Data Replication

Replication is a process of copying data stored on a vStor volume to another vStor, based on a schedule (recommended) or manually. Creating a replication relationship requires establishing a partnership between the two vStors first. See vStor Partnerships.

Note. Volumes of type filesystem, MinIO, configbackup and mounted file system on the source vStor, all become filesystem type volumes on the target vStor during replication.

Creating a Replication Relationship

Important. To establish an offload relationship with a secondary vStor, a partnership with this vStor must exist.

To create a replication relationship:

1. Select Replication from the sidebar.

2. Click the Add new button in the Replication Relationships pane to open the Add New Relationship dialog window.

3. Select the volume you want to replicate and the replication partner. Select the Replication Relationship Priority for the relationship. This setting is only applicable when Bandwidth limit is set in System Settings (see Replication), and it determines how much of the bandwidth is consumed by each task when they coincide. You can also switch on the Enable deletion lock on replicated snapshots toggle for the replicated volumes on the target system. This prevents accidental or unauthorized deletion of replicated data. For details, see Replication Deletion Protection.

1. Click Add.

See also. Replication deletion protection requires MFA to be enabled on the source vStor system. There is no MFA check on the replication target. For details, see Using Multifactor Authentication (MFA).

Advanced Options

The Advanced Options section allows you to specify a custom name for the volume replica. If no name is specified, the original volume name will be used. You can also select the target pool where the volume replica will be created and stored. If no pool is specified, the first available pool will be used.

The Attempt reconnecting to existing volume replica on partner vStor toggle applies when a replication relationship has been established and deleted, and you want to reestablish it. If the volume replica still exists on the remote vStor, it can be reused for replication without the need to create a new one.

Note. Successful establishment of a replication relationship does not entail any data transfer from the local volume to the replica. To populate the replica with current data from the local volume, set up a schedule or synchronize data manually using the Synchronize button.

Manual Synchronization

To manually synchronize data between the local volume and the replica on a partner vStor, hover over the replication relationship record or right-click the record and select Synchronize. The replication operation will be queued for synchronization.

Scheduling a Replication

Restrictions. Only one schedule per replication relationship is allowed.

1. Click the Add new button in the Schedules pane. Or, right-click an offload relationship in the Replication Relationships pane.

2. Select an unscheduled relationship from the dropdown menu. Choose the schedule type (interval, weekly or monthly) and select schedule details.

1. Click Save.

See also. The time of replications depends on your vStor instance’s NTP Settings.

Editing a Schedule

1. Right-click the schedule and select Edit to launch the Edit Schedule dialog window.

2. Make necessary changes to the schedule.

3. Click Save.

Disconnecting a Replication Relationship

To disconnect a replication relationship:

1. Go to the Replication view and find the Replication Relationships pane.

2. Right-click the relationship you want to delete and click the Delete button. You will be prompted to confirm your choice and select some replication removal options.

Managing Replication Relationships using vStor CLI

Creating a Replication Relationship

To create a new replication relationship using vStor CLI, use the following command, specifying the source and partner volumes:

vstor relationship create --vol_id <source_volume> --partner_id <partner_address> 

Tip. For more commands and parameters, use the --help flag at any level, e.g:

vstor relationship --help vstor relationship create --help

Scheduling a Replication

To create a new replication relationship schedule using vStor CLI, use the following command, specifying the ID of the relationship and the type of schedule (interval, weekly, monthly):

vstor schedule create --rel_id <relationship_id> --schedule_type <type>

Tip. For more commands and parameters, use the --help flag at any level, e.g:

vstor schedule --help vstor schedule create --help

See also. For more details on best practices for backup storage, see Data Backup: Best Practices.