Replication Strategy
Several options for replication strategy are available. Each has advantages and disadvantages. You need to decide on the best strategy for your environment. For example, you might use different configuration options that are based on available space, application, how critical the data is, and legal requirements. Consider your environment, applications, availability needs, storage growth patterns, and recovery windows to create a replication strategy that best serves your needs.
Array relationships are based on the direction of replication. The source of the volume collection that is being replicated is the upstream replication partner. The destination is the downstream replication partner. A volume source that is upstream to one partner can be downstream to another. Downstream partners can become upstream partners by sending data to other replication partners and by replicating replicas.
One-to-One Replication
Basic replication involves replicating volumes from one array to another based on the protection schedules configured for their associated volume collections. A volume collection can have up to two replication partners, but only one partner can be associated with a schedule. Volume collections can have up to 10 protection schedules.
One-to-Many Replication
You can set up a volume collection to have two replication partners. A volume collection can have up to ten protection schedules. Each schedule can have only one partner, but you can specify which partner is associated with which schedule. These schedules determine when the volumes are replicated and the array to which they are replicated.
Having two partners can improve the strength of your disaster recovery plan.
For example, you can have a scenario where the volumes are replicated to one partner array on an Hourly basis and to the other partner array on an Hourly and Daily basis. Or both arrays could use the same schedule.
Reciprocal Replication
Reciprocal replication involves replicating volumes that originate on two separate arrays to each other. Volumes on one array are replicated to a second array, and volumes on the second array are replicated to the first array. Each array acts as a disaster recovery option for the other. Reciprocal replication is sometimes called mutual replication.
Many-to-One (Centralized) Replication
You can use one array as a centralized replica for volumes that originate on several other arrays.
Many-to-Many Replication
One way to do many-to-many replication involves replicating volumes on the same array to multiple replication partners using multiple volume collections. The individual volume collections can have up to two replication partners.