Merge Replication walkthrough

I am very new to replication, so I am looking for a great walk-through for setting up Merge Replication. Does anyone know of a good article/example that provides this information? I have been through BOL and I'm having trouble putting the pieces together.

Thanks...

Scott

Hello Scott,

Here's a link which describes SQL Server Merge Replication step by step. Although it is for SQL Server 2000, it is gonna give you an idea about it.

Merge Replication Setup, step by step:

http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mssql/article.php/1438231

Merge Replication Overview (BOL)

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms152746.aspx

Ekrem ?nsoy

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Thanks Ekrem,

I have gone through those, and i think i'm close but I am getting the following error(s):

"DEV-PUBLISHER-MergeTest-Publisher-pub_mergetest-LATI12-1 failed. The initial snapshot for publication 'pub_mergetest' is not yet available. Start the Snapshot Agent to generate the snapshot for this publication. If this snapshot is currently being generated, wait for the process to complete and restart the synchronization."

So, I right mouse click on the Publisher and select "View Snapshop Agent Status". When that dialog comes up, it shows the agent as stopped. When I click the Start button, I get the following error:

"Executed as user: dev-publisher\repl_Snapshot. The replication agent encountered a failure. See the previous job step history message or Replication Monitor for more information. The step failed."

I looked at the job steps and Replication Monitor and it basically tells me the same thing (that my initial snapshot does't exist). Any idea what I am missing or did wrong?

Thanks...

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I got it to work. I didn't have permissions set up correctly. I had to add the correct user accounts and permissions in SSMS and then set up the correct access permissions to the snapshot location directory. Works like a champ now.