D-RP-OE-A-24 Dell RecoverPoint Operate Achievement Questions and Answers

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To recover a production volume that has become inaccessible due to logical corruption using RecoverPoint’s “Test a Copy and Recover Production” wizard, follow these steps:

Select a snapshot prior to the corruption: Identify and choose the appropriate point-in-time image from the Journal that was taken before the corruption occurred.

Mount the snapshot to a verification host and verify its integrity: Attach the selected snapshot to a non-production host where you can perform checks to ensure the data is consistent and free from corruption.

Unmount the production volume as the Recovery wizard will overwrite it with the recovery data: Ensure that the current production volume is not in use because the recovery process will overwrite the existing data with the data from the snapshot.

Monitor the progress of recovery from the Unisphere ‘Manage Recovery’ wizard: Use Dell EMC’s Unisphere interface to track the recovery process and ensure that the data is being restored correctly.

These steps are based on the standard procedures outlined in Dell RecoverPoint documentation for using the “Test a Copy and Recover Production” wizard to restore volumes to a previous state1.

In Dell RecoverPoint, a Consistency Group is built from one or more replication sets.Each replication set consists of a production volume plus any local or remote copy volumes to which it is replicating1. Since the mission-critical application is stored on three volumes, and each volume will be part of a replication set, the Consistency Group for the application will contain three replication sets.This ensures that all three volumes are protected and replicated as part of the RecoverPoint protection strategy1.

It’s important to note that the number of replication sets in a Consistency Group is equal to the number of production volumes being replicated.Therefore, if an application spans multiple volumes, each volume will be part of its own replication set within the Consistency Group1.

To meet the requirement of keeping a local copy of the production data in a RecoverPoint environment with VNX(SE) clusters, the administrator can add a local copy into the existing Consistency Group. This action does not require deleting and reconfiguring the existing Consistency Group or upgrading the license. Here are the steps:

Access Unisphere for RecoverPoint: Log into the Unisphere interface for RecoverPoint management.

Navigate to the Consistency Group: Find the Consistency Group that needs the local copy.

Add a Local Copy: Use the option to add a copy into the selected Consistency Group.

Configure the Local Copy: Specify the settings for the local copy, such as the Journal volume and RPO settings.

Apply Changes: Save the changes to implement the local replication.

This process allows the administrator to enhance the data protection strategy by adding a local copy for operational recovery or other business needs without disrupting the existing remote replication setup1.

In Dell RecoverPoint, a Bookmark is a user-created point-in-time image that can be tied to specific application events. This feature allows users to mark a particular point in time within the continuous data protection timeline of RecoverPoint, which can be used for recovery purposes. Here’s how it works:

User Command: A user issues a command to create a Bookmark, typically through the RecoverPoint management interface or via scripting.

Tied to Application Events: The Bookmark can be associated with specific application events, such as before and after a significant update or batch process.

Point-in-Time Image: The Bookmark represents a point-in-time image of the data at the moment the Bookmark was created.

Recovery: In the event of data corruption or loss, the Bookmark can be used to recover data to the exact state it was in at the time of the Bookmark.

Bookmarks are an integral part of RecoverPoint’s data protection capabilities, providing flexibility and precision for data recovery operations1.

RecoverPoint/BK license mode is for local backup of Data Domain storage. RecoverPoint/BK is system-based licensing for all clusters in a RecoverPoint system:

•Synchronous replication

•Multipath I/O support

•Virtualization hypervisor support for Hyper-V and VMware platforms.

•Integration with VMware vCenter, VMware SRM and vSphere VAAI support

•Built-in bandwidth reduction

•Two to eight RecoverPoint appliances per RPA cluster for failure resiliency and throughput

RecoverPoint/BK Overview:

RecoverPoint/BK is a specialized licensing mode designed for local backup operations specifically aimed at EMC's Data Domain storage systems. It enhances the data protection capabilities by integrating with Data Domain for efficient backup and recovery processes.

Functionality and Features:

Local Backup: The RecoverPoint/BK license mode is particularly utilized for local backups of Data Domain storage arrays. It ensures that the data stored on Data Domain systems can be effectively backed up and restored locally.

Synchronous Replication: Provides real-time data replication between the primary and backup locations to ensure data consistency.

Multipath I/O Support: Ensures high availability and reliability by providing multiple data paths to storage.

Hypervisor Support: Supports virtualization platforms such as Hyper-V and VMware, allowing integration with various virtualized environments.

Integration with VMware: Supports integration with VMware vCenter, VMware SRM, and vSphere VAAI, enabling seamless management and operation within VMware environments.

Bandwidth Reduction: Includes built-in features to reduce bandwidth usage during data replication and backup operations.

Resiliency and Throughput: Supports two to eight RecoverPoint appliances per RPA cluster, enhancing failure resiliency and throughput for robust data protection.

Reference from EMC Documentation:

RecoverPoint/BK license mode is explicitly mentioned for local backups of Data Domain storage arrays, providing a comprehensive data protection solution with advanced features tailored for Data Domain.

In Dell EMC RecoverPoint, virtual RPAs (vRPAs) use iSCSI protocol for connections. This is because vRPAs are designed to operate in virtual environments where iSCSI is commonly used for storage networking due to its ability to work over standard IP networks.Physical RPAs, such as Gen-5 and Gen-6, typically use Fibre Channel (FC) for direct storage connectivity1.

Here’s a breakdown of the connectivity:

vRPA: Utilizes iSCSI for connections to protected storage. This is suitable for virtualized environments where the RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines (RP4VMs) operates.

Gen-5 and Gen-6 RPAs: These are physical appliances that generally use Fibre Channel for connectivity, which is more common in physical data center environments where dedicated storage networks are present1.

It’s important to choose the correct RPA type based on the storage infrastructure and connectivity requirements of the environment1.

To review the performance data for the past week in a RecoverPoint environment and save the raw data for further analysis, the export_statistics CLI command should be used. This command allows the administrator to export the performance statistics data, which can then be saved to a spreadsheet and used to create graphs or conduct detailed analysis of system performance over time. The steps to use this command are:

Access the CLI: Log into the RecoverPoint CLI using the appropriate credentials.

Execute the Command: Run the export_statistics command to gather the performance data.

Save the Data: The command will generate the performance data, which can be saved to a file.

Analyze the Data: Open the saved file in a spreadsheet application to review the data and create graphs as needed.

This command is particularly useful for administrators who need to monitor and analyze the performance of their RecoverPoint environment over a specific period1.

When using the MetroPoint feature of RecoverPoint to protect distributed VPLEX volumes, it is essential that both VPLEX clusters have a connected RecoverPoint cluster.This is necessary to create a MetroPoint Consistency Group, which is a configuration that allows for continuous data protection and availability across multiple sites1.

The MetroPoint solution provides a three-site configuration that combines VPLEX Metro (which operates within distances of 5-10ms round-trip time, application dependent) with a third site provided by a RecoverPoint appliance.This setup ensures that data is continuously available and protected, and it allows for failover between two Metro sites without impacting protection1.

It’s important to note that while MetroPoint enables protection for VPLEX devices at both sites, the requirement for both VPLEX clusters to be connected to a RecoverPoint cluster is crucial for the creation and proper functioning of a MetroPoint Consistency Group1.

For the most accurate and up-to-date information, it is always best to consult the latest official Dell RecoverPoint documentation or contact Dell EMC support directly2.

When initializing a Consistency Group with a local copy in a RecoverPoint environment, several factors can affect the duration of the process. One possible reason for a longer than expected initialization time is slow performing storage on the production array.If the production storage is not able to handle the I/O operations efficiently, it can lead to delays in the initialization process1.

Another factor to consider is the available bandwidth to the RecoverPoint Appliances (RPAs).Limited WAN bandwidth can also cause delays, but since the scenario mentions a local copy, WAN bandwidth is less likely to be the issue unless the RPAs are also handling remote replication1.

Size mismatch between the production and copy volumes or the copy not being attached to the same splitter as production could also be potential issues, but these would typically prevent initialization from proceeding rather than causing a delay1.

For a detailed diagnosis and resolution, it is recommended to review the system’s performance metrics and logs, and consult the official Dell RecoverPoint documentation or contact Dell EMC support directly1.

When a VPLEX distributed device is selected during the RecoverPoint Consistency Group Creation wizard, the option to create a MetroPoint Consistency Group becomes available. This is because MetroPoint is a feature that leverages VPLEX distributed devices for enhanced data protection and disaster recovery capabilities. The steps involved in this process typically include:

Selecting the VPLEX distributed device: During the creation of a Consistency Group, you choose the VPLEX distributed device as the source of replication.

MetroPoint option appears: Once a VPLEX distributed device is selected, the wizard presents the option to create a MetroPoint Consistency Group.

Configuring the MetroPoint Consistency Group: If you choose to create a MetroPoint Consistency Group, you will then configure the necessary settings, such as replication mode and RPO (Recovery Point Objective).

Finalizing the setup: After configuring the settings, you finalize the creation of the Consistency Group, which now has the enhanced capabilities provided by the MetroPoint feature1.

MetroPoint Consistency Groups are designed to provide continuous data protection and availability across multiple sites, combining the benefits of VPLEX Metro with the third-site replication provided by RecoverPoint1.

One possible reason for the inability to add an XtremIO source LUN to the Consistency Group in RecoverPoint could be that the XtremIO array was not licensed in RecoverPoint. Licensing is a critical step in enabling the features and functionalities of RecoverPoint for specific storagearrays.If the XtremIO array is not licensed, RecoverPoint would not recognize or allow the addition of its LUNs to a Consistency Group1.

Additionally, it’s important to ensure that the RecoverPoint version supports the XtremIO array model.For instance, RecoverPoint does not support XtremIO X2 arrays until version 5.11. Therefore, if the RecoverPoint version is earlier than 5.1, it would not be able to replicate volumes from an XtremIO X2 array, which could manifest as an issue when trying to add LUNs to a Consistency Group.

For the most accurate and up-to-date information, it is always best to consult the latest official Dell RecoverPoint documentation or contact Dell EMC support directly.

When an application protected by RecoverPoint spans onto a second XtremIO system, it is necessary to ensure that the protection extends across both systems. The appropriate action in this scenario is to reconfigure the existing Consistency Group to be a Distributed Consistency Group.This allows for the inclusion of multiple storage systems under the same protection umbrella, ensuring that all parts of the application, even those that span multiple systems, are consistently protected1.

A Distributed Consistency Group in RecoverPoint is designed to maintain synchronous or asynchronous replication across different arrays, which may be geographically dispersed.This ensures that write operations are captured and replicated in a manner that maintains the consistency of the application data, regardless of the underlying storage system1.

For detailed guidance on configuring Distributed Consistency Groups and extending protection to additional storage systems, it is recommended to refer to the official Dell RecoverPoint documentation or contact Dell EMC support for assistance tailored to the specific configuration and version of the RecoverPoint system being used1.

RecoverPoint Write Phase:

In the RecoverPoint replication process, the write splitter plays a crucial role in intercepting writes from the host and forwarding them to both the production storage and the RecoverPoint appliances (RPAs).

Write Splitter Functionality:

The write splitter intercepts write I/O requests from the host and splits the I/O to both the production LUN and the RPAs. This ensures that the data is written to both the primary storage and replicated copies.

Acknowledgement Process:

During the write phase, the write splitter must ensure that the data is successfully written to the production LUN before acknowledging the write request back to the host.

This is because the primary concern is ensuring data integrity and confirming that the data is safely stored in the production environment before any replication considerations.

Detailed Workflow:

Step 1: Host issues a write request.

Step 2: The write splitter intercepts the write request.

Step 3: The write splitter forwards the write to the production LUN and the RPAs.

Step 4: The production LUN processes the write and sends an acknowledgement back to the write splitter.

Step 5: Upon receiving the acknowledgement from the production LUN, the write splitter then sends an acknowledgement back to the host.

EMC AppSync is the product that integrates with RecoverPoint to provide application-driven point-in-time copies. AppSync simplifies and automates the process of generating and consuming copies of production data.Integrated with EMC storage arrays, AppSync enables application owners to satisfy copy demand for data repurposing, operational recovery, and disaster recovery1.

AppSync allows users to:

Discover application databases or file systems.

Create copies of the data (snapshots, clones, or replicas) that are application-consistent.

Use the copies for various purposes, such as development/testing, reporting, or backup and recovery operations.

Restore from the copies in case of data loss or corruption.

AppSync’s integration with RecoverPoint enhances its capabilities by providing a robust data protection solution that can create point-in-time copies based on specific application events or schedules, ensuring that copies are consistent with the application’s state at that moment1.

For the most accurate and up-to-date information, it is always best to consult the latest official Dell RecoverPoint documentation or contact Dell EMC support directly1.

To reduce the impact of the initial volume synchronization on production applications in a Dell RecoverPoint system, the config_link_policy command can be used with the regulate_application=yes parameter.This command configures the link policy for a Consistency Group and allows for the regulation of I/O to minimize the impact on production applications during synchronization1.

The process involves:

Identifying the Consistency Group: Determine the name of the Consistency Group that contains the production volume you wish to regulate.

Running the command: Execute the config_link_policy command with the appropriate parameters, including the Consistency Group name and the copies involved.

Setting regulate_application=yes: This parameter tells the system to regulate the application I/O, which helps to manage the load on production applications during the initial synchronization.

Monitoring the impact: After applying the command, monitor the production applications to ensure that the impact of the synchronization is minimized as intended.

This command is part of the RecoverPoint CLI and is used to manage the performance impact of replication activities on production environments1.