2x MSA 2000 storages for a cluster failover

[Lukasz Drazyk]

Hello all

We have 2 storages the MSA2000 iSCSI series. We need to replicate the volumes somehow between them to provide a failover solution. We have a volume with one LUN and the second volume with a different LUN on the second storage. As far as I can see the torage itself doesn't provide any sort of floating LUN for failover so not sure how to implement this. One storage is in one DC and the second one sits in different DC. The question is , is this at all possible and if so did anyone attempt to implement such thing?

[Patrick Terlisten]

Hello,

the MSA2000 G1 and G2 can't replicate/ mirror data, but the P2000 G3 can do this. With the G3 you can do remote snapshots. That's not a synchronuos mirror, but very useful to bring data to a second site.

In you case a host-based mirror can be a solution. Just present volumes from both MSAs to a host and create a mirror. If one site fails, the data will be still available.

Regards,
Patrick

[Lukasz Drazyk]

The one host with 2 storages scenario is clear , but it gets more complex here. We are trying to set up 2 ESX machines with 2 storages whereby the VMs are actually located on the storage volume.In that case one volume containing VMs would be presented on say one LUN. In failover case the LUN from second storage takes over and the replication of the storage volumes would have to be done by the storage itself somehow or something like HP StorageWorks software sitting on the third machine and being able to replicate LUNs themselves. I'm not sure if this is a way to go , the description of storage works software is somewhat vague but mentions the LUNs.

I'm not sure if anyone ever stumbled upon such dilemma ?

[Patrick Terlisten]

Jap, I knew it... You have to use 3rd party software. HP Storage Mirroring is maybe a good solution for you.

Regards,
Patrick

[Jan Soska]

Hello Lukasz,
we are in implementation phase with streched domain HP SVSP project.
Use this or other Storage virtualization systems... (FalconStor, DataCore...)

Jan