Itzikr's Blog

CDM (Copy Data Management) is exploding, analysts predict that most of your data in the data centre is derived from copies of your data and as such, we are continuing to invest in this field.

For the readers of my blog, you know that I’m a big fan of AppSync which allows you to copy/restore/repurpose your data with a direct integration to the Dell EMC storage products so now is a great time to explain about the 4.0 version of AppSync which we have just released.

AppSync is a software that enables Integrated Copy Data Management (iCDM) with Dell EMC’s primary storage systems.

AppSync simplifies and automates the process of generating and consuming copies of production data. By abstracting the underlying storage and replication technologies, and through deep application integration, AppSync empowers application owners to satisfy copy demand for operational recovery and data repurposing on their own. In turn, storage administrators need only be concerned with initial setup and policy management, resulting in an agile, frictionless environment.

AppSync automatically discovers application databases, learns the database structure, and maps it through the Virtualization Layer to the underlying storage LUN. It then orchestrates all the activities required from copy creation and validation through mounting at the target host and launching or recovering the application. Supported workflows also include refresh, expire, and restore production.

New Simplified HTML5 GUI

In AppSync 4.0 ,we completely enhance the UI and we now support HTML5 as the interface.

Below you can see a video, showing how to add XtremIO & PowerMAX arrays, run a discovery on the vCenter and the application host that is running a database

and below you can see a demo showing you the options associated with creating (or subscribing) to a service plan

Metro Re-purposing

Select Copy Management -> Copies -> SQL Server -> DB instance -> User Databases -> “metro” database (most options are “Greyed Out” until checkbox is checked)

Check box next to “metro” db instance -> actions become available -> Click “Create Copy with Plan”

Select “Data Re-purposing” and click “Next”

• Select the options you desire and click “Next”

Name is auto-generated by the database name, current date/time and “1.1”

• Copy location – Select either local or remote for which side to store the copy

Note only local restores are possible with SRDF Metro

• Mount options are the same as with normal Service Plans

• 2^nd Generation Copies – Select “Yes” to create the 2^nd gen at the same time as 1^st gen

• You will notice new “Array Selection”, AppSync recognizes a “Metro 1” and the associated array serial numbers.

• Selecting an array to the right of Metro 1 is where the copy is taken, click “Next”

Deeper Integration with Dell EMC Storage Platforms

VMAX v3+ Unisphere 4 PowerMax REST API platform

• All workflows previously supported with the SMI-S provider for VMAX3, AF & PowerMax, now utilize Unisphere for PowerMax (U4P) REST API.

Support Storage Class Memory on PowerMax

• Support Service Level Biasing for PowerMax with SCM (Storage Class Memory)

– With the Foxtail PowerMax release, arrays are able to support NVMe SCM drives and NAND flash drives.

– AppSync 4.0 now allows users to set a “Diamond” SLO on PowerMax arrays after adding SCM drives

Application Integration Improvements

• Ability to restore to any RAC node

– Previously, AppSync required restoring to the same node the copy was originally created on

– This enhancement supports environments where the source node may have gone offline, such as during a disaster or outage

• During the restore process, the user will be able to select the specific RAC node to restore to

You can download AppSync 4.0 by clicking the screenshot below

And as always, the documentation can be found here

https://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/product-support/product/appsync/docs#sort=relevancy&f:versionFacet=[49124]&f:lang=[en]