Dell PowerStore Protecting Your Data

Overview

Replication and Metro protection requires a remote system connection between two PowerStore systems.

For replication, the remote system connection is associated with the replication rule. You can create a remote system connection before configuring remote replication. If you are using PowerStore manager, you can create a remote system connection while creating a replication rule. It is also possible to create a remote system when configuring metro on a volume.

It is possible to create a remote connection between systems running different versions (1.x, 2.x, 3.x). The systems versions determine the supported capabilities. Both systems must run the required PowerStore version for a capability in this version to be supported. The following conditions should be met for replication of storage objects:

• Asynchronous volume replication
  • The paired systems must run version 1.x or later.
• Synchronous volume replication
  • The paired systems must run version 4.x or later.
  • Network latency - Low (under five milliseconds)
  • Storage network purpose - Replication
• Asynchronous file replication
  • The paired systems must run version 3.x or later.
  • Connection type - TCP
  • Storage network purpose - Replication
• Synchronous file replication
  • The paired systems must run version 4.x or later.
  • Network latency - Low (under five milliseconds)
  • Storage network purpose - Replication
• Asynchronous Virtual volume replication
  • The paired systems must run version 3.x or later.
  • Connection type - TCP
  • Storage network purpose - Replication
• Metro
  • The paired systems must run version 3.x or later for volume support and version 4.x for volume group support.
  • Connection type - TCP (see Metro pre-requisites and limitations)
  • Network latency - Low (under five milliseconds)

Remote backup requires a remote system connection between a PowerStore system and a PowerProtect DD system. The remote connection is associated with a remote backup rule, and the PowerProtect DD system can be configured while creating the rule.

For remote backup, the following conditions should be met:

• PowerStore system must run version 3.x or later.
• PowerProtect DDOS version must be 6.2.1.x or later.
• PowerStore storage network must be able to communicate with the PowerProtect DD Data Transfer network.
• The storage network purpose must be set to Storage (iSCSI) and Replication. For more information, see Dell Knowledge Base Article 000224658.

The Remote Systems table (under Protection) displays the configured remote system connections. In the Remote Systems table you can:

• View remote systems information, such as the name and IP of the remote system, system type (storage system or PowerProtect DD), supported capabilities (visible only if supported by both systems), and data connection status. The detailed view provides IP connectivity status for all initiators.
• Select a remote system and click Modify to edit its attributes. You can change the management IP address, description, and network latency of a remote system connection.
• Select a remote system and click Delete to remove it. You cannot delete a remote system in the following instances:
  • When there are active replication sessions that are associated with the remote system.
  • When there are active remote backup sessions that are associated with the remote system.
  • When there is a replication rule that is associated with the remote system.
  • When there is a remote backup rule that is associated with the remote system.
  • When there are metro sessions
• Monitor the management and data connection status for troubleshooting purposes.
• Select a remote system and click More Actions > Verify and Update to verify and update the connection to the remote system. Verify and update detects changes in the local and remote systems and reestablishes data connections, while also taking the Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) settings into account.
• Select a remote system and click More Actions > Manage Network Group to add, modify, or delete network groups.
• For PowerProtect DD remote systems -
  • If there is a connection loss for less than ten minutes, the remote system recovers automatically when network connectivity is restored. If the connection loss lasts longer than ten minutes, click More Actions > Verify and Update after connectivity is restored to change the remote system status to OK.
  • Select a remote system and click More Actions > View Capacity Details to view usage and historical metrics for that system over a selected time period.
  • You can check for connectivity issues in the Management/File System and Data Connection columns of the Remote Systems table.