SQL Data Sync (Preview) Table Of Contents

SQL Data Sync (Preview) Table of ContentsSQL Data Sync (Preview) . 10Other Resources . 11What's New in SQL Data Sync . 11What’s New in SQL Data Sync (Preview)? . 12May 2015 – new SQL Azure Data Sync Agent release . 12December 2012 – Service Update. 12October 2012 – Service Update . 13August 2012 – Service Update . 13June 2012 – Service Update . 13April 2012 – Service Update . 13January 2012 - Major Service Update . 14December 2011 – Minor Service Update . 14November 2011 – Minor Service Update . 14October 2011 – Release of Public Preview . 15See Also . 15Prerequisite Information . 16System Requirements for SQL Data Sync . 16System Requirements . 17Navigation . 17See Also . 18Known SQL Data Sync Limits . 18SQL Data Sync Limits . 19Limits per SQL Data Sync server . 19Supported limits on database dimensions . 20Supported limits on database schema. 20Navigation . 20See Also . 21Plan for Optimization . 21Reduce Your Costs . 22Improve Efficiency . 22Navigation . 22See Also . 23Understand and Avoid Synchronization Loops . 23Causes of Synchronization Loops. 24Sync Group Design . 24

How Figure 1 works . 24How Figure 2 works (or does not work) . 25How Figure 3 works (big loops are still loops) . 26How to avoid synchronization loops . 28Navigation . 29See Also . 29SQL Data Sync Best Practices . 30In this topic . 30Security and Reliability . 31Agent . 31Database accounts with least privilege. 31Where to Locate Your Hub Database . 31Database Considerations and Constraints . 32Table Considerations and Constraints . 32Provisioning Destination Databases . 33Auto Provisioning Limitations . 33Recommendations . 33Avoid a slow and costly initial synchronization . 33SQL Data Sync (Preview)’s behavior . 33Recommendation . 34Synchronization Schedule Considerations . 34Design to Avoid Synchronization Loops . 34Avoid Out-of-Date Databases and Sync Groups . 35Avoid Out-of-Date Databases . 35Avoid Out-of-Date Sync Groups . 35Avoid Deprovisioning Issues . 35Handling Changes that Fail to Propagate . 36Reasons that changes fail to propagate . 36What happens when changes fail to propagate? . 36Recommendation . 36Modifying your sync group . 36Navigation . 37See Also . 37Create a Sync Group . 38See Also . 39Install a SQL Data Sync Client Agent . 39How To: Install a SQL Data Sync Client Agent . 40Prerequisites to installing a client agent . 40Steps to install a client agent . 40See Also . 46

Register a SQL Server database with a Client Agent . 46How To: Register a SQL Server Database with the Client Agent . 47Navigation . 50See Also . 51Create your sync group . 51How To: Create your Sync Group . 52Start the Wizard . 52Wizard page 1: Sync group basic settings . 52Wizard page 2: Define sync hub . 52Wizard page 3: Add reference database . 53Navigation . 53See Also . 54Define your data sync . 55How To: Define your Sync Data . 55Navigate to the sync rules screen. 55Select the tables and columns to sync . 56Navigation . 56See Also . 57Configure your sync group (SDS). 57How To: Configure your Sync Group . 58Navigate to the configuration page . 58Set the configuration . 59Navigation . 59See Also . 60Modify an Existing Sync Group . 60In this section . 61See Also . 61Update a Sync Group Schema . 62Sections in this topic . 62Prerequisites . 63Supported changes to a sync group . 63Sync Group Update Limitations . 63Sync group changes: scenarios . 64Add or remove a table in a sync group . 64Add a table to a sync group . 64Remove a table from a sync group . 65Add or remove a column in a sync group . 65Add a column to a sync group . 65Remove a column from a sync group. 67Change the width of a column in a sync group . 67

Change a column’s data type . 68How to apply changes to your sync group . 68Best Practices for schema updates. 69Navigation . 70See Also . 70Add a Database to your Sync Group . 70Add a database to an existing sync group . 71Select the sync group . 71Add reference database . 72Navigation . 72See Also . 73Remove a Database from a Sync Group . 73To Remove a Database from a Sync Group . 74Manual Database Deprovisioning . 74Confirm Success . 75Navigation . 75See Also . 76Delete a Sync Group . 76To Remove a Sync Group . 77Confirm Success . 77Navigation . 78See Also . 79Manually Deprovision a Database . 79Manually Deprovision a Database . 80Navigation . 81See Also . 81Cancel a Synchronization . 81Why cancel a synchronization? . 82How to cancel a synchronization . 83Results of canceling a synchronization . 83What happens . 83What does not happen . 83Navigation . 84See Also . 84Change an Agent's Key . 84Change a client agent’s key . 86Navigation . 86See Also . 87

Data Security in SQL Data Sync . 87Encryption . 88Encrypted Data . 88Encrypted Connections . 88Authentication. 88Client Agent Authentication . 88Database Access Authentication . 89System Component Authentication . 89Portal Access Authentication . 89Recommendations . 89Navigation . 89See Also . 90SQL Database Data Types supported by SQL Data Sync . 91Sections in this topic . 91Supported Data Types . 92Unsupported Data Types . 92Unsupported Column Properties . 93Navigation . 93See Also . 94Conflict Resolution when Synchronizing . 94Conflict Resolution Policies . 95Hub Wins . 95Client Wins . 95Case Study . 95Initial State . 95Changes since Last Sync . 96Hub Wins Sync Steps . 96Client Wins Sync Steps . 97Navigation . 99See Also . 100How to Upgrade a Client Agent . 100How to upgrade to the latest version of the client Agent?. 101A. Determine your client agent version . 101B. Upgrade to the new agent . 103Navigation . 103See Also . 104Get Help with SQL Data Sync . 105In This Section. 105See Also . 106SQL Data Sync FAQ . 106

Table of Contents . 106Introductory Questions . 107Use Questions . 107How to . 107Q: If I have question about using SQL Data Sync, who do I contact? . 108Introductory Questions . 108Q: What is new in the latest version of SQL Data Sync? . 108Q: What are the minimum requirements to use SQL Data Sync? . 108Q: Can I use SQL Data Sync in production? . 108Q: Can I use SQL Data Sync with a mobile device? . 108Q: How much does the SQL Data Sync (Preview) service cost? . 108Q: Where is SQL Data Sync located? . 108Q: Is a SQL Database account required? If so, how do I get a SQL Database account? . 108Use Questions . 109Q: Does SQL Data Sync change a database? . 109Q: How do I access a SQL Database when synchronizing using the scheduled service? . 109Q: Does SQL Data Sync fully create and provision tables? . 109Q: Is collation supported in SQL Data Sync? . 109Q: Is federation supported in SQL Data Sync? . 110Q: What are limits I should know about? . 110Q: How many instances of the local agent UI can be run? . 110Q: When can I delete a client agent? . 110Q: Why do I need a Client Agent? . 110Q: Why is my database status "Out-of-Date"? . 110Q: What happens when I restore lost or corrupted databases? . 111Q: Should I use SQL Data Sync to backup and restore my databases?. 111Q: Is my data convergent after a sync? . 111How do I . 111Q: How do I upgrade to the latest version? . 111Q: How can I change my service account? . 111Q: How do I avoid a "synchronization loop"? . 111Q: How do I manually deprovision a database? . 112Q: How do I get schema changes into a sync group? . 112Q: How do I change my agent key?. 112Q: How do I retire a client agent? . 112Q: How do I move a client agent to another comp

The Microsoft Azure SQL Data Sync plug-in on the Microsoft Azure Silverlight portal has been decommissioned. Going forward, use the Microsoft Azure Management portal, for Azure SQL Data Sync. You access SQL Data Sync (Preview) via the SYNC tab under SQL Database at the Microsoft Azure Management portal. The SYNC tab is only available when you .