Creating a replication storage rule

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You can define a storage rule to implement replication, which copies client data from a source replication server to a target replication server. When the storage rule is active, eligible data is replicated daily.

Before you begin

  • Ensure that the source and target replication servers have the same version of IBM® Storage Protect software installed. The minimum version is 8.1.13.
  • Ensure that server-to-server communication is defined for the source and target replication servers. The target replication server must be defined on the source replication server, and the source replication server must be defined on the target replication server. From the Command Builder, you can issue the QUERY SERVER command to verify that the other server is defined. If necessary, you can define the server by using the DEFINE SERVER command.

About this task

By creating replication storage rules, you can configure replication of data from a source replication server to two or three target replication servers. The process of copying the same data to multiple servers is called multi-target replication. Although multi-target replication is supported by replication storage rules, a replication storage rule configures replication from a source replication server to only one target replication server. To configure multi-target replication, you must create multiple replication storage rules.
Restrictions:
  • For a source replication server, you cannot specify more than three unique target replication servers across all active and inactive replication storage rules.
  • For a source replication server, you cannot specify more than two unique target replication servers across all active replication storage rules.
A replication storage rule specifies the following information:
  • Whether the rule is active (enabled). When the replication storage rule is active, it runs daily at its scheduled time to replicate new and changed data to the target replication server.
  • The source and target replication servers.
  • The data to be replicated by the storage rule. You can specify one of the following options:
    All data
    Specifies that, by default, the storage rule replicates all file spaces for the clients that are enabled for replication. However, you can specify exceptions to this rule by adding subrules to the storage rules. The exceptions identify clients, virtual machines (VMs), and client file spaces that are not to be replicated.
    Specify by subrule
    Specifies that data is replicated only if specified by one or more subrules of the parent storage rule. If no subrule exceptions are specified, then no data is replicated.
  • The method used to transfer data between the source replication server and the target replication server. TCP/IP data transfer is available for all operating systems and does not require an extra license. For servers that are running on a Linux x86_64 operating system, and that use the IBM Storage Protect High Speed Data Transfer product, data can be transferred by using Aspera FASP technology.
  • The maximum number of data sessions to use for sending data to the target replication server. Increasing the number of sessions can improve replication throughput if the network has sufficient bandwidth.
  • The rule's scheduled start time and maximum duration.

Procedure

To create a replication storage rule, complete the following steps:

  1. On the Storage Rules page, click + Create Rule.
  2. From the Rule type list on the Create Rule page, select Replication.
  3. On the Create Rule page, complete the remaining fields.
  4. Click Create.

Results

The replication storage rule is created on the source replication server and its properties are displayed on the Properties tab of the Details page. If you activated the replication storage rule, the replication storage rule runs daily at its scheduled time.

What to do next

Optionally, you can take the following actions:
  • To specify exceptions to the copy storage rule, create one or more subrules. If the value of the storage rule property Data to replicate is set to the value Specify by subrule, you must define at least one subrule exception to replicate data.
  • If you did not activate the replication storage rule, you can activate it later. When you are ready to activate the replication storage rule, on the Properties tab, click Modify, click the Active toggle, and click Save. The replication storage rule runs daily at its scheduled time.
  • After the replication storage rule runs, you can view its status from the Storage Rules page. You can also open the Client Replication page to view the replication status for all client file spaces that are replicated to target replication servers. The Client Replication page shows the status for all file spaces that are replicated by any replication storage rule.