Dell EMC PowerStore Protecting Your Data Version 2.x June 2021 Rev.
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Contents Additional Resources................................................................................................................................................................ 4 Chapter 1: Introduction................................................................................................................. 5 Data protection....................................................................................................................................................................
Additional Resources As part of an improvement effort, revisions of the software and hardware are periodically released. Some functions that are described in this document are not supported by all versions of the software or hardware currently in use. The product release notes provide the most up-to-date information about product features. Contact your service provider if a product does not function properly or does not function as described in this document.
1 Introduction This chapter contains the following information: Topics: • • • • Data protection Snapshots Replication Protection policies Data protection PowerStore provides both local and remote data protection. Using the PowerStore Manager, you can protect your data locally by creating snapshots (point-in-time copies) of volumes, volume groups, virtual machines, or file systems. You can also apply remote protection by replicating your data to a remote system for redundancy in the event of a disaster.
Replication Data replication is a process in which storage data is duplicated to a remote system, which provides an enhanced level of redundancy in case the main production system fails. Replication minimizes the downtime-associated costs of a system failure and simplifies recovery following a natural disaster or human error. PowerStore supports asynchronous remote replication for volumes and volume groups. Replication is not supported on file systems or for virtual volumes. To configure replication: 1.
2 Snapshots This chapter contains the following information: Topics: • • • • • Create a snapshot Create a thin clone Using clones to access read-only snapshots from hosts Refresh a storage resource Restore a storage resource from a snapshot Create a snapshot Creating a snapshot saves the state of the storage resource and all files and data within it at a particular point in time. You can use snapshots to restore the entire storage resource to a previous state.
You can perform the following actions to thin clones: ● ● ● ● Map thin clones to different hosts. Refresh the thin clone (not applicable for file systems). Restore the thin clone from a backup. Apply protection policies to thin clones. To create a thin clone of a volume or volume group: 1. Select Storage > Volumes or Storage > Volume Groups to open the relevant resource window. 2.
When refreshing a resource from a snapshot that was replicated from a remote system, check the creation time value to ensure that you are using the correct snapshot. The Source Data Time value of replicated snapshots reflects the original source data time, and the Creation Time value is updated to the time of replication. NOTE: Because the refresh operation replaces the contents of a storage resource, it is recommended to take a snapshot of the resource before refreshing it.
3 Protection Policies This chapter contains the following information: Topics: • • • • • • Create snapshot rules Create replication rules Create a protection policy Modify a protection policy Assign a protection policy to a storage resource Unassign a protection policy Create snapshot rules You can create snapshot rules to control parameters such as the frequency of snapshot creation, and snapshots retention period.
If you want to create a new replication rule in addition to the existing rules, it is recommended to review the parameters and your business requirements with an administrator before proceeding. This can help in achieving and maintaining consistent policies across the system. To create a new replication rule: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Select Protection > Protection Policies. In the Protection Policies window, click Replication Rules on the Protection bar . In the Replication Rules window, click Create.
The replicated policies and rules are managed by the system and are not displayed in the destination system policy and rules tables. However, you can see the rules details in the Protection tab of the replicating volumes or volume groups, by hovering over the replicated policy name. Modify a protection policy You can modify a protection policy by adding and removing snapshot and replication rules.
Unassign a protection policy Prerequisites Removing the protection policy from a storage resource results in the following: ● Scheduled snapshots and replication based on the rules associated with the policy stop. ● Existing snapshots remain, and are retained in the system, based on the snapshot rule settings when they were created. ● The destination storage resource stays in read-only mode.
4 Replication This chapter contains the following information: Topics: • • • Remote systems Synchronization Failover Remote systems Configuring a remote system connection between the source and destination systems enables remote replication. In PowerStore, the remote system connection is associated with the replication rule. You can create a remote system connection ahead of time, or while creating a replication rule.
NOTE: When you add volumes to a volume group or change the size of the volume group during an asynchronous replication session, the changes do not immediately appear on the destination. You can either perform a manual synchronization or wait until the synchronization occurs based on the RPO.
● The PowerStore system version on both the source and destination system is 2.x or later. ● The replication session state is not Initializing, Failing Over, Failed Over, Paused for NDU/Migration, or Failover Test in Progress.
After a planned failover, the replication session is inactive. To synchronize the destination storage resource and resume the replication session use the Reprotect action. You can also select the auto-reprotect option before failing over, which automatically initiates the synchronization in the opposite direction (at the next RPO) after the failover is complete, and returns the source and the target system to a normal state.
A Use cases This chapter contains the following information: Topics: • • Snapshot and thin clone use cases Replication use cases Snapshot and thin clone use cases You can use snapshots and thin clones to restore corrupted volumes and create test environments. Snapshots are read-only copies that can be used to save the current state of an object. You can use snapshots to quickly recover data if there is corruption or user error. Snapshots cannot be directly accessed by a host.
Replication use cases You can use replication for planned downtime, such as during inter-cluster migration, the installation of a major software update, and disaster recovery. Intercluster migration If you need to migrate a storage object to another PowerStore cluster, you can set up a one-time replication between the two clusters, followed by a planned fail over to the new cluster to complete the migration. After the migration, dismantle the source object to reclaim space on the original cluster.
