Multiple SQL Replication Subscriptions, same physical server, multiple instances.

Question

I have a development requirement to have the same subscription exist on the same physical server on two separate instances. Obviously I could just setup another subscription, but that would require a maintenance period on the publisher as it's a production DB. I'd like to avoid that...

Wondering if there's a simpler way? The only thing I've found so far in books online is using republish data, setting up a publication on the other instance and then subscribing to that... 

Answer 1

For transactional replication this should not require any maintenance period on the publisher.  The immediate sync option will keep the snapshot up to date so you will not require the snapshot to be regenerated with the retention period.

If for whatever reason this does not work you could do a no-sync subscription or initialize from a backup.

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