7.11 Shared Disk DR
The shared disk DR resource replicate a shared disk volume of a cluster to an offsite node of disaster recovery purpose.
The shared disk DR resource is composed of three nodes that manage the shared volume. MCCS is only operable at the server that composes the shared volume.
In other words, MCCS is not involved with operation of the offsite node, so, administrators need to perform manual operation or register necessary actions for processing in advance.
Data is replicated from the source-primary node to the offsite target node and the source-secondary node that cannot access the shared volume recognizes the shared volume as the one having the "NONE" role.
Thus, the offsite target node and the "NONE" node are locked and you cannot write or read to and from them. The goal is to prohibit the use of the corresponding disk volume of the node so that the data integrity can be guaranteed.
Major content of this page
[Figure] Mirroring Configuration
Data Mirror Mode
Mirroring is classified into a sync mode and an async mode depending on the time of response to a request for saving.
Async mode
With asynchronous mirroring, each write is captured and a copy of this is made. That copy is queued to be transmitted to the target system as soon as the network will allow it. Meanwhile, the original write request is committed to the underlying storage device and control is immediately returned to the application that initiated the write. At any given time, there may be write transactions waiting in the queue to be sent to the target machine. But it is important to understand that these writes reach the target volume in time order, so the integrity of the data on the target volume is always a valid snapshot of the source volume at some point in time. Should the source system fail, it is possible that the target system did not receive all of the writes that were queued up, but the data that has made it to the target volume is valid and usable.
Sync mode
With synchronous mirroring, each write is captured and transmitted to the target system to be written on the target volume at the same time that the write is committed to the underlying storage device on the source system. Once both the local and target writes are complete, the write request is acknowledged as complete and control is returned to the application that initiated the write. With synchronous mirroring, each write is intercepted and transmitted to the target system to be written on the target volume at the same time that the write is committed to the underlying storage device on the source system. Once both the local and target writes are complete, the write request is acknowledged as complete and control is returned to the application that initiated the write.
Add
Add the DR shared disk resource. Before you can add the shared disk DR resource, you must install a copy tool at the remote server that data will be copied to.
Select the group -> Right click with the mouse -> Add the resource.
In resource wizard, select a shared disk DR and click the Next button.
The shared volume set of resource wizard will display the drive characters that can be used to compose the shared disk DR and the existing drive characters that are already configured.
You cannot inquire about information at the remote server. So, you need to enter IP addresses on your own.
[Figure] Shared Disk DR Resource AddedClick the 'Additional Setup' to define the synch mode and the disk test option.
[Figure] Shared Disk DR Additional SettingPress the Finish button after adding the shared disk DR resource, the following warning screen will be displayed.
Check again if it is the correct source server selected.
If not, then click on the 'Cancel' button and set it again.
[Figure] The warning screen displayed when you press the Finish button after adding the shared disk DR resource
Click the 'Finish' button to add the shared disk DR resource. You can immediately check the result in the management web console.
Delete
Select the resource -> Right click with the mouse -> Delete the resource.
The deleted resource will immediately disappear from the management web console.
Status
The following table explains the status changing of the MCCS resource caused by a user's command and the status.
The command assumes that it is generated by a user.
Shared disk DR agent: Manages the mirror disk. Copying program should be installed.
Status | Agent's functions | Description | Note |
Online
| Offline | Regardless of the mirror role, the LOCKVOLUME command is used to lock the volume. If the mirror volume is not defined, the LOCKVOLUME command is ignored and regarded as a failure. |
|
Monitoring | Before monitoring, update the status of resource first. Perform a disk write test to determine the status of resource. |
| |
Offline Except for the online and trouble states, it is always offline.
| Online | Type of operation is determined by the role of the mirror volume at the start node. |
|
Monitoring | Refer to the description of monitoring as above. |
| |
Trouble
If a writing test failed online, or an attempt to go online is failed, the trouble state is displayed.
| Online | Refer to the above online command. |
|
Offline | Regardless of the mirror role, the LOCKVOLUME command is used to lock the volume. If the mirror volume is not defined, the LOCKVOLUME command is ignored and regarded as a failure. |
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