disaster recovery white paper

7/29/2019 Disaster Recovery White Paper

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Fast and Simple Disk-to-Disk Disaster Recovery

with ExpressDR


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Introduction

Meltdown! One of your servers a critical component of your busi-ness has just failed. Perma-nently. Your files are lost. Yourapplications are history. Your datais gone. Your operating system irreparably damaged.

What do you do when the root vol-ume or system drive of a server orworkstation crashes? Traditionalapproaches to disaster recoveryinclude manual reinstallation,recovery through operating sys-tem utilities, and bare metal recov-ery from tape.

This paper introduces a new end-to-end enterprise-wide strategy forWindows environments that:

maximizes and simplifies conti-

nuity of business (COB) in the

event of server failure or cata-

strophic site failure.

optimizes data integrity and con-

sistency through frequent back-

ups and recoveries to past points

in time.

provides powerful and effectivetools for maintenance and acti-

vation of disaster recovery (DR)

sites.

maintains scalability while meet-

ing continuity of operations plan-

ning requirements for enterprises

of all sizes.

simultaneously supports routine

backup and restore obligations.

Traditional Disaster

Recovery Approaches

The importance of comprehensivedata protection and disaster recov-ery planning is a given. Some ofthe pitfalls of inadequate prepara-

tion include unmanageable recov-eries, misplaced software CDsand other source media, recov-ered files that are not current,omitted application patches andupgrades, prolonged businessinterruption, and a frustrated over-extended labor force.

An examination of the traditionaldisaster recovery approacheshighlights many of these snares.

Manual Reinstallation

Reinstallation is the most com-monly applied approach to serverdisaster recovery. To accomplishthis, you need to replace the faileddevice or volume, install an oper-

ating system, search for softwaresources, reinstall each applicationand patch, configure system set-

tings, build partitions, add drivers,and finally restore your data andfiles. With manual reinstallation,the frustration factor is high andthe productivity loss is significant.

If your failure is catastrophic andyou lose multiple servers, a com-plete restoration using thisapproach might prove to be unat-tainable.

Operating System Utilities

Another widespread approach isrestoration via an operating sys-tem utility. This method exposesyou to the risk of significant dataloss due to the amount of timebetween the backup and theserver failure.

System backups through operat-ing system utilities tend to be exe-cuted infrequently for threereasons:

1. These backups require fullbackups each time and therefore

are enormous consumers of band-width and storage space.

2. These backups often conflictwith your regular data backupschedules.

3. In many cases the operatorneeds to boot into DOS or other-wise manually initiate the systembackup. This requirement is both-ersome and disruptive and mayneed to be done for each machinebeing backed up.

As a result, upon recovery of yourmost recent system backup, youmay find yourself significantlyremoved from your RecoveryPoint Objective (RPO). The opti-mal RPO is recovery as close aspossible to the data state as of the

Fast and Simple Disk-to-Disk Disaster Recoverywith ExpressDR

Unique Attributes of Disk-to-Disk Disaster Recovery

Frequent non-disruptive node backups

Perpetual block-level incremental backups (incrementals forever)

Disaster recovery backups that are integrated into your regular data

backup routine An extremely simple recovery interface

A very fast one-step recovery mechanism

Flexibility to initially recover only the most critical elements

Recovery of any past backup

Continuation of operations during almost the entire recovery process


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moment of failure. The conse-quences of restoration via operat-ing system utility may be outdatedsystem and security configura-tions, missing or fragmented appli-cations, and files that are obso-lete.

Bare Metal Recovery fromTape

Enterprises that are better pre-pared have a bare metal recoveryfrom tape solution in place. Thisapproach to system recoveryinvolves laboriously mountingtapes and incrementally restoringand reassembling the former con-tents of your volume still a brain-intensive and time-consuming pro-cess.

The New Strategy:

Disk-to-Disk Disaster

Recovery

Leveraging the most state-of-the art hardware and softwareinnovations is a fresh, newapproach to data protection.Disk-to-disk disaster recoveryis simple to use, is lightning-fast, and contains none of the

hazards of the traditionalapproaches. Server recovery,including system recovery, ishassle-free, provides nearlyuninterrupted business conti-nuity, and results in restoredfiles, applications, and config-urations that are extremelyclose to the data state as ofthe moment of failure.

This simple yet comprehen-sive strategy, developed bySyncsort Incorporated

through a partnership withNetwork Appliance (NetApp),contains the following uniqueand highly beneficial backupand recovery attributes:

For the backup process:

frequent, scheduled node back-

ups to disk that do not interfere

with other operations.

perpetual block-level incremen-

tal backups after the initial

image-based base backup.

disaster recovery backups that

are integrated into your regular

data backup scheme.

For the recovery process:

an extremely simple interface for

initiating the bare metal recovery.

a very fast one-step recovery

mechanism.

the flexibility to initially recover

only the most critical elements to

save time.

the ability to recover any past

backup, which is a necessity in

the event of server, operating

system, application, or data cor-

ruption.

the ability to continue working

during almost the entire recovery

process.

Key TacticalComponents

Several key components contrib-ute to this disk-to-disk disasterrecovery strategy. Among themare Backup Express, SyncsortOSSV, NetApp NearStore sys-tems, and ExpressDR. Straightfor-ward integration of thesecomponents provides enterprise-wide COB solutions for even themost complex Windows environ-

ments.

Backup Express

Backup Express is Syncsort'shigh-performance enterprisedata protection solution. Itintegrates heterogeneoussnapshot, image, and rapidrecovery options, and controlsbackup and restore opera-tions for the entire enterpriseenvironment with a single cat-alog and browser-based GUI.

Syncsort OSSV

Syncsort OSSV is the BackupExpress Open SystemSnapVault agent for Windows.Syncsort OSSV enablesblock-level data transfer withfile-level restore. SyncsortOSSV accesses the sourcedisk directly, bypassing the filesystem, and transfers data atnearly raw disk speed.

More remarkably, after the ini-tial base backup, SyncsortOSSV uses block-levelincremental (BLI) backups,assuring that only the abso-lute minimum amount of data(i.e. the changed blocks of

Figure 1 Storage Savings: Block Level

Incremental Versus Traditional Methods

BACKUP STORAGE GROWTH MODEL

950

50

100

150

00

850

0

DAY 1 DAY 7 DAY 30 DAY 365

FILE-LEVEL BACKUP: WEEKLY BASE, DAILY INCREMENTAL

BLOCK-LEVEL INCREMENTALS FOREVER

MODEL ASSUMPTIONS:

12 TB STARTING

2% DAILY CHANGE

4% MONTHLY DATA GROWTH

907 TB

2 TB

S

ORAGE

SAVINGS


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BACKUP EXPRESS

Syn

csortIncorporated, 2005

ExpressDR

BACKUP EXPRESS

Syn

csortIncorporated, 2005

ExpressDR

2. To start system recovery, boot up a bare machine byinserting the Express DR CD.

3. Provide target and destination information in responseto the ExpressDR recovery dialog.

Routine Block-LevelIncremental Backup ofEntire Node

BackupLocation

RestoreTarget

Backup InstanceSelected forRecovery

Click Next forComplete Recovery

1. Use Backup Express to perform frequent node-level Syncsort OSSVbackups.

changed files) is transferred;block-level backups transfer up to90% less data than conventionalfile-level backup. Over time, BLI

results in significant storage sav-ings when compared to traditionalbackup methods (see Figure 1 onthe previous page).

NetApp NearStore Systems

NearStore systems from NetworkAppliance provide the ideal desti-nation device (or "secondary sys-tem") for this disk-to-disk disasterrecovery solution. NetApp Near-Store systems offer economical,

high-capacity disk-based storageand rapid disk-based access toreference data, while supportingand complementing SyncsortOSSV and Backup Express.

ExpressDR

ExpressDR, available from Sync-sort with Backup Express, is ahigh-performance bare metalrecovery product which, whencompared to conventional disasterrecovery techniques, dramatically

simplifies both the backup andrecovery process. Express-DReliminates the need for tapes,for distinct disaster recoverybackups, for system reboots atbackup, and for manual rein-stallation at recovery.

To take advantage of ExpressDR,you use Backup Express to per-form regular Syncsort OSSVbackups of your Windows nodesto a NearStore system or otherNetApp high-capacity disk-basedfiler. Then, if the need to performan ExpressDR recovery arises,simply boot up an adequatelysized "bare machine" by using theExpressDR CD provided withBackup Express, provide minimalinformation about the backup joband NearStore system or filer, andselect the backup instance youwish to recover (see Figure 2).

ExpressDR recovers your operat-ing system, system and securityconfigurations, and completepoint-in-time backed up files and

data to the bare machine. Unlikeother disaster recovery products,most requisite network, SCSI, andhardware drivers are installedautomatically on the baremachine. In the final step of anExpressDR recovery, ExpressDR

Figure 2 ExpressDR: How It Works in Three Easy StepsFigure 2 ExpressDR: How It Works in Three Easy Steps


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applies configuration changes and

reboots the machine. Once reboo-ted, the machine contains yourrecovered environment, operatingsystem, applications, and data.

Critical Server Recovery:

an Illustration

To illustrate a critical server recov-ery, Figure 3 depicts a completedisaster recovery scenario for asingle server using ExpressDR.The following is a description ofthe timeline:

At 11:00 a.m., Backup Express

performs a routine Syncsort

OSSV block-level incremental

backup to a NetApp NearStore

(secondary) system.

At noon, the source server (pri-

mary) fails. At 1:00 p.m., replacement hard-

ware is obtained and at 1:10,

recovery is initiated by booting

up the bare machine with the

ExpressDR CD. The ExpressDR

recovery dialog prompts for mini-

mal information and lists the

snapshots on the secondary sys-

tem available for selection.

From 1:10 to 1:30, data including

the operating system is trans-

ferred from the 11:00 a.m. fullysynthesized base backup snap-

shot on the secondary.

At 1:30, full recovery to the 11:00

a.m. state is completed. Busi-

ness continues as usual.

Meeting Enterprise

Objectives by Integrat-

ing Components

When used with other key compo-nents of this disaster recovery

strategy, ExpressDR can achievemuch more than straightforwardserver recovery. Following areseveral objectives that can be metwith this overall strategy.

Objective 1. Maximize and

simplify continuity of busi-

ness (COB) in the event of

server failure or cata-

strophic site failure.

The combined Syncsort/NetApp

disk-to-disk disaster recoverystrategy provides both the flexibil-ity to initially recover only themost critical elements in order tosave time and the ability to con-tinue working during as much ofthe recovery process as possible.

Suppose you have just suffered ahit to your server. You immediatelyassess the tradeoff betweenrecovery time and recovery com-pleteness. If you have the luxury oftime, you'll rapidly begin to restoreyour entire server in the mannerillustrated in Figure 3. But if yourrecovery time window is short,recovering the system drive, bootdrive, and operating system areyour priorities. The applicationsand data can be restored laterwhen the frenzy has dissipated.

ExpressDR offers this flexibility.You accomplish it through simpleselection in the ExpressDR recov-ery dialog. ExpressDR ensuresthat critical elements, such as theoperating system, boot drive, sys-

tem drive, and Backup Expresscatalog are always recovered.

Now suppose you also needimmediate full access to the datafor critical production purposes.With this disk-to-disk solution, you

Figure 3 ExpressDR: Fast Bare Metal Recovery

TIME ANDACTION

SECONDARYSTO

READ-ONLYSNAPSHOTS

X

11:00 A.M.

INCREMENTALBACKUPOF NODE

12:00 P.M.

NODEFAILURE

1:10 P.M. -1:30 P.M.

RECOVERY

CONTINUES

1:30 P.M.

RECOVERYCOMPLETED

BUSINESSAS USUAL

1:00 P.M. -1:10 P.M.

NEWHARDWAREAVAILABILTY

RECOVERYBEGINS

2. BOOT MACHINE FROM ExpressDR C

3a. FOLLOW STEPS IN ExpressDR DIALOG

1. SYNCSORTOSSV BACKUP

3b. RECOVER DATA FROM SNAPSHOT

(e.g., 50GB @ 150 GB/hr)


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can recover the minimum neces-sary elements for operation asdescribed above by usingExpressDR, then simply map toyour latest synthesized point-in-time backup snapshot on aniSCSI-connected NearStore vol-ume.You have instant access to

your data without a data trans-fer. The Instant Availability featureof Backup Express provides thiscapability, rapidly enabling nearlyseamless business continuation.

To complete the scenario, youlater restore applications and datato an available functioning volumeand, during a few moments ofdowntime, synchronize the day'schanges with the restored data,unmap the backup snapshot, andthen map the up-to-date reconsti-

tuted volume.Despite critical server failure, thiscomprehensive solution allowsyou to first restore only the criticalelements required for operation,have instant access to the backupsnapshot on the NearStore, andthen, at a brief, convenient windowof opportunity, resync all the dataincluding any data that has beenmodified since the initialExpressDR recovery.

Objective 2. Optimize dataintegrity through frequent

backups and recoveries to

past points in time.

Successful server recovery hingeson complete and up-to-date back-ups. Critical servers and activeworkstations ought to be backedup many times each day at thenode level. And your recoveryapplication must have the ability toroll back to past backups.

Due to space, bandwidth, and timelimitations, multiple daily nodebackups are not generally per-formed with many backup prod-ucts. The Syncsort/NetAppsolution overcomes this in a vari-ety of ways:

With the disk-to-disk approach,

your node is backed up to a

large disk-based unit or filer.

The complexities of tape storage

are eliminated.

Physical-level disk access at

backup bypasses the file sys-

tem for significant increase inperformance and minimal CPU

impact.

Syncsort OSSV uses advanced

snapshot technologies that

enable all your applications to

remain open and live during

backup, eliminating business

interruption and eradicating the

need for a backup window.

After the initial base backup of

your node, incremental back-

ups (which are both fast andsmall) are automatically per-

formed. There's no need to ever

do another base backup of the

node. This capability is often

called "incrementals forever.

Syncsort OSSV backs up only

changed blocks (as opposed to

changed files). The backup of

just the small changes in a large

file can be hundreds of times

smaller and faster than tradi-

tional incremental backups.

For all these reasons, it is prudentand effortless to schedule BackupExpress to back up your criticalservers many times a day. In mostcases, they can be backed upevery hour. Then, at recovery, yourreconstituted server is extremelycurrent and up to date.

But suppose your server becamecorrupted before the last backup.With typical mirroring solutions,you could be in trouble because ofthe inability to roll back to a previ-ous point. Yet the Syncsort/NetApp disk-to-disk disasterrecovery solution allows you toeasily roll back to any pastbackup.

This is accomplished withoutmonopolizing space on the sec-ondary by exploiting groundbreak-ing technology. Through carefuldata management on the Near-Store, each block-level incremen-tal node backup is stored andimmediately synthesized with the

previous node backups as a fullbackup image. You can select forrecovery any of the incrementalbackups and it appears as a fullbase backup "snapshot" as of thatpoint in time. The ExpressDRinterface prompts you to choosefrom a list of backups, allowing therollback capability to be extremelyeffortless.

In contrast, many popular backupproducts waste precious minutesat restore time "reconstructing" the

snapshot from the many incre-mental backups that were done.ExpressDR wastes no time recon-structing the snapshot.

Further, Backup Express employsthe industry's most sophisticatedtechnologies to optimize datatransfer. Transfer rates over a LANgenerally approach or exceed 150GB per hour.

Objective 3. Provide power-

ful and effective tools for

maintenance and activationof disaster recovery sites.

Disasters are unpredictable. Yourdisaster recovery plan must takeinto account the possibility thatyour backup secondary systemcrashes. Or even that you need tomove operations to a remotedisaster recovery (DR) site.Redundancy of backed up snap-shots is imperative. By replicat-ing to a second filer at yourcompany's DR site, you prepare

for this eventuality. The uniqueBackup Express/Network Appli-ance partnership supports thiscapability in an extremely powerfulway.


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All well-equipped enterprisesinvest in DR sites. Unfortunately,in many cases, the DR site fails tobe adequately maintained.

For example, say that at your maindata center at headquarters, your

system administrators are busysolving the multitudes of day-to-day problems that arise. Occa-sionally, amidst the turmoil, theyinstall software upgrades or secu-rity patches on your critical appli-cation servers. The likelihood thatthe same upgrades and patchesare installed at your DR site in atimely fashion is scant.

The solution to this problem isembedded in the Backup Express/Network Appliance strategy, and it

works like this (see Figure 4). Aftereach locally scheduled nodebackup at headquarters, a datatransfer from the secondary sys-tem (backup destination filer)across the WAN to an "alternatesecondary system" at the DR sitetakes place. Only the changedblocks are transferred. The con-tent of the alternate secondaryremains identical to the content ofthe secondary at the main head-quarters site.

Now, suppose a catastropheoccurs at headquarters. Personnelat the DR site only need to per-form simple ExpressDR recoveriesfrom the alternate secondary tobare machines at the DR site. In ashort time, the DR site is up and

running with up-to-date operatingsystems, applications, files, anddata.

Objective 4. Maintain scal-

ability while meeting continu-

ity of operations planningrequirements for enterprises

of all sizes.

The Syncsort/NetApp strategyleverages Backup Express andother key components forcom-prehensive protection of multi-ple servers in both local andremote locations. Backup Expressis easily deployed on all servers,but has the unique property that itis controlled from a single "masterserver" with a single central cata-

log. Further, with permissioning,Backup Express can be accessedby administrators through abrowser-based GUI from any Win-dows node on the network. Sync-sort OSSV backups can beperformed over LAN, SAN, orWAN connections from many serv-ers to a single NearStore systemor to multiple NearStore systems.

Data from remote sites, such asbranch offices, can be backed upto headquarters or backed up

locally then transferred to head-quarters by using NetApp's Snap-Mirror application. For compliancepurposes, all data can bestreamed to tape and/or trans-ferred to NetApp disk storage atthe DR site.

From this standpoint, the disk-to-disk disaster recovery strategy isextraordinarily scalable.

Objective 5. Simultaneously

support routine backup and

restore obligations.

To optimize your disaster recov-ery investment, your approachshould not require distinct disas-ter recovery backups. WithBackup Express, disaster recov-ery backups can be integratedinto your regular data backupscheme. Your regularly scheduledincremental node backups andyour disaster recovery backupsare one and the same. From thesame backup instance, you canrestore individual files and foldersor the entire node.

However, if you already have abackup/restore implementation inplace, Backup Express withExpressDR can complement it without interfering with it fordisaster recovery purposes.

The Bottom Line for

Disaster Recovery

ExpressDR provides a unique

disk-to-disk bare metal recoverydata protection strategy for Win-dows environments that maxi-mizes business continuity in everydisaster scenario in a cost-effec-tive manner. The fundamentaladvantages are simplicity of recov-ery, optimal data integrity and con-sistency, and minimal businessdisruption in the event of systemfailure for enterprises of all sizes.By exploiting ExpressDR andother Syncsort and Network Appli-ance applications such as

Instant Availability, SnapVault, andSnapMirror you can be confidentthat your vital servers, worksta-tions, and enterprises will berecovered quickly, easily, and withcomplete, reliable, up-to-datedata.

WAN

FREQUENTSNAPMIRROR

DATA

TRANSFERS

BLOCK-LEVELINCREMENTALS)

HEADQUARTERS DISASTER RECOVERY SITE

OSSV

ACKUP

ExpressDRECOVER

Backup

Express

UIDestination

Filer

(Secondary)

Alternate

Secondary

ExpressDRInterface Bare

Machine(Windows)

Figure 4 Disaster Recovery Site Maintenance and Activation


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50 Tice BoulevardWoodcliff Lake, NJ 07677

www.syncsort.com201-930-8200

Syncsort Incorporated, 2005

All rights reserved. Backup Express is a trademark of Syncsort Incorporated. SnapVault and NetApp and NearStore and the Network

Appliance logo are registered trademarks and Network Appliance is a trademark of Network Appliance, Inc. in the U.S. and other

countries. All other company and product names used herein may be the trademarks of their respective companies.

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