The number of remote replication technologies available from EMC today is dizzying. From MirrorView to SAN Copy, Open Replicator to Celerra Replicator, to RecoverPoint and SRDF, all have come about to fit a need or to fit a platform. The title of this post, Explaining heaven to bears is in most counts like explaining the different EMC replication products to someone not in the know. Its not a matter of intelligence or aptitude, its a matter of product overload or even product overlap in some cases. In a league of multi array, multi function devices it becomes imperative to reach down into the bowels of what is your replication product portfolio, spit-shine your two superlatives and march them forward. So, that being said let me take the liberty of highlighting those two: RecoverPoint and SRDF and their very distinguishable differences AND likenesses in sales guy talk : )

Note: this of course is not a lesson in SRDF or RP usability, functionality or design, its merely a thought on the future of replication within EMC. I have NO internal knowledge on this topic, only heresy and personal opinions.

How the two compare..

Both products are block based replication, offering both synch and async solutions. Which means both can provide zero data loss, or replicate over any geographical distance. In addition, new to both are support for three-site DR configurations or cascades. This typically involves synchronous replication from the primary to what's called a bunker site, and then asynchronous replication from the bunker site to a tertiary site. Hardware compression is available in the V-MAX engines to reduce the amount of data sent across the WAN link. RecoverPoint has long provided this capability and is very much one of its key selling points. Are there others? most definitely, but lets not get lost in the details.

Look there are more differences between the two engines than there are comparisons. My point of this comparison is to lead you down the path of a trimming in the EMC replication portfolio. Its got to happen, and these two darlings are the most likely candidates mainly from a covered platform perspective. Moving on..

How the two differ..

Lets take a bulleted approach here, my A.D.D tends to tail off my conclusions in a post in an abrupt manner, now is no exception…

• SRDF is Symmetrix ONLY replication, RecoverPoint is a heterogeneous replication elucidation. Depending on the splitter involved RP can replicate to and from any array even the Symmetrix. There is a reason this is the first in the bunch, it is the single most defining difference between the two.
• Protocol supportability: SRDF works with ESCON, FC, and GigE. RP works with FC and GigE.
• As of current release, multipoint or replicating one source to many remote destinations (CLR is on the fence, talking remote here) is only supported within SRDF. This will change I am sure..
• SRDF is array based within the data path, RP is appliance based out of the data path.
• App consistent point and time (any time, any write) is clearly a feature of CDP technology. As far as I know the true downside to traditional “mirror” type replication is the inability to recover from logical corruption. Now I am sure there are certain ways to combat against this from a design perspective or perhaps mechanisms with the Symm or SRDF itself, I personally don’t know.
• Others? You betcha, but these are large enough talking points to get my point across.

SRDF and RecoverPoint each represent the best in their specific areas of excellence. It is my belief and word on the street that after its all said and done, expect these two products to mold to any of your remote replication needs across the EMC platform divide. And that my friends is a good thing..

For more information between the two please check out the following, here.

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