The Distribution Agent retrieves replicated transactions from the Microsoft® SQL Server™ Distributor and applies them to a Subscriber. It is a flexible program that can run at the Distributor (push subscription) or Subscriber (pull subscription). It can even be run by a Subscriber using the Internet. By default, the Distribution Agent is scheduled and run by SQL Server Agent. However, you can also invoke the Distribution Agent from Replication Monitor in SQL Server Enterprise Manager or at the command prompt (for troubleshooting purposes). The Distribution Agent can also be invoked from an application using the SQL Distribution control.
Using the SQL Distribution Control