Replication - Dell PS4000 Configuration Manual


Volume clones use non-shared storage (unlike snapshots)

Volume clones reduce the amount of storage pool free space

All regular volume operations can be performed on the clone once the cloning operation is
complete.

The cloning operation supports instant accessibility (while the clone operation is occurring)
Table 13 shows clone sources and properties.
Clone Source
Clone from Volume
Clone from Snapshot
Clone from Inbound Replica
(secondary group)
(a) Replica clones are created in the secondary group pool and are immediately available at
the secondary group IP address.
Table 13 Cloning Modes and Properties
3.3.6

Replication

Replication is a powerful feature that can help you manage and implement a disaster recovery strategy
for your business applications and data. By replicating business-critical volumes, you ensure that your
business operations can resume quickly on a partner group in the event of a disaster on the primary
group. You also have the ability to restore the configuration to its original state if the problem on the
original group can be corrected. The replication process does not require placing volumes offline. Thus
you can take advantage of the benefits of replication without causing interruption in application or
data availability.
In EqualLogic PS Series storage, replication is the process of copying volume data from one PS Series
group to another PS Series group. Physical distance between the replication groups is not a concern as
long as they are connected by a reliable TCP/IP network path.
You need to consider the following limits when designing a volume replication topology:

A primary group can replicate to multiple partner (secondary) replica groups.

PS series groups can have up to 16 replication partners and can support a maximum of 10,000
total snapshots and replicas from all of its replication partners.

A group can have volumes replicating with multiple partners, but an individual volume can
have only one replication partner.

A maximum of 128 volumes per group can be configured for active replication.
Dell EqualLogic Configuration Guide v11.3
Common Properties

Creates a new volume

Creates a new volume name

Creates a new iSCSI target IQN

Has same reported size as source volume

Has same contents as source volume

Cloned volume is immediately available

(a) Cloning consumes free pool space
equivalent to 100% of the volume reserve
setting for the source volume
(a)
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