Snapshot Folder Security
Alternate snapshot locations enable you to store snapshot files in a location other than or in addition to the default location, which is often located on the Distributor. Alternate locations can be on another server, on a network share, or on removable media (such as CD-ROMs or removable disks).
When specifying the snapshot location on a network share, it is recommended that you dedicate the share for snapshot storage and files that have the same security standards. Next, give the replication agents Write permission on the share and in the snapshot location and appropriate folders so they can write the snapshot files there.
Subscribers that need to access the snapshot files will need Read permission to the snapshot location and appropriate folders. If the snapshot folder is not shared for the appropriate Subscribers, the replication agents cannot access the folder and replication fails.
On a Distributor running the Microsoft® Windows NT® 4.0 or Microsoft Windows® 2000 operating system, the snapshot folder defaults to using the <drive>$ share and a path of \\<computer>\<drive>$\Mssql\Repldata\. On a Distributor running the Microsoft Windows 98 operating system, the snapshot folder defaults to using the <drive> without a share and a path of <drive>:\Mssql\Repldata. You can, however, save the snapshot files to a location other than the default.
If your application requires the ability to create pull subscriptions on a server running the Windows 98 operating system, you must change the snapshot folder to a network path accessible by replication agents running at the Publisher and Subscribers. You can change the local path to a network path by sharing the folder manually.