• SAN data replication provides fault tolerance: – Data is replicated to disk instead of tape – Backup data is more up-to-date (can be real-time) – Recovery can be nearly instantaneous
Data replication technologies involve backing up data to disk, rather than to tape:
The cost of disk hardware has decreased. This makes data replication affordable to a wide range of businesses. SANs are well-suited to data replication because they provide flexible and fast connectivity between storage devices.
There are two basic types of data replication: Snapshot solutions, a type of data replication, provide significantly faster recovery than tape-based backup solutions. A robust backup solution enables fault recovery—resumption of business activities following a loss or interruption of data. Many businesses, however, need to ensure continuation of business activities by preventing significant data interruption or loss. This is known as fault tolerance, and it requires nearly instantaneous recovery. Mirroring, another type of data replication, makes this possible.