Hi,

In my organization, we have a SQL Server 2005 database server (DBServer). Users of an application will normally be connected to DBServer, but, occasionally, would like to disconnect and continue their work on a laptop using SQL Server Compact Edition 3.5 (SQLCE).

Due to this, we have been looking into using Merge Replication between the DBServer and SQLCE. From what I have read about this process, IIS must be installed on "the server"... yet, I have found no indication to whether this is talking about DBServer or SQLCE. I had assumed the documentation was referring to DBServer and proposed this to our networking staff.

That idea was quickly put to rest as it is not our policy to install IIS on an internal server. This is where our SQL Server 2005 web server (WebServer) entered the picture. The idea being that IIS would be installed on WebServer and would be the conduit for DBServer and SQLCE to communicate.

This sounded like a good idea at first, until I started looking for documentation on this type of setup. Everything I have been able deals with a DBServer --> SQLCE --> DBServer setup... nothing on DBServer --> WebServer --> SQLCE --> WebServer --> DBServer.

Questions:

1. Is going with a 3 server setup ideal?
2. Does anyone have documentation on this type of setup?
3. Does IIS even need to be running on one of the big servers, or can it just run off the laptop with SQLCE on it? (I'd really like this option ;))