How to: Measure Latency and Validate Connections for Transactional Replication (Replication Monitor)

SQL Server 2008 Books Online (October 2009)

Replication Monitor provides the Tracer Tokens tab, which allows you to validate connections and to measure the latency of a system that uses transactional replication. A token (a small amount of data) is written to the transaction log of the publication database, marked as though it were a typical replicated transaction, and sent through the system. For more information, see Measuring Latency and Validating Connections for Transactional Replication. The Tracer Tokens tab is not displayed for Distributors running versions prior to Microsoft SQL Server 2005. The tab is displayed if the Publisher is running a version prior to SQL Server 2005, but tracer tokens cannot be used with these Publishers.

To view more information about the options on this tab, click Help on the menu bar. For information about starting Replication Monitor, see How to: Start Replication Monitor (Replication Monitor).

To insert a tracer token and view information on the token

Expand a Publisher group in the left pane, expand a Publisher, and then click a publication.
Click the Tracer Tokens tab.
Click Insert Tracer.
View elapsed time for the tracer token in the following columns: Publisher to Distributor, Distributor to Subscriber, Total Latency. A value of Pending indicates that the token has not reached a given point.

To view information on a tracer token inserted previously

Expand a Publisher group in the left pane, expand a Publisher, and then click a publication.
Click the Tracer Tokens tab.
Select a time from the Time inserted drop-down list.

View elapsed time for the tracer token in the following columns: Publisher to Distributor, Distributor to Subscriber, Total Latency. A value of Pending indicates that the token has not reached a given point.

Note:
Tracer token information is retained for the same time period as other historical data, which is governed by the history retention period of the distribution database. For information about changing distribution database properties, see How to: View and Modify Distributor Properties (SQL Server Management Studio).

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