The Do's and Don'ts of Using the Replication Feature in the Iomega® StorCenter™ NAS Products

Since EMC acquired Iomega about two years ago, the range of new features that customers can find as standard on Iomega's StorCenter™ lineup of network attached storage (NAS) products continues to grow. One of the more exciting additions is the new replication feature which gives small businesses new found flexibility to protect and recover their data at alternate locations. But like with any replication software, there are some "Do's" and "Don'ts" associated with properly using it.

Replication is fast becoming a prerequisite in data protection and recovery among midsize and large organizations. While exact numbers of its usage are difficult to ascertain, in research that DCIG has completed, disk storage vendors report that anywhere from 50 - 70% of their customers now purchase disk storage arrays with their optional replication features.

However this functionality has largely been unavailable to many small and midsize businesses because many of the arrays that they purchase do not offer this type of functionality. Or, if these low-end systems do support replication, it is an optional add-on feature for which they had to pay extra.

The good news is that the Iomega StorCenter lineup of NAS devices now includes replication as a standard feature so SMBs now have immediate access to replication when they purchase an Iomega NAS unit. However, every replication software product is configured differently so organizations need to set their expectations accordingly if they plan to use it on any of the Iomega StorCenter models.

So first, here is what can be done with the replication software found on Iomega StorCenter NAS devices:

• Local file or folder synchronization. Storing files on an Iomega networked file server can make it trying at times for those employees who need to quickly copy files or folders to a USB thumb drive when they travel or upload them when they return.

The Iomega StorCenter NAS devices deal with this by including a data synchronization option. This feature enables organizations to insert a USB thumb drive into one of the unit's USB ports and quickly synchronize the files or folders between the thumb drive and the StorCenter NAS unit. Once inserted, a user only needs to access the StorCenter NAS console through a Web GUI, select what files or folders that they wish to synchronize and then initiate the copy job.

• Remote folder and file replication. Small businesses have the same desire as larger organizations to get their important data offsite in a timely manner. The Iomega lineup of StorCenter units now enable them to replicate their data to another StorCenter device anywhere in their organization.

• Only replicates changed blocks of data. Only replicating changed blocks of data with files enables organizations to affordably implement and replicate files and folders that contain large amounts of data even though the organization may only have network connections with relatively limited bandwidth.

The challenge in this situation is to complete the initial copy, which can take hours or even days depending on the amount of data and the network bandwidth you have available. To deal with this, first use the StorCenter device's synchronization feature to copy the data to an external disk drive and then take that disk drive and synchronize it with the second StorCenter device.

Once all of the data is copied to the second StorCenter unit, organizations can then replicate data from the primary StorCenter unit to the secondary StorCenter unit. Since it only copies changes to the file or folder and not all of the data, organizations can keep an up-to-date version offsite. Changes on the primary files and folders can then be updated as frequently (or as infrequently) as the organization wants depending on how frequently the files change and the amount of bandwidth that is available.

• Replicate files or folders from other operating systems to the StorCenter NAS unit. Because Iomega StorCenter devices use a freely available version of replication software, organizations even have the option to replicate files or folders from their local MacIntosh or Windows system to the StorCenter device. While implementing this functionality requires a bit more expertise to accomplish since some changes to the Windows or MacIntosh PC is required, a recent white paper on the Iomega corporate website provides all of the instructions that an organization needs to follow in order to configure and set up this functionality.

As these examples illustrate, the replication feature included with models in the Iomega StorCenter NAS family is quite powerful and flexible. However not every type of replication (of which there are many) can be performed. Here are a couple of ways you should not expect to accomplish using the replication feature.

• Do not use it to replicate an entire iSCSI volume. Replication is generally done at one of three levels - the application level, the block level and the file level.  Iomega StorCenter devices support replication at the file level. This is germane to those businesses that opt to use the StorCenter unit's iSCSI feature. They can replicate files and folders on the StorCenter unit's iSCSI volume but cannot replicate all of the data on the iSCSI volume.

• Does not work with secure folders.  The replication software is only intended to be used with public folders, not those with strict security permissions.

The Iomega line of StorCenter products proves that replication can move outside of the data center and into small and midsize businesses that are ready to take advantage of its benefits.  Iomega StorCenter devices give users the flexibility to replicate files and folders locally or remotely, only replicate changed blocks of data, schedule and control when the replication occurs and even receive replicated files and folders from MacIntosh and Windows PC . This can now all be done without requiring a computer science degree to implement or breaking the bank in order to pay for it.