Storage Container Pairing for Virtual Volume Replication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data storage systems in virtualized environments face challenges in managing replication groups for virtual volumes across multiple storage containers, particularly in complex environments where storage and virtualization administrator responsibilities are separated, and there is a need for efficient disaster recovery solutions.
Innovation Solution
The technique involves storage container pairing, where a source storage container is paired with a target storage container on a remote system to replicate virtual volumes, allowing for a template-like structure to manage replication groups and support disaster recovery, enabling the use of general policy profiles and handling complex environments effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If storage container pairing is implemented to manage replication groups, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments storage containers into paired source and target containers, where each pair represents a replication relationship. This segmentation allows administrators to manage replication groups by working with discrete, identifiable pairs rather than complex many-to-many relationships, simplifying the operational interface while maintaining the underlying complexity of data replication across multiple containers.
2Reliability
If specific storage container pairing is defined for replication, then the reliability of data protection is improved, but the adaptability to different target systems decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Storage container pairing is established in advance before replication operations begin. By pre-defining which source container maps to which target container, the system ensures reliable and consistent data protection while allowing the same pairing mechanism to adapt to different target systems through configuration rather than hardcoding.
3Ease of manufacture
If template-like structure for replication groups is used, then the ease of manufacture of replication configurations is improved, but the measurement precision of replication details decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The template-like structure creates universal replication group definitions that can be applied across different storage systems. The same pairing template can serve multiple replication scenarios, allowing administrators to manufacture configurations quickly while maintaining precision through the template's built-in constraints and validation mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A data storage system in a cluster of storage systems provides virtual-volume data storage to virtual-computing (VC) hosts. A storage container is created for use as a logical grouping of virtual volumes (VVols), and \the storage container is paired as a source storage container with a target storage container on a remote target data storage system. The pairing identifies the target storage container to be used for storing a replica of a replication group of VVols to be stored in the source storage container. When a VVol having a requirement for protection by replication is created, it is placed in a replication group of the source storage container. Subsequently, based on the VVol being a member of the replication group of the source storage container, the VVol is replicated to a target replication group of the target storage container of the remote data storage system.