DBMS: Data Synchronization (Definitions)

"In replication, the process that ensures the publication and destination tables contain the same schema and data. This process must occur before a subscription server can receive replicated transactions from an article or a publication." (Patrick Dalton, "Microsoft SQL Server Black Book", 1997)

"Refers to the process in which the article or articles subscribed to on a subscription server are initially synchronized with the original article or articles on the publication server." (Owen Williams, "MCSE TestPrep: SQL Server 6.5 Design and Implementation", 1998)

[automatic synchronization:] "Synchronization that is accomplished automatically by SQL Server when a server initially subscribes to a publication. A snapshot of the table data and schema are written to files for transfer to the Subscriber. The table schema and data are transferred by the distribution agent. No operator intervention is required." (Microsoft Corporation, "SQL Server 7.0 System Administration Training Kit", 1999)

"The process of maintaining the same schema and data in a publication at a Publisher and in the replica of a publication at a Subscriber. See also initial snapshot." (Microsoft Corporation, "SQL Server 7.0 System Administration Training Kit", 1999)

"The process of ensuring that the publication and destination tables contain the same schema and data. This process must occur before a new Subscriber can receive replicated transactions from a publication. It is also called initial synchronization." (Microsoft Corporation, "Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Data Warehouse Training Kit", 2000)

"Synchronization is the process in replication of maintaining the same schema and data at a Publisher and at a Subscriber." (Anthony Sequeira & Brian Alderman, "The SQL Server 2000 Book", 2003)

"Integrating, matching, or linking data from disparate sources." (Linda Volonino & Efraim Turban, "Information Technology for Management" 8th Ed., 2011)

"The continuous harmonization of data attribute values between two or more different systems, with the end result being the data attribute values are the same in all of the systems." (DAMA International, "The DAMA Dictionary of Data Management", 2011)

[initial synchronization:] "The first synchronization for a subscription, during which system tables and other objects that are required by replication, and the schema and data for each article, are copied to the Subscriber." (Microsoft, "SQL Server 2012 Glossary", 2012)

"The process by which a satellite downloads and runs the same DB2 database commands, operating system commands, and SQL statements from the satellite control server as the other members of its group download and then reports the results to the satellite control server." (Sybase, "Open Server Server-Library/C Reference Manual", 2019)

"A form of embedded middleware that allows applications to update data on two systems so that the data sets are identical. These services can run via a variety of different transports but typically require some application-specific knowledge of the context and notion of the data being synchronized." (Gartner)

"Data synchronization is the effort to ensure that, once data leaves a system or storage entity, it does not fall out of harmony with its source, thereby creating inconsistency in the data record." (Information) [source] 

 "1. In replication, the process of data and schema changes being propagated between the Publisher and Subscribers after the initial snapshot has been applied at the Subscriber. 2. In database mirroring, when a mirroring session starts or resumes, the process in which log records of the principal database that have accumulated on the principal server are sent to the mirror server, which writes these log records to disk as quickly as possible to catch up with the principal server." (Microsoft Technet)

"The process of keeping selected data in multiple data sources in agreement." (Microsoft Technet)

"The term, Synchronization, refers to the process of replicating the changes made to documents on one database to the same documents in a second instance of that database." (Couchbase)