Remote Replication: What is it?

Remote replication is the process of copying production data to a device at a remote location for data protection or disaster recovery purposes.

Remote replication may be either synchronous or asynchronous. Synchronous replication writes data to the primary and secondary sites at the same time. With asynchronous replication, there is a delay before the data gets written to the secondary site. Because asynchronous replication is designed to work over longer distances and requires less bandwidth, it is often a better option for disaster recovery. However, asynchronous replication risks a loss of data during a system outage because data at the target device isn't synchronized with the source data.

Replication occurs in one of three places: in the storage array, at the host (server) or in the network. Most enterprise data storage vendors include replication software on their high-end and mid-range storage arrays. Host-based replication software runs on standard servers, making it the cheapest and easiest type of replication to manage for many, but it taxes server processing. Replication on the network requires an additional device, either an intelligent switch or an appliance.

Data can also be replicated remotely to a cloud backup service. The use of a cloud backup service can prove useful especially to small-to-medium businesses (SMB) or organizations with limited IT budgets. Let’s be honest - most organizations can’t afford to own or operate technology in a remote location so leveraging a cloud backup service for your disaster recovery needs can make a lot of sense. However, buyers need to understand that all cloud backup providers are not created equal. Users should inquire about a service provider’s locations to ensure that data is redundantly displaced. Additionally, depending on a country's cross-border data transfer regulations it may not align with best practices to transfer data beyond borders. However, this is an area best addressed on a country-by-country basis.

KVH partners with Blueshift Data Protection (www.blueshift.co.jp) to deliver eVaulting and Data Archiving Solutions. Blueshift is a leading provider of Storage-as-a-Service and Cloud Storage solutions delivering secure, off-site, disk-based, data backup, recovery and archiving services to small, medium and large organizations.