What should I be aware of when using the Database Publishing Service in the hosted environment?
The Database Publishing Service (DPS) may alter the contents and structure of your database. Depending on the options you choose, it may overwrite existing data. You cannot recover any lost data without a database restore from an existing backup file.
- Drop Existing Objects in Script
- By default, the Database Publishing Wizard (DPW) attempts to drop existing versions of items to be published. Any objects that exist in the hosted database, but not on the local server, will remain untouched. If the Drop existing objects in script option is set to True, any data in the dropped object that is not also on the local server will be lost. If you are unsure if it is safe to lose the data, the DPW can be instructed to not drop objects by setting the Drop existing objects in script option to False.
- Publish Using Transaction
- When publishing to a SQL Server 2005 Database, it is possible to publish using a single transaction. This action allows for a rollback of any changes made to the hosted database should an error occur and helps to prevent partial database uploads. Keep in mind that errors may not occur until a large portion of the database is published and, if transactions are used, you will need to re-publish any partially uploaded data. For long uploads, the need to republish can significantly increase the total upload time. If it is acceptable to publish without the ability to rollback, you may set the Publish using transaction option on the Select Publishing Options page to False.
- Schedule Your Publishing Time
- Connectivity to your database may be impacted during a publish session. For example, as tables are modified, their availability is limited. If you are creating a new database, this is not likely an issue. However, if you are using the DPW to maintain or modify an existing database, this may be a concern. Larger databases may take up to 30 minutes to publish, during which time parts of your database may be unavailable. Therefore, we suggest publishing during a low volume period or notifying users of possible interruptions.
For additional information about the Database Publishing Service and the Database Publishing Wizard, see the following articles:
Publishing Objects Using the Database Publishing Wizard
Limitations of the Database Publishing Service in the Shared Hosting Environment