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Protect and manage copies of your database with HPE storage solutions

Learn when and how HPE StoreOnce, HPE StoreOnce Catalyst Plug-ins and HPE RMC are the right data protection choices for Oracle, SAP HANA, and Microsoft SQL Server. 

HPE storage_data protection_Oracle_HANA_Microsoft_blog.jpgProtecting database environments is becoming a headache because data volume keeps growing, everyone wants 24x7 access and IT costs are exploding. When youโ€™re deploying large-scale Oracle, SAP HANA, and Microsoft SQL Server databases, youโ€™re likely struggling with:

  • Backing up large databases with minimum complexity and within a short time frame
  • Keeping data protection costs under control
  • Maintaining a reasonably low recovery time objective (RTO) and recovery point objective (RPO) for an application in case of disasters or logical issues

Though array-based snapshots offer fast, nondisruptive point-in-time copies of data, they alone cannot deliver comprehensive backup. They have retention limitations and corruption vulnerabilities in addition to depending on the underlying storage system. Snapshots are also at risk if the storage system fails. Replication might protect against site loss, but it does not protect against viruses because they are replicated to the secondary site.

Then thereโ€™s another challenge: Whether youโ€™re running an enterprise or a small business, youโ€™re relying more and more on multiple copies of your production database for testing and development, analytics, and report generation. Yet managing the creation and use of these copies can become complex and costly to the point that it can negatively impact your daily business operations. You definitely need a faster, easier, and more efficient way to manage data copies.

How can HPE help in protecting and managing your database copies?

HPE provides application-managed, storage-integrated data protection and copy data management offerings with our portfolio that ranges from the next generation of HPE StoreOnce backup appliances that includes database plug-ins (StoreOnce Catalyst Plug-ins) to HPE Recovery Management Central (RMC) that is both a flash-integrated data protection solution and an efficient copy data management solution.

Why HPE RMC for Oracle, SAP HANA, and SQL Server?

HPE RMC combines the speed of taking nondisruptive snapshots on HPE 3PAR StoreServ and HPE Nimble Storage arrays with the reliability and efficiency of deduplicated backups on HPE StoreOnce. This delivers a converged availability and a fast backup and recovery solution for Oracle, SAP HANA, and SQL Server that database administrators (DBAs) can easily manage. Here are the key benefits:

  • Fast backup and recovery: Unlike traditional approaches, HPE RMC only sends changed data blocks to HPE StoreOnce, leading to faster and more efficient database backup. HPE RMC accelerates backups to and restores from next-generation HPE StoreOnce systems by 30% compared to the previous StoreOnce generation.
  • Reduced cost and complexity: Data protection with HPE RMC is simple with direct backup from array snapshots to HPE StoreOnce. Infrastructure costs and the data path are also reduced because HPE RMC runs natively on HPE StoreOnce.
  • Application-managed and granular data protection: DBAs can monitor and manage snapshots, backup, and recovery directly from within the HPE RMC GUI that is launched from Oracle Enterprise Manager, SAP HANA Studio, or SQL Studio.
  • Efficient copy data management: HPE RMC offers a one-click clone database feature, which allows administrators to automatically bring up a fully functional single-instance Oracle or SQL Server database clone.

RMC copy data management delivers:

  • Policy-based copy automation where a single copy policy helps minimize secondary copy data sprawl across tiers
  • Creation of live and updatable clones of production databases without consuming additional storage space or impacting production
  • Zero footprint clones to run at production speeds, even while servicing multiple copies from the same original volume by high I/O delivered by all-flash HPE 3PAR and HPE Nimble Storage

Why HPE StoreOnce Catalyst Plug-ins for Oracle, SAP HANA and SQL Server?

These plug-ins are integrated with Oracle RMAN, Backint for SAP HANA, and SQL Server backup functions and allow DBAs to efficiently transfer backups from the database to the backup target. Here are the key benefits: 

  • Efficient resource consumption: The plug-ins deliver efficient use of network bandwidth and fast backup processing time with source-side deduplication. Oracle and SQL Server backups and restores are accelerated by 50% and 15%[1], respectively, with next-generation HPE StoreOnce systems compared to the previous generation.
  • Reduced backup footprint: An improved deduplication ratio allows backups to be stored longer with reduced storage capacity compared to file backup implementations. Storage capacity requirements are reduced by 95%[2] compared to a fully hydrated backupโ€”guaranteed.
  • Increased cost savings: By enabling direct backups to HPE StoreOnce, third-party data protection software is not required. The HPE StoreOnce Catalyst Plug-in controls the backup using Oracle RMAN, SAP HANA Backint, or SQL Server backup functions to make a direct copy to HPE StoreOnce.
  • Control and simplicity: The HPE StoreOnce Catalyst Plug-in is installed directly onto the database nodes with only a few clicks. DBAs can back up, restore, and delete database backups directly from Oracle Enterprise Manager, SAP HANA Studio, and SQL Server Studio.

Donโ€™t forget the benefits of HPE Cloud Bank Storage to deploy the cloud

HPE Cloud Bank Storage is an HPE StoreOnce feature that delivers highly efficient storage and data transfer to the cloud. The combination of HPE StoreOnce deduplication and cloud storage provides a low-cost, high-performance, and zero-risk long-term retention solution. Key benefits include:

  • Economic: HPE Cloud Bank Storage and HPE StoreOnce deliver 3x to 5x[3] lower cost over a five-year period when compared to third-party software backups to the cloud.
  • Efficient: HPE Cloud Bank Storage and HPE RMC deliver 10x[4] faster backups when compared to third-party software backups to the cloud. 
  • Flexible: Protect Oracle, SAP HANA, and SQL Server data on premises and off premises with public and private cloud services by simply upgrading your HPE StoreOnce software. You can upgrade by purchasing an HPE Cloud Bank Storage license and pointing it at either AWS, Microsoft Azure, or even your own private cloud with Scality RING, Accenture Cloud Platform (ACP), SUSE, or IBM Cloud Object Storage (formerly Cleversafe).
  • Reliable: Move data to cloud storage and from the cloud back to the local HPE StoreOnce system. The self-describing backup data in the cloud enables you to restore to any HPE StoreOnce system if access to the original on-premises system is lost.

Decide on the right HPE storage solutions for database protection and copy data management

Now that you got more familiar with HPE storage solutions, letโ€™s wrap up with when to use each of the data protection and copy data management solutions:

  • Choose HPE Recovery Manager Central for fast backup and recovery of databases on HPE 3PAR StoreServ and HPE Nimble Storage systems, as well as for copy data management tasks. HPE RMC seamlessly integrates robust, flash-optimized HPE 3PAR StoreServ and HPE Nimble Storage arrays, along with fast, scalable, and highly resilient HPE StoreOnce systems.
  • If you want to deploy a native database protection solution, such as Oracle RMAN, Backint for SAP HANA, or SQL Server backup functions, choose the HPE StoreOnce Catalyst Plug-in. This enables DBAs to back up and restore directly to or from HPE StoreOnce through Oracle Enterprise Manager, SAP HANA Studio, or SQL Server Studio.
  • Consider HPE Cloud Bank Storage to retain data for a longer time on high-capacity and lowโ€‘cost cloud storage. HPE Cloud Bank Storage also enables you to implement a simple and reliable off-site disaster recovery solution by backing up to and restoring from cloud storage.

Dig deeper to learn more

Head to this blog to get the inside scoop on StoreOnce and RMC news featured in recent data protection for hybrid cloud announcement: Simplifying hybrid cloud data protection with new solutions

Also check out the following:


Parissa Mohamadi HPE Storage.jpeg

 Meet Around the Storage Block blogger Parissa Mohamadi, Data Protection Solution Product Manager, HPE Storage. 

 

Footnotes:

[1] Based on HPE internal testing, July 2018

[2] Refer to the HPE StoreOnce Get Protected Guarantee Program

[3] Lab Insightsโ€”Data Protection in a Hybrid Cloud Environment, Evaluator Group and Demartek, May 2018

[4] Lab Insightsโ€”Data Protection in a Hybrid Cloud Environment, Evaluator Group and Demartek, May 2018

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