Metrocluster with 3PAR Remote Copy A.01.00 Release Notes

Support for 3PAR features
Support for Synchronous Replication mode
Metrocluster with 3PAR Remote Copy version A.01.00 includes support for synchronous replication
mode. HP 3PAR Remote Copy software offers synchronous and asynchronous periodic data transfer
mode between the storage systems. Synchronous data transfers offer the highest levels of data
availability. With synchronous operations, both the primary and secondary copies are identical
and concurrent at all times. Synchronous replication is appropriate when data currency is critical
while recovering a business application.
Support for Fully and Thinly Provisioned Virtual Volumes
Metrocluster with 3PAR Remote Copy version A.01.00 supports 3PAR Fully provisioned Virtual
Volumes and Thinly Provisioned Virtual Volumes (TPVVs). For TPVVs, all data and snapshot space
is allocated on demand from a Common Provisioning Group (CPG), and for fully provisioned
virtual volumes, only the snapshot space is allocated on demand from the CPG.
NOTE: Common Provisioning Group (CPG) is a user created pool of storage from which Virtual
Volumes are allocated.
As the volumes that draw from the CPG require additional storage, the system automatically creates
additional logical disks and adds them to the pool until the CPG reaches the user-defined allocation
limit that restricts its maximum size.
Support for Remote Copy configurations
The following Remote Copy configurations are supported in a Metrocluster environment:
• Bidirectional configuration : A bidirectional Remote Copy configuration is set up between two
arrays. Each storage system acts as the backup for the other storage system.
• N-to-1 configuration : In N-to-1 Remote Copy configuration, a maximum of 4 arrays can share
the same backup storage array. It supports only 3PAR Remote volume groups that are in
asynchronous periodic mode.
• 1-to-N configuration : In 1-to-N Remote Copy configuration, one primary array has a maximum
of 2 arrays as its backup. In a 1-to-N Configuration, only one pair of 3PAR storage systems
can have a bi-directional link. Metrocluster can be used to manage the replication groups that
are configured only between this pair of storage systems.
For more information on each of these Remote Copy configurations, see the 3PAR Remote Copy
User Guide available at: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/
DocumentIndex.jsp?contentType=SupportManual&lang=en&cc=us&docIndexId=64179&
taskId=101&prodTypeId=18964&prodSeriesId=5044771.
Both N-to-1 and 1-to-N configuration can have unidirectional and bidirectional Remote Copy
configuration. However, the two arrays that are part of a Metrocluster must have a bidirectional
Remote Copy configuration between them.
NOTE: Synchronous Long Distance and Unidirectional Remote Copy configurations are not
supported in a Metrocluster.
Support for 3PAR Virtual Domains
Metrocluster with 3PAR Remote Copy version A.01.00 includes support for 3PAR Virtual Domains.
The HP 3PAR Virtual Domains facility enables fine grained privileges over system objects such as
volumes and hosts. Each domain can be dedicated to a specific application. A subset of the 3PAR
storage system users can have varying privileges over the domains. Domains can be useful where
a single storage system is used to manage data from several different independent applications.
6 Metrocluster with 3PAR Remote Copy A.01.00 Release Notes