Do I need to also replicate snapinfo volume?

[ianaforbes]

My customer has a primary and secondary datacenter. We've configured snapmanager for Exchange in the primary and all is working great. They'd now like to use snapmirror to replicate the backups to the secondary site.

This has also been setup just fine. As it stands right now we're replicating the snapmanager backups and using rolling snapshots to replicate the transaction logs. In case of disaster break the mirror and mount the replicated volumes.

They'd also like to be running snapmanager for exchange at the destination datacenter. The plan is if a disaster strikes and they need to be running exchange over at the DR site, they'd like to be protecting the Exchange data with snapmanager - just like the primary site.

Would I need to be replicating the snapinfo volume from the primary in order to have that backup data metadata over at the DR site? Basically, they'd like to be in a position at the DR site that after a disaster strikes and they're now running snapmanager for exchange there, they have access to all of the backups that took place over at the primary site. I know that the snapinfo directory stores the backup set info - so i'd assume that it would need to be replicated as well.

Could someone let me know?

[BrendonHiggins]

YES

Can on remember the link to the SME guide but yes

Brendon

[ianaforbes]

Thanks. There's nothing specific in the SME guide that addreses replicating the snapinfo volume over.

Cheers

[ianaforbes]

How do you go about archiving your SnapManager backups? NDMP, Snapvault, mounting the snapshot and backing up with backup app, backup agent on host? Just wondering what's the easiest method.

[lamarca]

Looking at your options here, SnapVault is obviously the easiest as you all NetApp to send the delta's off site to another NetApp site. You can then use SMBR to recover individual mail messages and/or use FlexClone to bring up a DR "copy" of the database. You can then spin it off to tape off site via NDMP or the mounting method you described.

Looking at the live controller, you can do NDMP and it has its advantages as well; as you can go straight from the controller to a tape library via a fiber connection to your SAN. However you are grabbing the full LUN at that point and a restore is the full LUN (depends on how you layout your Information Stores). If this is Exchange 2007, then one data store per LUN is best practice and you should be fine.

Mounting the LUN to a media server and backing up the individual files is also a method that works, but usually requires scripting of some sort to have this happen manually.

Hope this helps.

Ray LaMarca

Technical Partner Manager

Raymond.Lamarca@netapp.com

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[ianaforbes]

Hi Raymond. Thanks for the response. I've narrowed the archive options down to either a backup application agent installed on Exchange and a copy/diff backup being done, or a flexclone operation. If I'm doing a snapmirror operation to a DR site would you recommend a flexclone be performed on the DR volumes and then have the backup application mount the flex clone database and perform the backup? Just wondering how to go about using flexclone to perform the archive backup.

Cheers

[lamarca]

No problem Ian,

There really is no need to do the FlexClone on the DR side. You can mount the SnapMirror destination "copy" of the LUN and backup that to tape. The only reason for a FlexClone would be if you needed to re-mount the Information Stores, thus needing them in a writable version instead of Read/Only (which is what the Snap Mirror destination is).

Hope this helps.

Ray LaMarca

Technical Partner Manager

Raymond.Lamarca@netapp.com

http://www.netapp.com

W: 847-430-6547

C:847-529-8931

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[ianaforbes]

Hi Raymond. How do I go about copying the destination copy, since it's in read-only mode? Will I be able to connect to the read only lun and back it up?

[lamarca]

Yes, you can always mount a Snapshot (Read Only) of a LUN to another server. You can do this with Snap Drive using the Connect feature (this can be scripted).

Ray LaMarca

Technical Partner Manager

Raymond.Lamarca@netapp.com

http://www.netapp.com

W: 847-430-6547

C:847-529-8931

Got questions? Get answers in the Partner Network.

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[chriskranz]

Technically using the "connect" feature in SnapDrive will always clone the SnapMirror destination and as such make it writable.

If you want to take this to tape, can you not just use NDMP and pull the snapshot directly from the filer? This would certainly be the easiest way of doing it.

[ianaforbes]

Hi Chris. Could you clarify? Flexclone or LunClone are the only things that I'm aware of that will clone either a volume or a lun. All snapdrive does is either create, connect, or manage luns. Unless it's a new feature of snapdrive, it doesn't clone..The only way I'm aware of to make a destination snapmirror writeable is to either break replication or use flexclone.

Could you point me to the doc that talks about snapdrive having the ability to connect and clone? It would certainly make things a lot easier in certain situations.

Cheers

[chriskranz]

This depends on your version of SnapDrive and OnTap...

SnapDrive 4.2.1 admin guide, page 201:

SnapDrive automates the process of meeting the requirements for connecting to a
destination volume. SnapDrive checks the SnapMirror state on the destination
volume holding the LUN. If the destination volume is an unbroken SnapMirror
destination, SnapDrive displays the exact actions necessary to complete a
connection to the destination volume. If you agree to proceed with the
connection, SnapDrive performs the following operations:
◆ If your storage system is running a version of Data ONTAP earlier than 7.1,
SnapDrive breaks the SnapMirror replication for the destination volume.
◆ In the case of an asynchronous SnapMirror relationship, SnapDrive performs
a Single File SnapRestore (SFSR) operation on the most recent Snapshot
copy containing a consistent image of the LUN.

SnapDrive 5.0.1 admin guide, page 195:

The following requirements must be satisfied before you can connect to a
destination volume:
◆ A CIFS share for the SnapMirror destination volume must exist.
◆ If you are using a version of Data ONTAP earlier than 7.1 on your storage
system, the SnapMirror destination volume must be in the “broken” state
before you can connect to a LUN in that volume.
Note
SnapDrive supports the use of FlexClone volumes in Data ONTAP 7.1 or
later, which enables you to clone an independent volume from a parent
FlexVol volume so that the mirror can remain unbroken. For more
information, see “Connecting to LUN copies” on page 156.

Either way, a clone or a snapmirror break, SnapDrive will do this for you!

[ianaforbes]

Hi Chris

Just to clarify. Snapdrive supports the use of flexclones. It doesn't actually do the flexclone though - just connects to a flexcloned volume/lun.

Cheers

[chriskranz]

Hi Ian,

I don't mean to get into a pantomime style "oh no it doesn't", but SnapDrive does initiate a FlexClone for you. 4.2.1 doesn't but does support connecting to FlexClones. SD 5 and 6 do create a FlexClone for you, and will connect to it. If you don't have FlexClone and it's a SnapMirror destination, it will quiesce and break the relationship for you. I don't believe it will resync the relationship however as this often involves removing several snapshots.

[lamarca]

Ian,

If you look at tech article: http://media.netapp.com/documents/tr-3584.pdf you will see references discussing the replication of the SnapInfo directory. If you are using NTFS hard links the SnapInfo folder will be in the same LUN as he logs and follow the same replication schedule since SME uses Volume Snap Mirror to move the LUN's.

But as you can see looking at the article it is a good practice to replicate the SnapInfo directory as well.

Ray LaMarca

Technical Partner Manager

Raymond.Lamarca@netapp.com

http://www.netapp.com

W: 847-430-6547

C:847-529-8931

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