Is replication possible with SQL Anywhere OEM 11.0.1?

I can see in the list of features of particular editions Replication Server Agent is not shipped with the OEM version. Did anyone try it? Thanks much!

asked 21 Jun '12, 10:17

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Maciej
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Just expanding on Volker's point, it's worth pointing out that SQLAnywhere support several different synchronisation technologies - it all depends what you are trying to do and which other RDMSs you want to synchronise with. If you aren't tied to Replication Sever, there is also the SQL Remote option and perhaps most importantly Mobilink. You can find details of all these on the SQLAnywhere part of Sybase's web site. The licencing varies for these, and is also dependent on whether you are buying licences for your own use or looking to distribute OEM licences with your application.

As Breck says, you need to phone the sales team.

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answered 22 Jun '12, 06:45

Justin%20Willey's gravatar image

Justin Willey
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Thank you guys for very helpful asnwers.

The problem I'm facing requires me to replicate data from SQL anywehre (OEM) 11.0.1 to another database. Initially, I thought about externalizing data to MySQL as my budget didn't calculate a license for a new RDBMS. Still, I found the edition of SQL Anywhere called WEB which is free if used with web applications (exactly what I need to do). It opens a new list of options with regard to data replication as we're working with Sybase products on both sides. Now my question is, what would you suggest to replicata date (just don't tell me I need to spend a fortune on the Replication Server etc. ;) ). I thought about:

SQL Remote - the docs say it goes with multiple subscribers and occasionally connected users.(http://infocenter.sybase.com/help/index.jsp). Is it really so? Can I use it with just one database as the kind of live feed?

Live Backup - won't it require downtime which is usually the case with log shipping ?

Thanks much!

(27 Jun '12, 04:59) Maciej
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IMHO, the Sybase replication/synchronization options are summed up as following:

  • SQL Remote: Two-way, log-based, message-based replication between one SQL Anywhere (SA) consolidated database and lots of SA remote databases with a similar database schema. Note: Both sides must be SA databases.
  • MobiLink: Two-way, stream-based synchronization between one consolidated database (can be any of SA, Sybase ASE, DB2, Oracle, MS SQL, MySQL and others) and lots of SA or Ultralite remote databases. Database schemata between consolidated and remotes can differ as the mapping is done by scripts on the consolidated site.
  • Replication Server: AFAIK only reasonable for high-scale, almost real-time synchronization between a few large (and possibly heterogenuous) databases. Surely not your choice, methinks.

If you're just require that one database has to "import" data from another one on a regular base (without the need to merge updates from both sides), then there are other, simpler approaches like using proxy tables (SA' remote data access) - or even unloading data from one database to files and import them in the other database. That would not require a replication altogether - cf. this doc page as starting point...


CAVEAT: I do not know whether the Web edition will be appropriate for such usages.

(27 Jun '12, 05:41) Volker Barth

Thank you Volker. The problem with simpler approaches is that:

1) I can't hit the database I'm replicating data from (source database) as it is the database that is already feeding the application and I don't want to kill its performance.

2) I need to replicate the data at very short intervals - 5 mins or more often.

3) I might bulk copy the data at the beginning but when I set up my solution, I need only updates to be transfered (whatever that will be but replication seems to be the best expression) over to the other database.

:( - Imports will just bulk copy the data but I want my solution to be smart enough to transfer updates only.

:( - As to proxy tables, I will be hitting the source database which I'd hate to do:(

Does it make sense?:)

(28 Jun '12, 12:40) Maciej
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Why do you think you "can't hit the database"... is it so overloaded now that one more connection is going to kill performance? Do you have thousands of active users, many gigabytes of throughput per day, with hundreds of transactions per second?

SQL Remote is driven off the transaction log in both directions, and it can definitely be used between two databases (one consolidated, one remote)... and so can MobiLink.

MobiLink is driven by SELECT scripts in one direction (down, from consolidated to remote) and the transaction log in the other direction.

The two techniques have different performance and administration characteristics. MobiLink is far more flexible and powerful, while SQL Remote is easy to set up if the schema is identical on the two databases. Both can run slowly if you screw it up, and run quickly if you do things right.

Both techniques depend on the quality and speed of the line. Both techniques recover from failures but overall throughput takes a hit.

Five minutes is not "very short"... a sync every five minutes is not a problem with either technique... every five seconds might be difficult to pull off in the real world.

(28 Jun '12, 14:20) Breck Carter
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I agree with all of Breck's points.

Just to add (or repeat) my question: Replication/synchronization is usually required when updates are done on both sides and/or when whole "data models" have to be replicated. Is that your task?

In case you just have to "consolidate" data from one or a few tables and from one side to the other but not vice versa, replication might be an overkill (as it usually ties the databases tightly together, i.e. they need to be "in sync" and can get out of sync). So when you just need to import data from the other database, there are easier solutions like proxy tables - and they offer to pull over just the updated data as well (with some user-defined logic like a timestamp-based select).

(29 Jun '12, 09:50) Volker Barth

I have SQL Anywhere OEM 11.0.1 installed and dbremote exists in the bin directory. So physically it is there, but you need a license option which you have to buy to use it legally.

see SQL Anywhere Editions

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answered 22 Jun '12, 03:02

Martin's gravatar image

Martin
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Note that the Replication Server Agent is not the same as SQL Remote replication but deals with Sybase Replication Server.

And though I surely know from our contracts that SQL Anywhere OEM editions can contain SQL Remote, I do not know at all for replication with Replication Server.

(22 Jun '12, 04:33) Volker Barth

FWIW the Log Transfer Manager (LTM), also known as the "SQL Anywhere Replication Agent for Sybase Replication Server" (whew), is a "separately licensed component" as described here: http://dcx.sybase.com/1101/en/saintro_en11/aboutasa-s-3623168.html

I'm just guessing, but I think that applies to ALL editions of SQL Anywhere, OEM included.

For more information, you will have to call Sybase... folks on this forum generally have no clue about pricing because (a) it changes without notice and (b) we're not invited to those meetings :)

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answered 22 Jun '12, 05:13

Breck%20Carter's gravatar image

Breck Carter
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edited 22 Jun '12, 05:16

FYI, the LTM option is NO LONGER AVAILABLE in SQL Anywhere versions 12 and up.

FWIW, I'm never invited to those meetings either. :-)

(22 Jun '12, 10:16) RussC_FromSAP
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Meetings like this... dilbert

(22 Jun '12, 11:07) Breck Carter
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question asked: 21 Jun '12, 10:17

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last updated: 29 Jun '12, 09:51