SQL MERGE to remote (linked) server table
Solution 1:
To reiterate the comment by @Mikael Eriksson, yes, you can. The target of a MERGE cannot be remote, but the source of a MERGE can be remote. So, if you can run the MERGE statement from your server in FL, then it is quite possible. For example, you could run something like this on your remove server in FL:
MERGE INTO "local FL table" USING "CT server"."database"."schema"."same table" ON ...
Solution 2:
Apparently my research wasn't good enough, it’s stated right on MSDN: “target_table cannot be a remote table” ... so that answers this question...