Backup / Restore Distributor I have a database architecture with:
=> 1 distributor running on a dedicated instance of SQL Server 2005
=> 2 publishers running each on a dedicated instance of SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server 2005
=> A dozen subscriber running SQL Server Express / Sql Server 2000

I need to move the distributor instance to an other server with an other IP address, and I would like to have to re-publish-synchronise the whole architecture.
How can I can Backup / Restore the distributor on a new server and have the publishers and subscribers connect to its new ip address?
Replication is tied to the machine name of the distributor.  If the new instance will have the same machine name then stop the agents, backup the distributor, and restore it using the keep_replication setting as on.  Then restart the agents.

If the hostname of the distributor is changing you'll want to tare down the replication and rebuild it.