Quantum DXi4500, User Manual

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Chapter 3: DXi4500 Concepts
Data Replication
28 Quantum DXi4500 User’s Guide
Continuous Replication
Continuous Replication
is the process of replicating deduplicated,
unique data. Once configured, when backup data is ingested into the
system, it is automatically (and continuously) replicated from the source
to the target system.
Namespace Replication
Namespace Replication is the process of sending the metadata
associated with data at the start of each replication. The metadata is
what is used to retrieve the data if its ever needed for a restore
operation. Namespace replication begins when a replication is started
either manually or during a scheduled replication. It is NOT automatic or
part of the Continuous Replication process.
Caution: Restoring replicated data is dependant on the metadata
stored in the namespace file. This file is updated after each
replication that is completed successfully. You must
schedule replication to occur regularly and often or
manually run replication often enough to keep the
namespace file up to date.
New DXi4500
Installations
For a new DXi4500 installation, or immediately after a new share has
been created, be sure to replicate the namespace (via the on-demand
Replicate Now function) for each share as soon as it is created and
before any data is written to it.
This action establishes the namespace file on the target. Establishing the
namespace file before any data is written will expedite the first
replication that occurs after the first backup.
Failure to replicate the empty namespace is not fatal, but the speed of
the first replication after the first backup will be up to twice as fast if
you did replicate the empty namespace. This could be especially
important when backing up a significant amount of data.