NetApp SnapMirror is a data replication technology that allows Administrators to create and maintain a mirrored copy of their data on another NetApp storage system. This technology enables businesses to protect their critical data by creating a replica of it on another system, ensuring that they have a backup copy in case of data loss or system failure.

Here's a step-by-step breakdown of how SnapMirror works:

• First, the primary NetApp storage system creates a copy of the data to be replicated.
• Then, the SnapMirror technology sends the copy of the data to a secondary NetApp storage system, where it is stored as a mirror copy.
• After the initial data transfer, SnapMirror continuously monitors changes to the data on the primary system and automatically sends those changes to the secondary system, keeping the mirrored copy up-to-date.

SnapMirror offers several benefits to businesses, including:

• Data protection: SnapMirror provides organisations with an additional layer of protection against data loss. By creating a mirrored copy of their data on another NetApp storage system, businesses can ensure that their data is safe even in the event of a primary system failure.
• Continuous data replication: SnapMirror ensures that the mirrored copy is always up-to-date and provides organisations with real-time access to their data using manual or pre-defined update schedules.
• Efficient use of bandwidth: SnapMirror uses advanced data compression and deduplication techniques to minimise the amount of data that needs to be replicated over the network. This helps organisations to minimise their bandwidth usage and reduce replication costs.
• Simplified management: SnapMirror is easy to set up and manage, with a simple user interface or CLi command set that enables organisations to configure and monitor replication jobs with ease. This makes it an ideal solution for businesses that need to manage large amounts of data across multiple systems.

Here's an example of how SnapMirror can be used in a disaster recovery scenario:

• In the event of a disaster, such as a natural disaster or cyber-attack, the primary NetApp storage system may become unavailable or lose data.
• However, because SnapMirror has created a mirrored copy of the data on another NetApp storage system, the business can quickly and easily recover its data by switching over to the mirrored copy.
• Once the primary system is back online, SnapMirror can be used to replicate any changes made to the mirrored copy back to the primary system, ensuring that both systems are up-to-date.

As you can see from the diagram, SnapMirror enables businesses to replicate data between multiple NetApp storage systems, ensuring that their critical data is always protected and available.

Talk to Towers today and let them help you design and deploy your DR Strategy.