During replication, what is transferred to the secondary database?

• A. Only metadata
• B. Both objects and data
• C. Only data
• D. Neither

Answer: (B)

A replication process keeps a secondary database in sync by transferring both the object definitions (schemas, tables, views, procedures, and other database objects) and the actual data stored in them. This makes the secondary a faithful mirror of the primary, so it can be used for failover, DR, or offloads for reads. If only the objects were copied, you’d have the structure without content; if only the data were copied, you’d miss the necessary definitions and constraints that define how the data is organized. In replication, both aspects are transferred to ensure the secondary can operate as a true substitute when needed. Lag can occur because replication is typically asynchronous.