Prevent changes to original, master, replica, link?

[javahound]

Amateur here.
I have a medicare db that is backup up daily.
I have been tasked with reporting from the backups.
We run 5 concurrent backups, monday-friday.
I can copy the latest backup to a local directory without a problem.
To report from the latest backup how should I proceed from here, link tables, replicate, use a master?

Thanks!
Javahound

 

[jamason07]

Javahound,

I think it may be 6 on one hand, half a dozen on the other. I use replication as my preferred method but that is because I do all the development on the databases and I need to update user interfaces with the newest forms, queries, etc. as well as pull down the newest data to my master for reporting. Just one opinion.

JAM

 

[jamason07]

One additional thought though...make sure this is what you want to do because converting back to a regular database after setting up replication is a MAJOR pain. Been there...done that!

JAM