The simplest Microsoft® SQL Server™ replication topology scenario places a single Publisher and single Distributor on the same server and a single Subscriber on a separate server.
The scenario becomes slightly more complex as you add Subscribers to the single Publisher and Distributor. The Publisher owns the data being published and becomes a central Publisher for all the Subscribers. This scenario might be used, for example, to distribute master data, lists, or reports from a central Publisher to any number of Subscribers.
Note that the roles of Publisher and Subscriber are not exclusive: servers can simultaneously perform both. For example, suppose Server A publishes Publication 1, and Server B publishes Publication 2. In this case, Server A could act both as a Publisher of Publication 1 and a Subscriber to Publication 2.
