Snapshot Replication Definition

Definition: Snapshot replication acts in the manner its name implies. The publisher simply takes a snapshot of the entire replicated database and shares it with the subscribers. Of course, this is a very time and resource-intensive process. For this reason, most administrators don’t use snapshot replication on a recurring basis for databases that change frequently. There are two scenarios where snapshot replication is commonly used. First, it is used for databases that rarely change. Second, it is used to set a baseline to establish replication between systems while future updates are propagated using transactional or merge replication.