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Archiving Snapshots with PowerScale OneFS SyncIQ
Mon, 08 Jul 2024 16:20:03 -0000
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Archiving Snapshots with PowerScale OneFS SyncIQ
PowerScale OneFS SyncIQ stands out as the ultimate choice for archiving snapshots efficiently and securely. This is vital for managing storage well and enhancing data lifecycles. By replicating snapshots in a sequential order, SyncIQ ensures that datasets stay consistent across clusters. Snapshots created on the target cluster reflect the data from the source cluster.
Configuring snapshot archiving on the target cluster is essential for the optimal use of OneFS SyncIQ, which requires a SnapshotIQ license. If snapshot archiving is not set up on the target cluster, only the most recent snapshot is available for failover. Yet, the expiration configuration allows you to set a limit on the number of snapshots. This management of snapshot numbers aids in the efficient utilization of storage resources, a vital aspect of storage management.
Introduction to Snapshot Archiving
Snapshot archiving plays a vital role in data protection. It allows organizations to store critical snapshots without crowding their main storage, which is crucial for proper administration and effective data compliance standards.
Benefits of Using OneFS SyncIQ
PowerScale OneFS SyncIQ brings several advantages to snapshot archiving. It delivers fast replication that grows with datasets. This is critical for expanding amounts of data.
SyncIQ excels at replicating unstructured data asynchronously, scaling as needed. This is vital for extensive backup and recovery needs. It supports different replication strategies, such as Initial, Incremental, and Differential, for efficient transfers. Also, it accommodates various deployment setups, ensuring it can match any organization's structure.
Administrators can set up job schedules based on recovery point objectives (RPOs) for consistent synchronization. For instance, customer data might sync every six hours, while HR data could sync every two days.
SnapshotIQ and SyncIQ Integration
Combining SnapshotIQ with SyncIQ offers a robust data protection solution. It ensures dependable storage management by seamlessly consolidating snapshots. These snapshots, powered by OneFS, are highly scalable. They take almost no time to create, thus does not hinder performance. This feature allows for an efficient record of snapshots over time.
SyncIQ stands out with its policy-driven approach to data replication. Thanks to its parallel architecture, it scales well as data volume increases. This ensures that Recovery Point Objectives (RPO) remain stable as data needs grow. You can customize the replication schedules to fit your organization's unique storage management requirements.
SyncIQ is notably adaptable, offering various deployment options for scenarios like disaster recovery, business continuity, and remote archiving. It is designed to work across different network types, employing both LAN and WAN optimizations for efficient data replication. This adaptability ensures effective replication regardless of the distance involved.
In summary, SnapshotIQ and SyncIQ integration deliver a thorough solution for data protection, streamlined storage management, and efficient snapshot consolidation.
Configuring SyncIQ Policies for Snapshot Archiving
Setting up SyncIQ policies properly is critical for efficient snapshot archiving. This task involves choosing the right source and target paths. It also includes enabling target cluster snapshot archiving when needed. With these steps, we can delve into making the most of SyncIQ's powerful tools.
Setting Source and Target Paths
Accurate setup of source and target paths is essential in SyncIQ. These paths show where data starts and where it's saved. This approach streamlines backup and recovery, making the process more efficient.
Enabling Target Snapshot Archiving
We recommended Activating target snapshot archiving for data safety and accessibility. It requires a SnapshotIQ license. For this feature, administrators may set a snapshot expiration to manage the snapshots maintained over time.
Detailed security settings enhance snapshot safety and SyncIQ replication. Using OneFS RBAC, organizations can tailor access levels, ensuring secure data management for backup and recovery processes.
Configuring Snapshot Alias pointers helps keep snapshots organized and readily accessible. The Snapshot Alias always points to the most recent SyncIQ snapshot. It updates with each policy run, maintaining current data links.
It's vital to keep snapshots in order, to maintain data integrity and support accurate data lifecycle management. With OneFS SyncIQ, the system sequentially replicates snapshots. This method creates an accurate record of changes across snapshots, aiding backup and recovery.
Admins have the option to set up recurring SyncIQ jobs with varied Recovery Point Objectives (RPO). This allows for different replication speeds based on the importance of the data. It means critical business data can be prioritized, enhancing data management efficiency.
The parallel architecture and scalable performance of PowerScale SyncIQ can manage vast amounts of data without splitting it into separate volumes. This keeps the replication process smooth and cohesive, essential for disaster recovery and ongoing operations.
In summary, OneFS SyncIQ's meticulous approach supports the reliable replication of snapshots. This method is crucial for data integrity and efficient lifecycle management. It offers strong protection for critical data, making it a key component in streamlined data management strategies.
Archiving Snapshots
Archiving snapshots through PowerScale OneFS SyncIQ is vital for keeping data safe and easily accessible. Here, we provide a detailed guide on archiving snapshots and offer solutions to common problems that you might face during the process.
To start, make sure you have a SnapshotIQ license on the target cluster. When you start syncing using SyncIQ policies, snapshots are created at the start and end of the job. However, for the smaller updates that follow, they're only taken once, at the end.
To start a SyncIQ policy with a specified snapshot, use the following command:
isi sync jobs start <policy-name> [--source-snapshot <snapshot>]
The command executes data replication based on the chosen SnapshotIQ snapshot since only SnapshotIQ snapshots can be selected. Snapshots created by a SyncIQ policy are incompatible. During the import of a snapshot for a policy, the system does not create a SyncIQ snapshot for that particular replication task.
When snapshots are replicated to the target cluster, by default, only the most recent snapshot is retained, and the naming convention on the target cluster is system generated. However, to prevent a single snapshot from being overwritten on the target cluster and the default naming convention, select the Enable capture of snapshots on the target cluster. When this checkbox is selected, specify a naming pattern and select the Snapshots do not expire option. Alternatively, specify a date for snapshot expiration. Limiting snapshots from expiring ensures that they are retained on the target cluster rather than overwritten when a newer snapshot is available.
By following the outlined strategies and best practices of OneFS SyncIQ, companies can reach highly effective snapshot archiving outcomes. This leads to superior data protection and backup operations. Ultimately, such an approach fosters efficient data management, which is critical for long-term gains and operational durability.
For replicating SnapshotIQ snapshots with SyncIQ, consider the following:
- Snapshot Replication: When SnapshotIQ snapshots take up too much space, they can be replicated to a remote cluster for backup or disaster recovery, freeing up space on the original cluster.
- Chronological Order: Snapshots must be replicated in chronological order to ensure the dataset, and its history is accurately copied from the source to the target cluster.
- Sequential Jobs: The replication process involves placing snapshots into sequential jobs, allowing the target cluster to create snapshots with deltas that reflect the most recent changes.
- Archival Process: It's important to configure and retain target snapshots before starting the archival process to avoid errors and ensure data integrity. After replication, the source cluster's snapshots can be deleted to create additional space.
For more information on snapshots and SyncIQ, see Introduction to SnapshotIQ and SyncIQ | Dell PowerScale SyncIQ: Architecture, Configuration, and Considerations | Dell Technologies Info Hub.
Author: Aqib Kazi, Senior Principal Engineering Technologist