Replication Architecture

Replication uses the following components in Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition (SQL Server Compact Edition):

  • SQL Server Compact Edition Database Engine
  • SQL Server Compact Edition Client Agent
  • SQL Server Compact Edition Server Agent
  • SQL Server Compact Edition Replication Provider

Replication architecture

SQL Server Compact Edition Database Engine

The SQL Server Compact Edition Database Engine manages the local database on a device. For subscription databases, the SQL Server Compact Edition Database Engine tracks all database records that are inserted, updated, or deleted by maintaining change tracking information with each record.

SQL Server Compact Edition Client Agent

The SQL Server Compact Edition Client Agent is the primary SQL Server Compact Edition replication component on a device. The SQL Server Compact Edition Client Agent implements the SQL Server Compact Edition Replication object interface. Applications call this interface to programmatically control replication.

SQL Server Compact Edition Server Agent

The SQL Server Compact Edition Server Agent is the component responsible for managing the communication between SQL Server and SQL Server Compact Edition. The SQL Server Compact Edition Server Agent resides on the server that is running Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS), and handles all HTTP requests made by the SQL Server Compact Edition Client Agent.

SQL Server Reconciler and SQL Server Compact Edition Replication Provider

The SQL Server Reconciler invokes the SQL Server Compact Edition Replication Provider when synchronization is performed. Both the SQL Server Reconciler and SQL Server Compact Edition Replication Provider reside on the server that is running IIS, on which SQL Server Compact Edition Server Tools is also installed. When the SQL Server Reconciler is started, a Merge Agent at the Publisher is associated with the subscription.