IBM N Series Hardware Manual page 123

System storage
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MetroCluster software provides an enterprise solution for high availability over wide area
networks (WANs). MetroCluster deployments of N series storage systems are used for the
following functions:
Business continuance.
Disaster recovery.
Achieving recovery point and recovery time objectives (instant failover). You also have
more options regarding recovery point/time objectives in conjunction with other features.
MetroCluster technology is an important component of enterprise data protection strategies.
In a failure in one location (the local node or the disks are failing), MetroCluster provides
automatic failover to the remaining node. This failover allows access to the data copy
(because of SyncMirror) in the second location.
A MetroCluster system is made up of the following components:
Two N series storage controllers, HA configuration: These provide the nodes for serving
the data in case of a failure. N62x0 and N7950T systems are supported in MetroCluster
configurations, whereas N3x00 is not supported.
MetroCluster VI FC HBA: Used for cluster interconnect.
SyncMirror license: Provides an up-to-date copy of data at the remote site. Data is ready
for access after failover without administrator intervention. This license comes with Data
ONTAP Essentials.
MetroCluster/Cluster remote and CFO license: Provides a mechanism to failover
(automatically or administrator driven).
FC switches: Provide storage system connectivity between sites/locations. These are
used for fabric MetroClusters only.
FibreBridges if you are going to use EXN3000 or EXXN3500 SAS Shelves.
Cables: Multimode fiber optic cables (single-mode cables are not supported).
MetroCluster allows the Active/Active configuration to be spread across data centers up to
100 kilometers apart. During an outage at one data center, the second data center can
assume all affected storage operations lost with the original data center.
SyncMirror is required as part of MetroCluster to ensure that an identical copy of the data
exists in the second data center. If site A goes down, MetroCluster allows you to rapidly
resume operations at a remote site minutes after a disaster. SyncMirror is used in
MetroCluster environments to mirror data in two locations, as illustrated in Figure 8-2 on
page 104. Aggregate mirroring must be like to like disk types.
Remember: Since the Data ONTAP 7.3 release, the cluster license and SyncMirror license
are part of the base software bundle.
Chapter 8. MetroCluster
103

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