IBM TotalStorage Data Protection using Global Mirror and FlashCopy

Creating a business continuance plan with specific disaster recovery processes may be the most important requirement for a business today.

Moreover, these plans need to take into consideration the fact data has different levels of importance within a company. And just as data has different levels of importance (and is assigned different recovery time and recovery point objectives), IBM provides dynamic data protection solutions to meet these objectives.

Architecture Overview

Key Benefits

The following benefits can be realized with this solution:

Critical data is cost-effectively copied and protected offsite, out of area

• Streamline server backups into one remote, centralized backup system
• Global Mirror for DS4000 provides extended distance replication with write-order consistency
• Global Copy for DS4000 provides unlimited distance data replication by removing latency impact to applications
• Utilizes existing storage resources and IP network for cost-effectiveness

Off-site critical data is fully accessible and recoverable

• Global Mirror includes write-order consistency to provide enhanced recoverability of database system
• Logical drives at remote site designated for each different local site for easier recovery
• Global Mirror's read-access feature provides point-in-time copies using FlashCopy that are consistent images for backups to removable media using backup software

Dynamically change data copy policies based on changes in application(s) and/or interruptions

• Dynamic mode switching allows changing from Metro Mirror mode to Global Mirror mode (or Global Mirror to Metro Mirror), and is selectable on a per logical drive basis
• Dynamically start-stop the mirroring process in case of planed or unplanned interruption (suspend/resume)
• Changes are logged and automatically applied
• When mirroring is resumed after an interruption, only an incremental resync is needed

Solution details

• IBM Disk System (DS) Series
• IBM SAN Fiber Channel Switch
• IBM pSeries / xSeries server
• IBM Tape series

* This solution works with any intel/AMD servers

** Additional software & services are available for compliance requirment

*** For further details, please contact IBM