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How to protect AppSync Server?
Hi folks,
I've been reading up on AppSync and is amazed by the simplicity and ease of use it can do by protecting critical MS applications with a few clicks. Tried the demo @ vLab and it certainly helps to show all the cool features.
However, coming from a solutions perspective, I'm just wondering if there is anyway we could protect the AppSync Server itself if it fails (both in physical and virtual environments), if the AppSync Server crashes, does it spell trouble for the customer's SLAs? Could we mitigate this risk by clustering AppSync Server?
Secondly, how can we better position AppSync as it seems that there are some commonalities between Replication Manager and AppSync based on the Technical FAQs in the product page: http://one.emc.com/clearspace/docs/DOC-59839. . Perhaps the only difference is that RM protects a wider spectrum of Storage systems and business applications while AppSync is positioned at SMEs with MS apps and VNX or RP/SE. Is there a road map that AppSync is going to protect more business applications such as Oracle/SAP as many companies currently are deploying heterogeneous applications and it might not be justifiable to invest in both RM and AppSync?
Many thanks in advance
FoolInTheRain
123 Posts
1
February 13th, 2014 06:00
Hi Mike84!
Glad to hear you are excited about AppSync!
To protect yourself against a crash, at AppSync 1.6 a new feature was added for backing up the internal db. This is the info from the AppSync 1.6 Release Notes:
New AppSync backup tool
In the event of an operation systems crash, using the new AppSync backup tool, you can
now re-install AppSync on the same production host (physical or virtual) and re-use
persistent AppSync application data from the old AppSync instance.
And you can get additional info in the AppSync 1.6 Installation and Cobfig Guide (page 30) on the using the AppSync Backup Tool.
Because of varioius security reasons, you can restore the env on the "SAME" production host, not move it to another host.
(Just keep that in mind!)
Your right, RM currently has a wider spectrum of storage and application coverage, but RM is a mature product (rev 5.5.0!) that has been around for over 10 years! AppSync 1.6 introduced SQL to the product, and there is a roadmap for introducing more arrays and others apps as well. In AppSync 2.0 (due out by the end of Q2), I beleive Oracle support will be available, and I beleive VMAX support as well. Now, you mention Oracle/SAP...and i have not yet heard of SAP being part of the next release. While I assume it may be part of a future release, I have no way of knowing when.
I hope this helps answer your questions!
mike843
15 Posts
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February 13th, 2014 17:00
Hi Jay!
Great and useful information about the new backup feature for AppSync
, this could certainly help to protect Just wondering if we could cluster the AppSync Servers for high availability instead of doing the backup and restore method? Would it be better if we deploy AppSync Server in a virtual machine and use the hypervisor layer high availability solution to protect the virtual machine (for e.g. ESXi VMHA)?
And many thanks for sharing all the useful insights about AppSync's roadmap, it gets me all thrilled up to see newer and more features and application supportability being introduced in the future release.
Michael
FoolInTheRain
123 Posts
1
February 14th, 2014 08:00
Hi Michael,
You asked some pretty tough follow up questions, and I had to reach out to some engineering contacts I have...and this is what I came up with. In a nutshell:
1) No, clustering AppSync Servers is not an option right now
2) ESXi VMHA may be something that could work, but it hasn't been tested/qualified now, and it may be best to fill out
an RPQ to see if that environement could be supported. RPQs are started by the local team, and will include info on your
environment and "use case" for what you are doing. That way, an indepth review can be done.
3) Yes, AppSync will be improved in the future to handle this, but I have no firm dates or plans at this time.
Wish I had more!
Jay
mike843
15 Posts
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February 16th, 2014 18:00
Hi Jay,
Sorry for going through the trouble, these replies are extremely helpful
Michael