How to: Reinitialize a Subscription (SQL Server Management Studio)

Reinitializing a subscription is a two-part process:

  1. A single subscription or all subscriptions to a publication are marked for reinitialization. Mark subscriptions for reinitialization in the Reinitialize Subscription(s) dialog box, which is available from the Local Publications folder and the Local Subscriptions folder in Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio. You can also mark subscriptions from the All Subscriptions tab and the publications node in Replication Monitor. For information about starting Replication Monitor, see How to: Start Replication Monitor (Replication Monitor). When you mark a subscription for reinitialization, you have the following options:
    • Use the current snapshot
      Select to apply the current snapshot to the Subscriber the next time the Distribution Agent or Merge Agent runs. If there is no valid snapshot available, this option cannot be selected.
    • Use a new snapshot
      Select to reinitialize the subscription with a new snapshot. The snapshot can be applied to the Subscriber only after it has been generated by the Snapshot Agent. If the Snapshot Agent is set to run on a schedule, the subscription is not reinitialized until after the next scheduled Snapshot Agent run. Select Generate the new snapshot now to start the Snapshot Agent immediately.
    • Upload unsynchronized changes before reinitialization
      Merge replication only. Select to upload any pending changes from the subscription database before the data at the Subscriber is overwritten with a snapshot.
      If you add, drop, or change a parameterized filter, pending changes at the Subscriber cannot be uploaded to the Publisher during reinitialization. If you want to upload pending changes, synchronize all subscriptions before changing the filter.
  2. A subscription is reinitialized the next time it is synchronized: the Distribution Agent (for transactional replication) or Merge Agent (for merge replication) applies the most recent snapshot to each Subscriber that has a subscription marked for reinitialization. For more information about synchronizing subscriptions, see How to: Synchronize a Push Subscription (SQL Server Management Studio) and How to: Synchronize a Pull Subscription (SQL Server Management Studio).

To mark a single push or pull subscription for reinitialization in Management Studio (at the Publisher)

  1. Connect to the Publisher in Management Studio, and then expand the server node.

  2. Expand the Replication folder, and then expand the Local Publications folder.

  3. Expand the publication that has the subscription you want to reinitialize.

  4. Right-click the subscription, and then click Reinitialize.

  5. In the Reinitialize Subscription(s) dialog box, select options, and then click Mark for Reinitialization.

To mark a single pull subscription for reinitialization in Management Studio (at the Subscriber)

  1. Connect to the Subscriber in Management Studio, and then expand the server node.

  2. Expand the Replication folder, and then expand the Local Subscriptions folder.

  3. Right-click the subscription, and then click Reinitialize.

  4. In the Reinitialize Subscription(s) dialog box, select options, and then click Mark for Reinitialization.

To mark all subscriptions for reinitialization in Management Studio

  1. Connect to the Publisher in Management Studio, and then expand the server node.

  2. Expand the Replication folder, and then expand the Local Publications folder.

  3. Right-click the publication with subscriptions you want to reinitialize, and then click Reinitialize All Subscriptions.

  4. In the Reinitialize Subscription(s) dialog box, select options, and then click Mark for Reinitialization.

To mark a single push or pull subscription for reinitialization in Replication Monitor

  1. In Replication Monitor, expand a Publisher group in the left pane, expand a Publisher, and then click a publication.

  2. Click the All Subscriptions tab.

  3. Right-click the subscription you want to reinitialize, and then click Reinitialize Subscription.

  4. In the Reinitialize Subscription(s) dialog box, select options, and then click Mark for Reinitialization.

To mark all subscriptions for reinitialization in Replication Monitor

  1. In Replication Monitor, expand a Publisher group in the left pane, and then expand a Publisher.

  2. Right-click the publication with subscriptions you want to reinitialize, and then click Reinitialize All Subscriptions.

  3. In the Reinitialize Subscription(s) dialog box, select options, and then click Mark for Reinitialization.

See Also

Concepts

Reinitializing a Subscription

Other Resources

How to: Reinitialize a Subscription (Replication Transact-SQL Programming)

Help and Information

Getting SQL Server 2005 Assistance