SRM test procedure - snapview or advanced snaps?

Clustor,

You are correct, at least currently only the SnapView snapshots are supported.  It would require an updated VNX SRA and corresponding VNX MirrorView SRA Enabler.

Keep in mind, even if the VNX SRA and the MV SRA enabler today supported VNX Snapshots (what you are referencing as "Advanced"), in support of MV/A itself (not MV/S), which still uses SAN Copy and SnapView snapshots under the hood, you would need to configure the RLP as those don't (yet) take advantage of VNX Snapshots.

I can't speak on behalf of the roadmap as I simply don't have visibility to it nor would I be able to talk about it anyways; however, as for the argument as to a choice between supporting SnapView snapshots or VNX Snapshots, since the latter are limited to just pool LUNs I will assume that was the executive decision at least for now.  I assume though it will eventually come.

Don't forget, you can always submit an PER (Product Enhancement Request) and please don't assume that everyone else has already submitted one.  There no doubt is a lengthy list of feature requests in the queue, and let us assume they prioritize based on business need and by popularity.

Please let management know by submitting this on Powerlink (I'm not aware of this yet being available from support.emc.com) via the following breadcrumb trail:

Home > Support > Request Support > Request a Product Enhancement

Click on "Getting Started".

thanks for the answer!

Do you happen to know what happens when i run a SRM test procedure, but Snapview isn't active on the array? Or when a reserved LUN pool isn't configured?

I have a customer who's pretty much ok with fracturing the Mirror and use the mirror secondary for testing as opposed to using Snapview snapshots, just so he won't have to configure reserved LUN pools for instance. Keeps the design alot simpler.

MV/s is used in that case by the way.

Clustor,

When managed through the VNX SRA and the corresponding MV enabler, the test plan is executed using SnapView snapshots and expects the usual prereq's.  Therefore, to answer your question, it will fail (currently).

As for your second comment, about "fracturing the mirror" and "using the mirror secondary for testing", firstly let me apologize in advance if I am misunderstanding.  Keep in mind, even in a fractured state, you still can not use the secondary image directly via a mount host.  Again, apologies if that isn't what you were suggesting. 

The only way you can use the secondary image via a designated mount host is as follows:

1) Create a SnapView snapshot of the secondary image and present that (method used by the VNX SRA and corresponding MV SRA enabler)

2) If a pool LUN, create a VNX snapshot of the secondary image and present that

3) Use a SnapView clone of the secondary image and present that

4) Promote the secondary image (of course at that point it is no longer a test plan)

5) Remove the secondary image from the mirror relationship and at that point it is a stand-alone LUN (but would need a full sync of course if you were to later reestablish the mirror relationship)

Just the first option is the method used by the VNX SRA and corresponding MV SRA enabler for the test plan (#4 is of course the method used for the actual recovery plan) and everything else would be manual and giving up the orchestration automated for you.

I recommend you having a look at a post from a colleague of mine Dave O'Sullivan

https://community.emc.com/message/704661#704661

He is very knowledgable about SRM and has put a good guide on this post

Gearoid

I should have read the whole thread

>>Do you happen to know what happens when i run a SRM test procedure, but Snapview isn't active on the array? Or when a reserved LUN pool isn't configured?

The simple answer is the SRM test failover will fail

Snaps are used for the SRM test step (so thats why they are a requirement, similar for the RLP's)

Dave's videos should document that

Hope that helps

Gearoid

Thanks Gearoid for sharing.  I'll definitely have to review it.  However, I don't think the videos will answer his specific questions about using anything other than what is supported.  I'll verify though.  Thanks again!

Thanks Gearoid for reviewing!  Yes, great videos.

good info!

thanks for helping out!

Glad to hear we were able to help out; even though it wasn't the answer you were hoping for.  Just to mention, to date the only layered application that supports them is AppSync.