There are scenarios in SQL server Replication that we need to move datafiles and logfiles of distribution database to another drive/folder.
Pl follow below steps to move it without having to redo the whole replication process.
1. Start and Stop a Replication Agent
To start and stop a Snapshot Agent or Log Reader Agent from Management Studio
Connect to the Publisher in Management Studio, and then expand the server node and the Replication folder.
Expand the Local Publications folder, and then right-click a publication.
Click View Snapshot Agent Status or View Log Reader Agent Status.
Click Start or Stop.
To start and stop a Queue Reader Agent from Management Studio
Connect to the Distributor in Management Studio, and then expand the server node.
Expand the SQL Server Agent folder, and then expand the Jobs folder.
Right-click the job for the agent, and then click Start Job or Stop Job. The name of the job for the Queue Reader Agent is in the form [
To start and stop a Snapshot Agent, Log Reader Agent, or Queue Reader Agent from Replication Monitor
Expand a Publisher group in the left pane, expand a Publisher, and then click a publication.
Click the Agents tab.
Right-click an agent, and then click Start Agent or Stop Agent.
2. ALTER DATABASE distribution SET OFFLINE
3. Move the data and log file to the new location
ALTER DATABASE distribution MODIFY FILE ( NAME = distribution , FILENAME = 'C:\MSSQL\Data\distribution.MDF')
ALTER DATABASE distribution MODIFY FILE ( NAME = distribution_log , FILENAME = 'C:\mssql\Data2\distribution.ldf')
ALTER DATABASE distribution MODIFY FILE ( NAME = distribution_02 , FILENAME = 'C:\mssql\Data2\distribution_02.ndf')
4. ALTER DATABASE distribution SET ONLINE
5.Start the Log Reader Agent and Distribution Agent
