Automation of VPLEX Replication Using REST API

VPLEX features—such as non-disruptive data mobility across heterogeneous arrays, data mobility across sites, and highly advanced cache coherency algorithms—dissolve physical barriers in and between data centers, to open up an entirely new approach to data center design. While VPLEX is designed to work with existing array-based replication tools—with VPLEX acting as the virtualization layer—there are best practices and special considerations that need to be accounted for when the existing replication scripts need to be leveraged.

In this Knowledge Sharing article, Vijay Gadwal and Terence Johny present a simple and elegant solution they have devised that will leverage the REST API interfaces already supported on VPLEX and that require no modification to the existing customer array-based replication automation scripts. The article details how this approach can be extended easily to similar use cases on VPLEX involving snaps, clones, and provisioning operations. Vijay and Terence also describe the architecture of the solution and explain in detail the technical components such as the operations supported using REST APIs, the steps necessary for the array-based replication, various modules used, and the technologies used for the scripting.

The solution provided has been successfully designed and implemented in Fortune 500 companies, saving hours of work. The level of automation provided greatly impacts TCE and there is little to no learning curve to adopt this solution. The simple and innovative method used can lead to wider use of this solution to rapidly integrate array-based replication scripts for VPLEX environments. It has greatly assisted customers to make the transition to a VPLEX environment in a smooth way by retaining their existing workflows and automation.

Read the full article.