Data Replication Overview
Why Replication Matters
Data replication ensures business continuity, enables rapid recovery, and safeguards against data loss.
🧬 What Is Data Replication?
Replication creates exact copies of data for backup and disaster recovery (DR). These replicas can reside:
- Onsite (local replication)
- In remote data centers
- In the cloud
🔁 Local Replication
Local replication takes place within the same data center or storage system, allowing for fast data restores.
📸 Snapshots
Snapshots are space-efficient, virtual images of data at a specific point in time.
- Capture the state of files, VMs, or LUNs
- Enable rapid restore without full duplication
🧱 VM Snapshots
- Include VM memory, system state, and files
- Useful for testing, patching, or rollback scenarios
📍 Storage Snapshots
- Pointer-based replicas that provide immediate access
- Do not duplicate the underlying data
🧬 Clones
- Fully populated, identical data copies
- Require synchronization before use
Types:
- Full Clone: Independent, complete copy
- Linked Clone: Derived from a snapshot, relies on parent data
🌐 Remote Replication
Remote replication protects against site failures and supports business continuity across geographic distances.
🔄 Synchronous Replication
Requires high bandwidth and low latency. Best for distances < 200 km.
- Data written simultaneously at both source and target
- Acknowledgment only after confirmation from both sites
- Delivers near-zero Recovery Point Objective (RPO)
🕒 Asynchronous Replication
More flexible and cost-effective for long-distance replication.
- Source system acknowledges write immediately
- Data sent to replica site afterward
- Involves a finite RPO, based on replication interval
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