Replicated pairs – Dell PowerVault MD3820f User Manual

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3. In Remote replication group name, enter a group name (30 characters maximum).
4. In the Choose the remote storage array drop-down, select a remote storage array.

NOTE: If a remote storage array is not available, you cannot continue. Verify your network
configuration or contact your network administrator.

5. In the Connection type drop-down, choose your data protocol (iSCSI or Fibre Channel only).
6. Select View synchronization settings to set the synchronization settings for your Remote

Replication group.
For more information on the synchronization settings, see the online help topics.

7. Click OK.

The Remote Replication group is created.

Replicated Pairs

The last step in setting up Remote Replication is creating a replicated pair of virtual disks and placing

them in an already-created Remote Replication group.

A replicated pair consists of two virtual disks, one serving as the primary virtual disk on the local storage
array and the other serving as the secondary virtual disk on the remote storage array. In a successful
Remote Replication configuration, both these virtual disks contain identical copies of the same data. The
replicated pair is contained in Remote Replication group, allowing them to synchronize at the same time
as any other replicated pairs within the same Remote Replication group.
At the I/O level, all write operations are performed first to the primary virtual disk and then to the
secondary virtual disk.

Guidelines for Choosing Virtual Disks in a Replicated Pair

The first step of creating a replicated pair begins by adding a virtual disk to the Remote Replication group
on the local storage array. This virtual disk then becomes the primary virtual disk in the remote replicated
pair. When a virtual disk on the remote storage array is added to same Remote Replication group, the
replicated pair creation process is complete. This remote storage virtual disk becomes the secondary
virtual disk in the replicated pair.
The two virtual disks -- one on the local storage array and one on the remote storage array -- essentially
function as a single entity and allow you to manage the pair in tandem, not as two individual virtual disks.

Guidelines For Choosing Virtual Disks In A Replicated Pair

The following guidelines apply:

• Only standard virtual disks can be used in a replicated pair. Thin provisioned or snapshot virtual disks

(any type) cannot be used.

• The Remote Replication premium feature must be enabled and activated on the local and remote

storage arrays used for replication before creating replication pairs or Remote Replication groups.

• Local and remote storage arrays must be connected using supported Fibre Channel or iSCSI

connections.

• The remote storage array must contain a virtual disk that is greater than or equal to the capacity of the

primary virtual disk on the local storage array.

• Creating a replicated pair requires you to use the AMW of the local storage array and the AMW of the

remote storage array to complete the creation process. Make sure that you have access to both

storage arrays.

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