Dell MD3600I Recopying a Virtual Disk, Preparing Host Servers to Recopy a Virtual Disk, 179

Recopying a Virtual Disk

You can recopy a virtual disk when you have stopped a virtual disk copy and you want to start it again or when a virtual disk copy has failed.

The Recopy option overwrites existing data on the target virtual disk and makes the target virtual disk read-only to hosts. This option fails all snapshot virtual disks associated with the target virtual disk, if any exist.

Preparing Host Servers to Recopy a Virtual Disk

NOTE: Before you create a new copy of a source virtual disk, stop any data access (I/O) activity or suspend data transfer to the source virtual disk (and, if applicable, the target disk) to ensure that you capture an accurate point-in-time image of the source virtual disk. Close all applications, including Windows Internet Explorer, to make sure all I/O activity has stopped.

NOTE: Removing the drive letter of the associated virtual disk(s) in Windows or unmounting the virtual drive in Linux helps to guarantee a stable copy of the drive for the virtual disk copy.

Before creating a new virtual disk copy for an existing copy pair, both the host server and the associated virtual disk you are recopying have to be in the proper state. Perform the following steps to prepare your host server and virtual disk:

1Stop all I/O activity to the source and target virtual disk.

2Using your Windows system, flush the cache to both the source and the target virtual disk (if mounted). At the host prompt, type

SMrepassist -f <filename-identifier>

and press <Enter>. For more information, see "SMrepassist Utility" on page 257.

3Click the Summary tab, then click Disk Groups & Virtual Disks to ensure that the virtual disk is in Optimal or Disabled status.

Configuration: Premium Feature—Virtual Disk Copy

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