a Certification Report title to display the report.
For the latest information on EBFs and Updates
Point your Web browser to Technical Documents.
Select EBFs/Updates. Enter user name and password information, if prompted (for existing Web accounts) or create a new account (a free service).
Specify a time frame and click Go.
Select a product.
Click an EBF/Update title to display the report.
To create a personalized view of the Sybase Web
site (including support pages)
Set up a MySybase profile. MySybase is a free service that allows you to create a personalized view of Sybase Web pages.
Point your Web browser to Technical Documents.
Click MySybase and create a MySybase profile.
The following sections describe content, style, and syntax conventions used in this guide.
Where possible, both UNIX and Windows (NT and 2000) operating system interfaces are shown. When it is not possible to show both UNIX and Windows interfaces, only the Windows interface is shown.
The following style conventions are used in this guide:
Examples that show the use of Replication Server or Replication Agent commands appear like this:
pdb_setreptable authors, mark
Command names, command option names, parameter names, specific parameter values, program names, program command line options or arguments, and other keywords appear in body text like this:
Use ra_set_login to set the administrative user ID.
Syntax examples appear like this:
alter user username set password new_passwd
The words username and new_passwd in the syntax example are variables or user-supplied words.
Variables and user-supplied words appear in body text like this:
Set the new user password, new_passwd.
Names of database objects (tables, columns, stored procedures, etc.) appear in body text like this:
Check the base_price column in the Items table.
Names of datatypes appear in body text like this:
Use the date or datetime datatype.
Examples of computer output appear like this:
pub_id pub_name city state
------- ------------------- -----------
0736 New Age Books Boston
0877 Binnet & Hardley Washington
1389 Algodata Infosystems Berkeley
(3 rows affected)
The following syntax conventions are used in this guide:
Key |
Definition |
|---|---|
{ } |
Curly braces indicate that you must choose at least one of the enclosed options. Do not include the braces when you enter the command. |
[ ] |
Brackets mean that choosing one or more of the enclosed options is optional. Do not include the brackets when you enter the command. |
( ) |
Parentheses are to be typed as part of the command. |
| |
The vertical bar means you may select only one of the options shown. |
, |
The comma means you may choose as many of the options as you like, separating your choices with commas to be typed as part of the command. |
Syntax statements (showing the syntax and options for a command) appear like this:
ra_config param[, value]
Replication Agent command names are not case sensitive. In this book, most command syntax examples are shown in lowercase, however, you can disregard character case when typing Replication Agent command names. For example, typing PDB_XLOG, Pdb_Xlog, or pdb_xlog yields the same result.
Replication Agent configuration parameter names are case sensitive. For example, Scan_Sleep_Max is not the same as scan_sleep_max and the former would be interpreted as an invalid parameter name.
Database object names are not case sensitive in Replication Agent commands. If you need to use mixed-case object names in Replication Agent commands, you must delimit the object names with quote characters.
Each Sybase installation that has purchased a support contract has one or more designated people who are authorized to contact Sybase Technical Support. If you cannot resolve a problem using the manuals or online help, please have the designated person contact Sybase Technical Support or the Sybase subsidiary in your area.
