HP OpenView Storage Mirroring and Virtual Servers white paper
HP OpenView Storage Mirroring is the leader in Microsoft® Windows®–based replication software. And for most continuity of business solutions, that is all that is required to ensure that one’s data is protected and can be made available. There are a few scenarios, however, whereby HP customers want to employ O/S virtualization software. Examples of the virtualization software include Microsoft Virtual PC (formerly known as PC Connectix), Microsoft Virtual Server, VMware GSX Server, and ESX Server.
Protecting virtual servers, and their virtual disks, provides some unique challenges that are only surmountable by Storage Mirroring, due to its patented architecture and feature set. Most notably, Storage Mirroring is able to protect the virtual server’s disks, regardless of whether they are virtual or direct. And queuing model and options within Storage Mirroring allows for flexible configurations around the type of disk I/O created by virtual machines. By combining Storage Mirroring and virtual server solutions, some exciting solutions are possible:
• Some HP Partners specialize in disaster recovery hot-site services or other off-site vaulting of data. For them, an unusual challenge is to provide customers with a secure location for their data. By using designated virtual computers for each customer, each customer’s data is completely isolated from others, while allowing the hot-site provider to more efficiently use their servers and floor space.
• Similarly, some enterprise customers may also have a need to segment servers (for security or other reasons) by business unit. Designating separate virtual servers as targets accomplishes this.
• But perhaps most common is the need to protect unusual and sometimes conflicting applications to a single target. While a normal Storage Mirroring implementation already supports “many to one,” the target has only one O/S and may not be able to launch all of the source applications simultaneously. By leveraging virtual computers on the target platform, each failed source can be protected and made available by an independent virtual target.
This document describes how these types of virtual O/S products can be leveraged with Storage Mirroring from HP.
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