So this data is obviously important to you, and something that you want to protect, this is why you're doing offsite data replication. I would think you would be much better off buying a filer, but since you're using the simulator, I'm assuming that's a no-go. I'm assuming further, since you have the simulator, you have access to a unix/linux box to run it on. Here's what I would propose as an alternative:
Mount the volumes you want to sync off site on a unix box. Open port 22 on your firewall to the remote site you want to sync your data to. Follow the guide below, but add the option "-e 'ssh'" to the rsync commands, and set the source to be "ip.of.unix.source:/path/to/mounted/volumes" and the destination the location on the remote destination's unix machine.
This is a fairly straight forward process and uses standard methods common for doing backups in the unix world. It will preserve your premissions and allow you to recover from a specific point in time, just like snapshots do. It's not *quite* as nice, but I would imagine it would be preferable to relying on a sim. Obviously, it does require a certain comfort level with unix, so your mileage may vary.
-Nick
On 1/17/08 9:26 AM, "Fox, Adam" Adam.Fox@netapp.com wrote:
The biggest hurdle you'll have is no support for your simulators. So depending on how mission critical this replication is, you'll need to decide if it's worth it for the price.
I'm not saying it won't work, I believe it will. But if you have any problems down the line, tech support will be limited as to what they can do since the simulators don't have support contracts.
-- Adam Fox adamfox@netapp.com
-----Original Message----- From: Buerger, Andreas [mailto:andreas.buerger@wincor-nixdorf.com] Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 12:12 PM To: Fox, Adam; Johnson, James A [HDS]; Bill Holland Cc: toasters@mathworks.com Subject: RE: Simulator - Disk Array
Hi,
One additional question regarding this topic. We're planing the usage of netapp sims, for somekind of small data replication from our central datacenter to home offices. Today we're syncing the data with unix tools, but we think about implementing a netapp sim, because of some very useful netapp functios. The amount will be about 1-2gb, which has to be mirrored each day to the home offices. I think we can optimize speed and and we would be able to throttle bandwith with the usage of the simulators snapmirror. The solution will be a blackbox for the users, just only for automatic syncing the data from our headquarter to their private office. For this usage, netapp functions provide very powerful and useful methods, thats why I'm thinking about this...
What do you think about these ideas? Are there any restrictions, which do not allow the commercial use of netapp sims? Or do you think it's just an unrealistic idea, to implement such a solution?
Regards Andreas
From: owner-toasters@mathworks.com [mailto:owner-toasters@mathworks.com] On Behalf Of Fox, Adam Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 5:19 PM To: Johnson, James A [HDS]; Bill Holland Cc: toasters@mathworks.com Subject: RE: Simulator - Disk Array
No. The simulator liceses only work on simulators, not real filers. Licenses are priced by platform, but older (i.e. EOL platforms) may not have prices.
There's been talk about "home use" licensing, but I'm not aware if it was ever implemented.
-- Adam Fox adamfox@netapp.com
From: Johnson, James A [HDS] [mailto:James.Johnson8@hdsupply.com] Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 10:36 AM To: Johnson, James A [HDS]; Bill Holland Cc: toasters@mathworks.com Subject: RE: Simulator - Disk Array
I know this probably doesn't work. But if I purchase a old filer, would the simulator licenses work on that? How much does the licenses cost anyway?
James
From: owner-toasters@mathworks.com [mailto:owner-toasters@mathworks.com] On Behalf Of Johnson, James A [HDS] Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 8:13 AM To: Bill Holland Cc: toasters@mathworks.com Subject: RE: Simulator - Disk Array
Thanks, I thought that would be the case.
From: Bill Holland [mailto:hollandwl@gmail.com] Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 8:12 AM To: Johnson, James A [HDS] Cc: toasters@mathworks.com Subject: Re: Simulator - Disk Array
No. The simulator is limited to 28 1GB virtual disks.
On 1/11/08, Johnson, James A [HDS] James.Johnson8@hdsupply.com wrote:
Can a simulator be used for real disk? E.g. I build a linux box and attach 36 external disks to it, would the simulator be able to see that storage? If so, how? Does anyone have instruction on how to do this?
Thanks,
James