LOCAL REPLICATION

EMC Academy Instructor : Dr M I Jawid Nazir

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 Local Replication

Upon completion of this module, you should be able to:

• Describe various uses of local replica
• Describe how consistency is ensured in file system and database
replication
• Describe host-based, array-based, and network-based local
replication technologies
• Explain restore and restart considerations
• Describe local replication in virtualized environment
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 Local Replication

Local Replication Overview

During this lesson the following topics are covered:
• Uses of local replica
• File system and database consistency

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What is Replication?
Replication

It is a process of creating an exact copy (replica) of data.

• Replication can be classified as

 Local replication
 Replicating data within the same array or data center
 Remote replication
 Replicating data at remote site

REPLICATION
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Source Replica (Target)
Uses of Local Replica
• Alternate source for backup
• Fast recovery
• Decision support activities
• Testing platform
• Data Migration

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Replica Characteristics
• Recoverability/Restartability
 Replica should be able to restore data on the source device
 Restart business operation from replica
• Consistency
 Replica must be consistent with the source
• Choice of replica tie back into RPO
 Point-in-Time (PIT)
 Non-zero RPO
 Continuous
 Near-zero RPO

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Understanding Consistency
• Consistency ensures the usability of replica
• Consistency can be achieved in various ways for file system and
database

Offline Online

File System Unmount file system Flushing host buffers

a) Using dependent write I/O

principle
Database b) Holding I/Os to source before
Shutdown database
creating replica
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File System Consistency: Flushing Host Buffer

Application

File System Data

Flush Buffer Memory Buffers

Logical Volume Manager

Physical Disk Driver

Source Replica
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Database Consistency: Dependent Write I/O Principle
Source Replica Source Replica

1 1 1

2 2 2

3 3 3 3

4 4 4 4

CC
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Consistent D Inconsistent
 Local Replication

Local Replication Technologies

During this lesson the following topics are covered:
• Local replication technologies
• Restore and restart considerations

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Host-based Replication: LVM-based Mirroring

Physical
Volume 1
Logical Volume

Physical
Volume 2

Host

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Host-based Replication: File System Snapshot
• Pointer-based replication FS Snapshot
• Uses Copy on First Write Metadata
(CoFW) principle Production FS Bit BLK
• Uses bitmap and block map Metadata 1-0 1-0

• Requires a fraction of the 1 Data a

2-0 2-0
space used by the 3-1 3-2
2 Data b
production FS 4-1 4-1
3 Data C
4 Data D 1 Data d

2 Data c
3 no data
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Storage Array-based Local Replication
• Replication performed by the array operating environment
• Source and replica are on the same array
• Types of array-based replication
 Full-volume mirroring
 Pointer-based full-volume replication
 Pointer-based virtual replication

Source Replica

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Production Host Storage Array BC Host
Full-Volume Mirroring
Attached

Read/Write Not Ready

Source Target

Production Host Storage Array BC Host

Detached - PIT

Read/Write Read/Write

Source Target

Production Host BC Host

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Pointer-based Full-Volume Replication
• Provides full copy of source data on the target
• Target device is immediately accessible by the BC host after the
replication session is activated
• PIT is determined by time of session activation
• Target device is at least as large as the source device
• Two modes
 Full copy mode
 After session starts, all the data from source is copied to the target in
the background
 Copy on First Access (deferred)

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Copy on First Access: Write to the Source

Write to
Source
C’ A C
B
C’ C
Source Target

Production Host BC Host

• When a write is issued to the source for the first time after replication
session activation:
 Original data at that address is copied to the target
 Then the new data is updated on the source
 This ensures that original data at the point-in-time of activation is
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preserved on the target
Copy on First Access: Write to the Target

Write to
Target
A B B’
B B’
C’ C
Source Target

Production Host BC Host

• When a write is issued to the target for the first time after replication
session activation:
 The original data is copied from the source to the target
 Then the new data is updated on the target

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Copy on First Access: Read from Target

Read
request for
data “A”

A A A A
B B’
C’ C
Source Target

Production Host BC Host

• When a read is issued to the target for the first time after replication
session activation:
 The original data is copied from the source to the target and is made
available to the BC host

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Pointer-based Virtual Replication
• Targets do not hold data, but hold pointers to where the data is
located
 At the start of the session the target device holds pointers to data
on source device
 Target requires a small fraction of the size of the source volumes
• Target devices are accessible immediately when the session is
started
• Uses CoFW principle
• This method is recommended, if the changes to the source are
typically less than 30%

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 Pointer-based Virtual Replication (CoFW): Write to Source

Save Location

Source
Target
Virtual Device
A
B C
C’
C’ C
Write to Source

• When a write is issued to the source for the first time after replication
session activation:
 Original data at that address is copied to save location
 The pointer in the target is updated to point to this data in the save
location
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 Finally, the new write is updated on the source
Pointer-based Virtual Replication (CoFW): Write to Target
A’ Write to Target
Save Location

Source
Target
Virtual Device
A
A’
A
B A
C’ C

• When a write is issued to the target for the first time after replication
session activation:
 Original data from the source device is copied to the save location
 The pointer is updated to the data in save location
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of the original data is created in the save location before
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the new write is updated on the save location
Tracking Changes to Source and Target

Source 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
At PIT
Target 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Source 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0
After PIT…
Target 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1

For resynchronization/restore
Logical OR 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1

0 unchanged 1 changed
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Restore and Restart Considerations
• Source has a failure
 Logical corruption or physical failure of source devices
• Solution
 Restore data from target to source
 Restore would typically be done incrementally
 Applications can be restarted even before synchronization is
complete
-----OR------
 Start production on target
 Create a “Gold” copy of target device before restarting on target
 Resolve issues with source while continuing operations on target
 After resolving the issue, restore latest data on target to source
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Comparison of Local Replication Technologies
Pointer-based
Full-Volume Pointer-based Full-Volume
Factor Virtual
Mirroring Replication
Replication
Performance
Full copy mode – no impact
impact on source No impact High impact
CoFA mode – some impact
due to replica
At least the same At least the same as the Small fraction
Size of target
as the source source of the source
Availability of Full copy mode – not
source for Not required required Required
restoration CoFA mode – required
Only after
Accessibility to synchronization Immediately
Immediately accessible
target and detachment accessible
from the source
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Network-based Local Replication: Continuous Data
Protection
• Replication occurs at the network layer between the hosts and
storage arrays
 Ideal for highly heterogeneous environment
• Typically provides the ability to restore data to any previous
point-in-time
 RPOs are random and do not need to be defined in advance
• Data changes are continuously captured and stored in a separate
location from the production data
• CDP is implemented by using
 Journal volume
 CDP appliance
EMC  Write
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CDP Local Replication Operation

Host

Write
Splitter

SAN
CDP Appliance

Storage Array
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Production Replica CDP Journal
Volume
 Local Replication

Local Replication in Virtualized Environment

During this lesson the following topics are covered:
• Mirroring of a virtual volume
• Replication of virtual machines

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Local Replication in Virtualized Environment
• Local replication (mirroring) of a virtual volume assigned to a
host
 Mirroring is performed by a virtualization appliance
• Replication of virtual machines
 VM snapshot
 VM clone

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Local Replication of Virtual Volume
Data Center

Host

I/Os

Mirrored
Virtualization Virtual Volume
Appliance

Storage
Pool

SAN

LUN LUN

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Mirror
Storage Array Legs Storage Array
VM Snapshot
• Captures the state and data of a running VM at a specific PIT
• Uses a separate delta file to record all the changes to the virtual
disk since the snapshot session is activated
• Restores all settings configured in a guest OS to the PIT

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VM Clone
• An identical copy of an existing VM
 Clones are created for different use such as testing
 Changes made to a clone VM do not affect the parent VM and vice
versa
• Clone VM is assigned a separate network identity
 Clone has its own separate MAC address
• Useful when multiple identical VMs need to deploy

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 Local Replication

Concept in Practice

• EMC SnapView
• EMC TimeFinder
• EMC RecoverPoint

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EMC SnapView
• SnapView Snapshot Full image
copy
 Logical view of the production volume
 Uses CoFW principle
• SnapView Clone Clone

 Full volume copies that require same disk Clone

space as the source

Source
 Becomes a PIT copy once the clone is LUN
fractured from the source Snap

Snap

Logical point-
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EMC TimeFinder
• TimeFinder/Snap
 Creates space-saving, logical PIT (snapshots)
 Allows creating multiple snapshots from a single source
• TimeFinder/Clone
 Creates PIT copy of the source volume
 Uses pointer-based full-volume replication technology
 Allows creating multiple clones from a single source device

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EMC RecoverPoint
• Provides continuous data protection and recovery to any PIT
• Uses splitting technology at server, fabric, or array to mirror a
write to a RecoverPoint appliance
• Provides automatic RecoverPoint appliance failover
• Family of product includes
 RecoverPoint/CL
 RecoverPoint/EX
 RecoverPoint/SE

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Summary
Key points covered in this module:
• Uses of local replicas
• Consistency in file system and database replication
• Host-based, storage array-based, and network-based replication
• Restore and restart considerations
• Local replication of a virtual volume
• VM snapshot and VM clone

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Exercise: Local Replication
• Scenario
 Organization’s mission critical data is stored on RAID 1 volumes
 Database application uses 1TB storage
 Average data that changes in 24 hours is 60 GB
• Requirements
 Need solution to address logical corruption of database
 Maximum RPO of 1 hour
 Solution should support restore request for up to 8 hours old data
 Minimize the amount of storage used for data protection
• Task
 Suggest an appropriate local replication solution to meet RPO
requirement with minimum amount of storage
EMC  Estimate
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