Using Replication for Disaster Recovery

You can create a disaster recovery configuration in which you replicate data from a primary FluidFS cluster to a target FluidFS cluster. You can fail over to the target cluster if the primary FluidFS cluster stops responding because of an unexpected failure (hardware, disk, and so on). The target FluidFS cluster can either be used solely for backup for the primary site, or it can have its own NAS volumes sharing data at the target site. In a bi‐directional configuration, both FluidFS clusters can act as a failover target for each other.

After you have fixed the problem that caused the original FluidFS cluster to fail, you can manually fail back to the original configuration in which clients access data on the source NAS volume, which in turn replicates to the target NAS volume. Depending on time and bandwidth considerations, failing back to the source NAS volume might take a considerable amount of time to complete.

The following considerations apply when using replication for disaster recovery:

•If the original source NAS volume is no longer available, you can configure the recovery NAS volume to replicate to another NAS volume in the original source FluidFS cluster. However, if the original source NAS volume is available, Dell recommends failing back to it. Failing back to the original source NAS volume usually takes less time than failing back to a new NAS volume. If the FluidFS clusters have a common snapshot, they only need to synchronize the data that changed after that snapshot was created. If no common snapshot is available, or if replicating to a new NAS volume, all data must be synchronized.

•A single FluidFS cluster cannot contain two sets of CIFS home shares. Consider the example in which Cluster A and Cluster B both have CIFS home shares, for different sites or user bases. Cluster A and Cluster B both serve as replication destinations for each other’s NAS volume that contains the CIFS home shares. If the administrator tries to fail over Cluster A’s NAS volume that contains CIFS home shares to Cluster B, Cluster B rejects this operation because it already has CIFS home shares defined on it.

Managing the DNS Configuration for Single NAS Volume Failover

For single NAS volume failover, it is important that the environment is set up to properly migrate clients of the NAS volumes you are failing over, without disrupting the clients of other NAS volumes you are not failing over.

When a NAS Volume is failed over from one FluidFS cluster to another, the IP addresses that are used to access it change from Cluster A’s IP addresses to Cluster B’s IP addresses. Dell recommends facilitating this change using DNS. It is recommended to set up a DNS entry to correlate to each NAS volume, and change the DNS entry for single NAS volumes when they are failed over.

For example, suppose Marketing and Sales have their own NAS volumes, with a CIFS share on the NAS volume named marketing_share and sales_share respectively. A DNS entry named FluidFSmarketing, is created for Marketing and another DNS entry for Sales named FluidFSsales is created. Both NAS volumes point to the same set of client VIPs on source Cluster A. Marketing can access the Marketing NAS volume or CIFS share using

\\FluidFSmarketing\marketing, and Sales can access the Sales NAS volume or CIFS share using \ \FluidFSsales\sales.

Initially, both DNS entries FluidFSmarketing and FluidFSsales point to the same set of client VIPs. At this point, both the marketing and sales CIFS shares can be accessed from either one of the DNS names, FluidFSmarketing or FluidFSsales. When you want to fail over a single NAS volume (for example Marketing) change the DNS entries for FluidFSmarketing to resolve to the client VIPs on Cluster B.

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Dell NX3600, NX3500, NX3610 manual Using Replication for Disaster Recovery
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NX3500, NX3600, NX3610 specifications

The Dell NX series, including the NX3610, NX3600, and NX3500, represents a robust and efficient solution for organizations seeking to optimize their storage solutions. These storage appliances are designed to meet the growing needs of data-driven businesses, providing a comprehensive platform that integrates software and hardware for optimal performance.

The Dell NX3610 is a high-performance storage solution that boasts an advanced dual-controller architecture. This model supports enhanced scalability and redundancy, ensuring that organizations can handle increasing data loads effortlessly. It is built for faster data access with a range of connectivity options, including 10GbE and iSCSI, enabling seamless integration into diverse IT environments. The NX3610 supports advanced file sharing capabilities, making it ideal for businesses requiring efficient collaboration and data access across multiple platforms. Furthermore, with features like snapshot and replication, users can ensure data integrity and security, minimizing downtime in case of system failures.

The NX3600, while slightly smaller in capacity compared to the NX3610, still delivers formidable performance and flexibility. It is designed to cater to mid-sized businesses that need a reliable and cost-effective storage solution. The NX3600 features a single-controller architecture, making it easier to manage and deploy in smaller IT environments. It offers support for various storage protocols, including NFS and CIFS, which are essential for organizations looking to support diverse application workloads. Its easy-to-use management interface makes it simple for IT teams to monitor and configure settings, ensuring optimal performance with minimal effort.

The NX3500 serves as an entry-level model within the NX series, specifically targeted at small to medium-sized businesses. It combines affordability with essential features needed for efficient data storage and sharing. The NX3500 is equipped with a user-friendly interface and includes support for both file-based and block-based storage, offering flexibility for diverse workloads. Moreover, the appliance features integrated backup solutions, which are crucial for ensuring data safety and compliance. Users will also appreciate its robust data deduplication and compression capabilities that significantly reduce storage costs by minimizing the amount of data stored.

In summary, the Dell NX3610, NX3600, and NX3500 are engineered to cater to various business sizes and storage demands. With their sophisticated technologies, including dual-controller systems, rich protocol support, and user-friendly management features, these appliances deliver reliable, scalable, and efficient storage solutions for any organization looking to enhance its data management capabilities.
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