Requisites for replication

For replication to take place, there are several requisite constituents (or "pieces") that must be in place.

These are the requisites for replication to take place:

A "bootstrap" configuration: If you are using non-transactional replication, you must specify at least one "bootstrap" configuration.
A replication category: Replication categories are used to define the type of replication you want to perform. Replication categories can be quite complicated, potentially involving multiple tables and stored procedures.
An intranet: All types of replication, regardless of the type being done, require the use of an intranet.
In multi-site environments, intranets serve to place the various sites within the same environment, or framework, so as to allow for the easy transfer of data. In other uses of replication, the intranet simply serves as a sort of host for the site to conduct its replication activities.
A site: All types of replication, regardless of the type being done, also require the use of a site.
In multi-site environments, sites serve to identify the source and target locations from/to which data is to be replicated. Sites commonly represent the various geographical locations in which corporate exists that must be synchronized.
In other uses of replication, sites are used simply as identifiers for the source and target data repositories.
A replication rule: Replication rules determine what the source and target locations for the data are, as well as directives regarding the times and ways in which replication is to take place.

Note: Although all types of replication require these basic constituents (except, possibly, the "bootstrap" configuration), the constituents need not necessarily be created in the order presented here. However, in practice this is the general recommended order, because some constituents require the existence of other constituents before they can be created or implemented.

The specific requirements for each type of replication differ somewhat and are covered in related topics.