Should I Use CT or CDC for a SQL Server Cluster Environment?

Question

When I connect Fivetran to a SQL Server cluster, should I use the change tracking (CT) or change data capture (CDC) incremental sync method?

Environment

Connector: SQL Server

Answer

Choose CT or CDC based on your failover requirements, data tracking needs, and table schema. In an Always On availability group:

• CT automatically follows the primary node after a failover.
• CDC requires the capture job to be enabled on the new primary node, which may require manual intervention from your database administrator.

We recommend CT if automatic failover handling is a priority. For configuration details and limitations specific to Always On availability groups, see:

• Using CT with Always On Availability Groups and read replicas
• Using CDC with Always On Availability Groups and read replicas

For a full comparison, see CT vs CDC vs Binary Log Reader vs Fivetran Teleport Sync.