I have a WinForms business application that connects to a SQL Server on a server within the business network. Recently we have added an ASP.NET web site so some of the information within the system can be accessed from the Internet. This is hosted on the same server as the SQL Server.
Due to the bandwidth available to the business network from the Internet we want to host the web site with a provider but it needs access to the SQL Server database.
95% of data changes are made by the business using the WinForms application. The web site is essentially a read only view of the data but it is possible to add some data to the system which accounts for the other 5%.
Is replication the best way to achieve the desired result e.g. SQL Server within the business network remains the master database as most changes are made to this and then replicate this to the off site server? If so which type of replication would be the most suitable and would this support replicating the little data entered from the ASP.NET web site back to the main server?
The SQL Server is currently 2005 but can be upgraded as required for any replication requirements.
Are there other solutions to this problem?
Yes, since the web application is causing 5% (max) transaction; you can separate it.
I mean, you can have a different DB which is a carbon copy of the master one and have web application point to this DB.
You can setup a bi-directional transaction replication. So that, transaction made to the master DB will get replicated as well as transaction made to the secondary DB will be replicated as well.
No need of upgrading; as SQL Server 2005 supports replication.
For further information check MSDN on replication here: Bidirectional Transactional Replication
In a Nutshell, here are the steps you would do:
For better performance, you can also have the primary DB mirrored onto someother DB server.