Replication with LocalDB feature of MS SQL Express 2012 - replication

Is it possible to have any replication (via RMO) with 2012 Express LocalDB?
I read that Merge Replication is not possible (disappointed!) but are other replication activities possible?

You can use Sync Framework, it generally Works with any database

Related

SQL Server Express replication

Is it possible to replicate or mirror one database from SQL Server Express to SQL Server ?
TechNet Link
SQL Server Express cannot serve as a Publisher or Distributor.
However, merge replication allows changes to be replicated in both
directions between a Publisher and Subscriber. SQL Server Express does
not include SQL Server Agent, which is typically used to run
replication agents.
but what you can do is impose a replication process, create a trigger that will insert or update your replicated server

Can I replicate from SQL Server 2012 Express to SQL Server 2012 Express somehow?

I am thinking this may not be possible as standard, but can I publish replication using SQL Server 2012 Express and subscribe with SQL Server 2012 Express? I am wanting to create a fail over between 2x VM's in an Zure Availability set.
Thanks!
No. SQL Server Express cannot serve as a Distributor or Publisher. SQL Server Express can only serve as a Subscriber to Transactional, Snapshot, and Merge publications. You will need an instance of at least Standard Edition or higher to create a publication.
Replication Considerations (SQL Server Express)
SQL Server Express cannot serve as a Publisher or Distributor.

How to automatically restore a SQL Server 2008 R2 backup file

My team needs to update an automated content process running over SQL Server 2008 servers to include the content of a SQL Server 2008 R2 database delivered by a third-party vendor.
The request to third-party to deliver us on SQL Server 2008 is NOT an option.
My common sense indicates there is no way to downgrade from 2k8 R2 to 2k8 as in most of the software products I know. However, I'm wondering if I would be able to do something like this in a script:
Restore SQL Server 2008 R2 .bak file onto our SQL Server 2008 R2 instance
Update compatiblity level to SQL Server 2008 (100). Here is the bug in my plan: I've not found any compatiblity level distinctions between 2008 versions in internet. Any clue on this?
Backup the database.
Restore the database in SQL Server 2008
There may be some other ideas you may want to share with me.
Just recall there should not be manual intervention on this database conversion since this operation needs to be incorporated to an automated process.
Any help/suggestions/comments will be welcome!
No, you cannot restore a database backwards, regardless of compatibility level. Compatibility level affects certain database engine behaviors, but does not downgrade the database version. You will never be able to restore onto 2008 a database that ever existed in a 2008 R2 instance.
For workarounds, you can:
restore the database on R2, then use the import/export data wizard (or a third party tool) to transfer schema / data to the 2008 instance (and you should be able to automate this to some extent, e.g. Red-Gate's tools have command-line interfaces)
upgrade your 2008 servers to 2008 R2 or 2012
push back on the vendor
By design, you can only restore a DB backup to the same or newer version of SQL Server. A backup created with SQL Server 2008 R2 can only be restored with SQL Server 2008 R2 or SQL Server 2012. This is regardless of the compatibility level of the database. It's a limitation of the backup and restore procedures. This has been a limitation since prior to SQL Server 2000 (i.e., every version I've ever used).
Maybe you can script out the creation of new database, instead of backing up and restoring you basically just do a data dump with script.
Try looking at this How can I get a SQL dump of a SQL Server 2008 database?

Is it possible to create backup jobs on SQL Server 2008 R2 Express with SMO

In our software because the users are using SQL Server 2008 R2 Express, I would want to create backup jobs for them programmatically using the SMO API. Is it possible? If possible point me to any articles written on this light of this topic.
Since the Express versions don't have the SQL Server Agent that executes jobs - no, I don't think this is possible.
What you could do however is create a standalone console app that uses the SMO library to perform the SQL Server backup, and then just schedule that console app on your machine using the built-in Windows scheduler, to runonce every day (or every four hours or whatever you need)
As for resources on SMO - check these out:
Getting started with SMO in SQL Server 2005
Using SMO for Backup, Restore and Security Purposes

Will SQL Server Express work with a database made in regular SQL Server?

I was wondering if we could backup the database that we currently host on regular SQL Server, and put it onto our clients computer when we setup SQL Server Express for them.
Is this possible?
Thanks,
Matt
Yes, it's possible to restore a database backup from the Standard edition to the Express edition. It's not possible to restore a SQL Server 2008 to a SQL Server 2005 version, though.
However, there a some minor differences between versions. I've noticed an issue in SQL Server Express 2005 when calling .NET SQL CLR functions across databases, so your mileage may vary. I haven't been able to find a good overview of the exact differences between the various SQL Server editions.
It's always best to keep the development platform as close as possible to the release platform. I can only recommend that you use the Express edition of SQL Server for development as well; and re-test your application.