Updated: 4/20/2007

[This topic is pre-release documentation and is subject to change in future releases. Blank topics are included as placeholders.]

The most up-to-date version of this file is available online at the Microsoft Download Center.

The Synchronization Services documentation team welcomes your documentation feedback. We view and investigate all documentation issues but do not answer technical support questions. If it is possible, submit feedback to us in English.

Contents

1.0 Introduction

Synchronization Services lets you synchronize data from disparate sources over two-tier, N-tier, and service-based architectures. Instead of only replicating a database and its schema, the Synchronization Services application programming interface (API) provides a set of components to synchronize data between data services and a local store. Applications are increasingly used on mobile clients, such as portable computers and devices, that do not have a consistent or reliable network connection to a central server. It is important for these applications to work against a local copy of data on the client. Equally important is the need to synchronize the local copy of the data with a central server when a network connection is available. The Synchronization Services API is modeled after the ADO.NET data access APIs and gives you an intuitive way to synchronize data. It makes building applications for occasionally connected environments a logical extension of building applications where you can depend on a consistent network connection.

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1.1 Obtaining Synchronization Services Beta

Synchronization Services installs with Visual Studio Code Name "Orcas". The Synchronization Service DLLs are installed when the Smart Device Programmability option is selected during the installation of "Orcas". For more information about "Orcas", see the Visual Studio Website.

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1.2 Synchronization Services Books Online

Synchronization Services documentation provides an easy-to-follow introduction, and a set of how tos and reference topics that will enable you to quickly understand and be productive with the API. For the most up-to-date version of Synchronization Services Books Online, go to the Microsoft Download Center.

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2.0 Supported Operating Systems

Microsoft Synchronization Services for ADO.NET requires ADO.NET 2.0 on the client and server. The server database can be any database for which an ADO.NET provider is available. The client database for Synchronization Services applications is SQL Server Compact 3.5 and later versions.

Synchronization Services is supported on the following platforms.

  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2

  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP2

  • Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2002 SP2

  • Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 SP2

  • Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005

  • Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition SP2

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition SP1

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition SP1

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition SP1

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2, Standard Edition

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2, Enterprise Edition

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2, Datacenter Edition

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2000 Professional SP4

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2000 Server SP4

Note:
The links from API reference content to the topic on supported hardware and software are broken in Synchronization Services Books Online.

3.0 Additional Information

This section describes how to get assistance with and provide feedback about Synchronization Services.

3.1 Getting Synchronization Services Assistance

For more information, see the Synchronization Services Forum.

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3.2 Providing Feedback about Synchronization Services

To provide suggestions and bug reports about Synchronization Services:

  • Make suggestions and file bug reports about the features of Synchronization Services at the MSDN product feedback Website.

  • Send suggestions and report inaccuracies about the documentation by using the feedback functionality in Synchronization Services Books Online.

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