This weblog collection focuses on numerous facets of Cisco HyperFlex. In at present’s weblog we’ll take a look at two distinctly totally different catastrophe restoration options and why it’s necessary to know the use instances underpinning every resolution. I’ll discuss in regards to the enterprise challenges we are attempting to resolve, and which resolution is the very best match.
A quick historical past of HyperFlex Catastrophe Restoration
HyperFlex was initially launched with out native replication — subsequently native DR — performance. A short while later, in 2017 HyperFlex Information Platform (HXDP) model 2.5 launched help for asynchronous replication of VM snapshots. The native replication topology consists of a 1:1 configuration with two paired HyperFlex clusters. The paired clusters could be geographically separated and make the most of WAN connectivity. Workflow help for VM failover & re-protect, deliberate migration, and test-recovery make it an excellent match for customers in search of a single-cluster catastrophe restoration resolution, or an active-active resolution with every cluster capable of act as a restoration cluster for the opposite. If you’re pondering this sounds a bit like a built-in function with SRM-like capabilities, you’re right!
The most important limitation of that providing is that it’s not geared in direction of defending greater than two clusters. Every further protected cluster requires a “companion” cluster to create a cluster pair. Whereas doable, scaling the 1:1 replication resolution comes with some further prices.
Use instances for the 1:1 replication resolution embrace:
- Restoration – Protected VMs could be recovered on the paired vacation spot cluster within the occasion of a supply cluster outage. The person can re-protect the recovered VMs on the level when the unique supply cluster outage has been resolved.
- Migration – Protected VMs can endure deliberate migration, the place a brand new snapshot is taken and replicated to the paired cluster. The replication course is robotically reversed on the level when migration has accomplished.
- Testing – Protected VMs could be test-recovered with out impacting manufacturing workloads. This makes the testing of restoration procedures doable at no matter frequency is required.
The 1:1 restoration resolution is managed utilizing the HX Join person interface. Entry to HX Join on every of the paired clusters is critical when deploying the answer.
Enter: Many-to-One Catastrophe Restoration
Quick ahead to 2021, when new replication expertise was launched with HXDP model 4.5(2a) then known as N:1 Replication for Edge. HyperFlex now supported a fan-in replication topology, and that the answer was managed with a cloud-based management airplane named Intersight. The Intersight person interface lets customers handle giant numbers of HyperFlex clusters from a single console without having to login to a number of totally different person interfaces.
N:1 catastrophe restoration addresses the scalability limitations of the 1:1 resolution, nonetheless there’s different much less apparent performance that stands out. Right here’s a fast record of just a few:
- Protected Datastore – Any VMs residing within the protected datastore are robotically protected utilizing a typical backup coverage. Customers don’t want to use backup settings to VMs individually, simplifying the administration of the answer.
- Retaining a number of restoration factors – On each the originating supply cluster in addition to on the vacation spot backup goal cluster customers can choose to retain from 1 to 30 snapshot-based restoration factors. This permits the person to get better VMs from a time limit earlier than a logical corruption or unintended deletion occasion might have occurred.
- Restoration of VMs – Both to the unique supply cluster, or to a special supply cluster.
- Recovering a VM on the originating supply cluster leverages a regionally retained snapshot-based restoration level. Restoration operations are very quick as there is no such thing as a knowledge switch concerned.
- VMs can optionally be recovered onto a special cluster. When performing this restoration operation, the chosen snapshot-based restoration level is replicated in compressed format to the specified cluster. This makes it doable to get better VMs on a special cluster in conditions the place the unique supply cluster could also be unavailable. One other use case is ad-hoc migration of VMs from one supply cluster to a special supply cluster.
Not only for the sting anymore
When HXDP model 5.0(1a) grew to become accessible in early 2022, N:1 restoration for Edge resolution morphed into the Many-to-One (N:1) Catastrophe Restoration for HyperFlex resolution. This grew to become doable when help for FI (Material Interconnect) primarily based supply clusters was added. What was initially a safety resolution for distant HyperFlex Edge clusters grew to become an enhanced resolution for all HyperFlex clusters. One other vital enhancement added at the moment was the flexibility to retain totally different numbers of snapshot-based restoration factors on supply and backup goal clusters. Customers can now choose to retain fewer native restoration factors on a supply cluster and retain a better variety of restoration factors on a backup goal cluster. Fewer restoration factors on a supply cluster gives a capability to devour much less cupboard space when fewer native restoration factors are required.
HXDP model 5.0(1b) added help for software program encryption in order that the protected datastore on a supply cluster can optionally be encrypted. And sure, the reproduction datastore on the backup goal datastore (created robotically) may even be encrypted!
It’s necessary to notice that whereas each the 1-to1 and many-to-one replication resolution are supported, they can’t be co-mingled on the identical HyperFlex cluster. Price noting is the persevering with effort and arduous work that takes place behind the scenes to enhance and improve HyperFlex replication. Can we count on ongoing enhancements in future releases? That’s a fairly protected wager!
Hopefully this has supplied a view into the 2 totally different HyperFlex replication options. For extra data, see our sources part under.
Assets
N:1 Replication set up and troubleshooting information
All issues HyperFlex (touchdown web page)
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