Activating Remote Replication; Replication Repository Virtual Disks - Dell POWERVAULT MD3600F Owner's Manual

Activating Remote Replication

NOTE:
If you ordered the Remote Replication feature, you received a Premium
Feature Activation card in the Dell PowerVault MD storage array shipping box.
Follow the directions on the card to install and enable this feature.
After the Remote Replication feature is installed following the steps on the
Premium Feature Activation card, it must be activated using a wizard-based
process. As part of activation, the following actions occur:
• Two replication repository virtual disks are created using existing capacity
on either a disk group or storage array specified by the user.
• All hosts currently using the highest-numbered Fibre Channel host port
(Port 3) on each RAID controller are logged out.
• The highest-numbered Fibre Channel host port (Port 3) on each RAID
controller is reserved for replication data transmission.
• The highest-numbered Fibre Channel host port (Port 3) on each RAID
controller is not available to direct host access when the Remote
Replication premium feature is activated. Any attempted host
communication to this port is rejected.
• Communication between the replication-reserved Fibre Channel ports
requires established zoning of Fibre Channel switches in the fabric, see
"Required Switch Zoning Configurations" on page 190.
• Before establishing virtual disk replication pairs, the Remote Replication
premium feature must be activated on each of the storage arrays
participating in replication.

Replication Repository Virtual Disks

Using the Remote Replication premium feature on the storage array requires
that two replication repository virtual disks be created on one of the disk
groups on the storage array. The RAID controller module stores replication
information on these virtual disks, including information about incomplete
remote writes that can be used to recover from RAID controller module resets
and accidental storage array shutdown.
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Configuration: Premium Feature— Remote Replication