Purpose, Introduction | Cisco Systems MDS 9000 instruction

White Paper

Backup and Recovery Solutions with the MDS 9000 Family

Purpose

The purpose of this whitepaper is to discuss backup and recovery architectures and solutions and outline the applicable features of the Cisco MDS 9000 Family of Multilayer Directors and Fabric Switches.

Introduction

Global enterprises with mission critical data residing on their servers demand continuous availability for their applications. Applications such as supply chain management (SCM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), and customer relationship management (CRM) are creating voluminous amounts of data that must be protected at all costs. At a minimum, this data must be backed up to tape regularly as an insurance policy against a potential loss of data. However, growing data volumes requiring larger storage capacity, faster servers, and also require longer time windows for backup. One must also consider that data that takes several hours to backup will also take the same length of time for a full restore should the need arise. This restore time is often unacceptable as it translates into lost revenue due to extended downtime. Therefore, in many cases, tape backup is considered a minimum level of disaster recovery (DR) planning.

In order to ensure 99.999% uptime required by these enterprise applications, a storage design must incorporate additional high availability considerations at every level. A disaster recovery plan, imperative for all enterprises, must address this concern of potential extended outages and provide seamless failover to a secondary site during major outages. Corporations often utilize replication technology to remotely replicate a whole data center, in addition to tape backup, in their DR plan. Therefore, a recovery now can include a data center fail over to a live remote location in addition to a data restore from tapes. Disasters can be caused by a myriad of factors and are difﬁcult to predict. Some key scenarios are listed below:

•Equipment failure

•Application failure

•Human error

•Natural and unnatural disasters

Each enterprise must prepare to recover from disasters and identify all critical data that must be preserved for continuous access. Business impact and risk analysis must be performed to identify locations, functions, or applications most critical to the enterprise. A remote data center, a mirrored image of the primary one, is used to provide full access after a major disaster. Many DR solutions involve keeping real-time replicated images of data in

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MDS 9000 specifications

Cisco Systems MDS 9000 series is a line of storage networking switches designed to address the unique demands of enterprise-level data centers. These switches provide high-performance solutions for connecting various storage devices, including traditional disk arrays, solid-state drives, and tape libraries. The MDS 9000 series is built for scalability, high availability, and advanced security, making it an ideal choice for organizations looking to optimize their storage infrastructure.

One of the standout features of the MDS 9000 series is its support for Fibre Channel and FICON protocols, which enable seamless integration with various storage technologies. This versatility is crucial for organizations that may be using a mix of applications and storage performance requirements. The switches support multiple speeds, including 1G, 2G, 4G, 8G, and even 16G Fibre Channel rates, ensuring that they can adapt to evolving storage needs.

The MDS 9000 is known for its advanced features in terms of management and automation. Cisco provides intelligent automation capabilities to enhance operational efficiency. Features like Flow Vision and intelligent network services allow for deep visibility into storage environments, enabling administrators to monitor performance, troubleshoot issues, and optimize resource allocation effectively. This level of visibility helps organizations to mitigate risks and ensure data availability.

Security is another paramount consideration for the MDS 9000 series. The switches are equipped with a range of security features, including role-based access controls, encryption technologies, and zoning options. These capabilities help safeguard sensitive data and ensure compliance with industry regulations, making the MDS 9000 a trusted choice for enterprises dealing with critical data.

The architecture of the MDS 9000 series is designed for high availability and resiliency. With redundant power supplies and cooling systems, these switches minimize downtime and ensure continuous operation. Additionally, they offer advanced features like non-disruptive software upgrades, which eliminate the need for scheduled outages during firmware updates.

In summary, the Cisco Systems MDS 9000 series offers a robust set of features tailored for enterprise storage networking. Its support for various protocols, intelligent management capabilities, and high availability characteristics make it a preferred choice for organizations seeking to optimize their storage infrastructure for both current and future needs. By investing in the MDS 9000 series, businesses can enhance their operational efficiency, ensure data security, and maintain a competitive edge in today's data-driven landscape.