• Article

Distribution Database Properties

The Distribution Database Properties dialog box allows you to view a number of properties and to set the transaction retention period and history retention period for the database.

Options

  • Name
    The name of the distribution database, which defaults to 'distribution' (read-only).

  • File locations
    The location of the database file and the log file (read-only).

  • Transaction retention period
    Also known as the distribution retention period. The length of time transactions are stored for transactional replication. For more information, see Subscription Expiration and Deactivation.

  • History retention period
    The length of time history metadata is stored for all types of replication.

  • Queue Reader Agent security
    The Queue Reader Agent is used by transactional replication with queued updating subscriptions. A Queue Reader Agent is created automatically if you select Transactional publication with updating subscriptions on the Publication Type page of the New Publication Wizard. Click Security Settings… to change the account under which the agent runs and makes connections to the Distributor.

    A Queue Reader Agent can also be created by selecting Create Queue Reader Agent on this page (this option is disabled if the agent has already been created).

    Additional connection information for the Queue Reader Agent is specified in two places:

    • The agent connects to the Publisher using the credentials specified in the Publisher Properties dialog box, which is available from the Publishers page of the Distributor Properties dialog box.

    • The agent connects to the Subscriber using the credentials specified for the Distribution Agent in the New Subscription Wizard.

    For more information, see Security Considerations for Updating Subscriptions and Replication Agent Security Model.