Local Replication

Module 3.3

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication
After completing this module you will be able to: Discuss local replication and the possible uses of local replicas Explain consistency considerations when replicating file systems and databases

Discuss host and array based replication technologies

Functionality Differences Considerations Selecting the appropriate technology

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 2

Lesson: Local Replica and Data Consistency

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to: Define local replication

Discuss the possible uses of local replicas

Explain replica considerations such as Recoverability and Consistency Describe how consistency is ensured in file system and database replication Explain Dependent write principle

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 3

What is Replication
Replica - An exact copy Replication - The process of reproducing data

Local replication - Replicating data within the same array or the same data center

REPLICATION

Source
2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Replica (Target)
Local Replication - 4

Possible Uses of Local Replicas

Alternate source for backup Fast recovery

Decision support
Testing platform Data Migration

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 5

Replication Considerations
Types of Replica: choice of replica tie back into RPO
Point-in-Time (PIT)
non zero RPO

Continuous
near zero RPO

What makes a replica good

Recoverability/Re-startability
Replica should be able to restore data on the source device Restart business operation from replica

Consistency
Ensuring consistency is primary requirement for all the replication technologies

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 6

Understanding Consistency
Consistency is required to ensure the usability of replica Consistency can be achieved in various ways:
For file Systems
Offline: Un-mount file system Online: Flush host buffers

For Databases
Offline: Shutdown database
Online: Database in hot backup mode
Dependent Write I/O Principle By Holding I/Os

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 7

File System Consistency: Flushing Host Buffer

Application File System Sync Daemon Memory Buffers Logical Volume Manager Physical Disk Driver Data

Source

Replica

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 8

Database Consistency: Dependent write I/O Principle

Dependent Write: A write I/O that will not be issued by an application until a prior related write I/O has completed
A logical dependency, not a time dependency

Inherent in all Database Management Systems (DBMS)

e.g. Page (data) write is dependent write I/O based on a successful log write

Necessary for protection against local outages

Power failures create a dependent write consistent image A Restart transforms the dependent write consistent to transitionally consistent
i.e. Committed transactions will be recovered, in-flight transactions will be discarded
2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved. Local Replication - 9

Database Consistency: Dependent Write I/O

Source Replica Source
1

Replica

Consistent

Inconsistent
Local Replication - 10

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Database Consistency: Holding I/O

Source Replica

Consistent

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 11

Lesson Summary
Key points covered in this lesson: Possible uses of local replicas
Alternate source for backup Fast recovery
Decision support Testing platform Data Migration

Recoverability and Consistency File system and database replication consistency Dependent write I/O principle
2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved. Local Replication - 12

Lesson: Local Replication Technologies

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to: Discuss Host and Array based local replication technologies
Options Operation Comparison

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 13

Local Replication Technologies

Host based
Logical Volume Manager (LVM) based mirroring File System Snapshot

Storage Array based

Full volume mirroring Pointer based full volume replication Pointer based virtual replication

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 14

Host Based Replication: LVM Based Mirroring

Host

Logical Volume
Logical Volume

Physical Volume 1

Physical Volume 2

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 15

File System Snapshot

Pointer-based replica
Uses Copy on First Write principle Uses bitmap and block map
Bitmap: Used to track blocks that have changed on the production/source FS after creation of snap initially all zero Block map: Used to indicate block address from which data is to be read when the data is accessed from the Snap FS initially points to production/source FS

Requires a fraction of the space used by the original FS Implemented by either FS itself or by LVM

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 16

File System Snapshots How it Works

Write to Production FS Snap FS Metadata BLK 1-0 2-0 3-2 3-0 4-1 4-0 Bit 1-0 2-0 3-0 3-1 4-0 4-1

Prod FS Metadata
1 Data a 2 Data b c 3 Data C d 4 Data D

New writes

N Data N
2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

1 Nodata no data Data d 2 Data no data c 3 no data 4 no data

Local Replication - 17

File System Snapshots How it Works

Reads from snap FS
Consult the bitmap
If 0 then direct read to the production FS If 1 then go to the block map get the block address and read data from that address

Prod FS Metadata 1 Data a 2 Data b 3 Data C 4 Data D

Snap FS Metadata BLK 1-0 2-0 3-2 4-1 Bit 1-0 2-0 3-1 4-1

N Data N
2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

1 Nodata Data d 2 Data c 3 no data 4 no data

Local Replication - 18

Host Based Replication: Limitations

LVM based replicas add overhead on host CPUs If host volumes are already storage array LUNs then the added redundancy provided by LVM mirroring is unnecessary
The devices will have some RAID protection already

Host based replicas can be usually presented back to the same server Keeping track of changes is a challenge after the replica has been created

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 19

Storage Array Based Local Replication

Replication performed by the Array Operating Environment Replicas are on the same array Types of array based replication
Full-volume mirroring Pointer-based full-volume replication Pointer-based virtual replication
Array Source

Replica

Production Server
2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

BC Server
Local Replication - 20

Full Volume Mirroring: Attached

Target is a full physical copy of the source device Target is attached to the source and data from source is copied to the target Target is unavailable while it is attached Target device is as large as the source device

Good for full backup, decision support, development, testing and restore to last PIT
Attached
Read/Write Not Ready

Source
Array
2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Target
Local Replication - 21

Full Volume Mirroring: Detached

After synchronization, target can be detached from the source and made available for BC operations PIT is determined by the time of detachment After detachment, re-synchronization can be incremental

Detached - PIT
Read/Write Read/Write

Source
Array
2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Target
Local Replication - 22

Full Volume Mirroring: Source and Target Relationship

Attached/ Synchronization

Detached

Resynchronization

Source = Target

Source Target

Source = Target

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 23

Pointer based Full Volume Replication

Provide full copy of source data on the target Target device is made accessible for business operation as soon as the replication session is started Point-in-Time is determined by time of session activation Two modes
Copy on First Access (deferred) Full Copy mode

Target device is at least as large as the source device

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 24

Copy on First Access Mode: Deferred Mode

Write to Source
Read/Write Read/Write

Source

Target

Write to Target
Read/Write Read/Write

Source

Target

Read from Target

Read/Write Read/Write

Source
2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Target
Local Replication - 25

Full Copy Mode

On session start, the entire contents of the Source device is copied to the Target device in the background Most vendor implementations provide the ability to track changes:
Made to the Source or Target Enables incremental re-synchronization

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 26

Pointer Based Virtual Replication

Targets do not hold actual data, but hold pointers to where the data is located
Target requires a small fraction of the size of the source volumes

A replication session is setup between source and target devices

Target devices are accessible immediately when the session is started At the start of the session the target device holds pointers to data on source device

Typically recommended if the changes to the source are less than 30%

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 27

Virtual Replication: Copy on First Write Example

Target Virtual Device

Source

Save Location

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 28

Tracking Changes to Source and Target

Changes will/can occur to the Source/Target devices after PIT has been created How and at what level of granularity should this be tracked
Too expensive to track changes at a bit by bit level
Would require an equivalent amount of storage to keep track

Based on the vendor some level of granularity is chosen and a bit map is created (one for source and one for target)
For example one could choose 32 KB as the granularity If any change is made to any bit on one 32KB chunk the whole chunk is flagged as changed in the bit map For 1GB device, map would only take up 32768/8/1024 = 4KB space

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 29

Tracking Changes to Source and Target: Bitmap

Source 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

At PIT
Target

After PIT

Source Target

1 0

0 0

0 1

1 1

0 0

1 0

0 0

0 1

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

0 = unchanged
2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

1 = changed
Local Replication - 30

Restore/Restart Operation
Source has a failure
Logical Corruption Physical failure of source devices Failure of Production server

Solution
Restore data from target to source
The restore would typically be done incrementally Applications can be restarted even before synchronization is complete

-----OR----- Start production on target

Resolve issues with source while continuing operations on target After issue resolution restore latest data on target to source
2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved. Local Replication - 31

Restore/Restart Considerations
Before a Restore
Stop all access to the Source and Target devices Identify target to be used for restore
Based on RPO and Data Consistency

Perform Restore

Before starting production on target

Stop all access to the Source and Target devices Identify Target to be used for restart
Based on RPO and Data Consistency

Create a Gold copy of Target

As a precaution against further failures

Start production on Target

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved. Local Replication - 32

Restore/Restart Considerations (cont.)

Pointer based Full Volume Replicas
Restores can be performed to either the original source device or to any other device of like size
Restores to the original source could be incremental in nature Restore to a new device would involve a full synchronization

Pointer Based virtual Replicas

Restores can be performed to the original source or to any other device of like size as long as the original source device is healthy
Target only has pointers
Pointers to source for data that has not been written to after PIT

Pointers to the save location for data was written after PIT

Thus to perform a restore to an alternate volume the source must be healthy to access data that has not yet been copied over to the target

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 33

Array Replicas: Which Technology?

Factor Performance impact on source Full-volume mirroring No impact Pointer-based fullvolume replication CoFA mode -some impact Pointer-based virtual replication High impact

Full copy no impact

At least same as the source At least same as the source Small fraction of the source

Size of target

Accessibility of source for restoration

Not required

CoFA mode required

Full copy not required

Required

Only after synchronization and Accessibility to target Immediately accessible detachment from the source

Immediately accessible

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 34

Creating Multiple Replicas

Target Devices
06:00 A.M.

Source

12:00 P.M.

Point-In-Time
06:00 P.M.

12:00 A.M.

: 12 : 01 : 02 : 03 : 04 : 05 : 06 : 07 : 08 : 09 : 10 : 11 : 12 : 01 : 02 : 03 : 04 : 05 : 06 : 07 : 08 : 09 : 10 : 11 : A.M.
2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

P.M.
Local Replication - 35

Local Replication Management: Array Based

Replication management software residing on storage array Provides an interface for easy and reliable replication management Two types of interface:
CLI GUI

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 36

Lesson Summary
Key points covered in this lesson: Replication technologies
Host based
LVM based mirroring File system snapshot

Array based
Full volume mirroring
Pointer-based full volume copy Pointer-based virtual replica

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 37

Module Summary
Key points covered in this module: Definition and possible use of local replicas

Consistency considerations when replicating file systems and databases

Host based replication
LVM based mirroring, File System Snapshot

Storage array based replication

Full volume mirroring, Pointer based full volume and virtual replication Choice of technology

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 38

Concept in Practice EMC Local Replication Solutions

EMC Symmetrix Arrays

EMC TimeFinder/Clone
Full volume replication

EMC TimeFinder/Mirror
Full volume mirroring

EMC TimeFinder/SNAP
Pointer based replication

EMC CLARiiON Arrays

EMC SnapView Clone
Full volume replication

EMC SnapView Snapshot

Pointer based replication

2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.

Local Replication - 39

 Check Your Knowledge

Describe the uses of a local replica in various business operations. How can consistency be ensured when replicating a database? Discuss one host based replication technology What are the differences among full volume mirroring and pointer based replicas? What is the key difference between full copy mode and deferred mode? What are the considerations when performing restore operations for each array replication technology?
2009 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved. Local Replication - 40