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EMC VPLEX FAMILYContinuous Availability and Data Mobility withinand across data centers

BENEFITS

Continuous Availability -Deliver application and data

availability within the data

center and over distance with

active-active infrastructure

utilization, eliminating planned

and unplanned downtime.

Data Mobility - Moveapplications, virtual machines

and data within and across

data centers and over distance

without impacting users

Automate sharing, balancing,and I/O failover

Migrate and relocate virtualmachines, applications, and

data non-disruptively

Eliminate planned andunplanned application outages

Stretch clusters such asVMware and Oracle RAC

outside the data center and

across distance

DELIVERING CONTINUOUS AVAILABILITY

AND DATA MOBILITY FOR MISSION-CRITICAL

APPLICATIONSStorage infrastructure is evolving to deliver new methods of making data mobile,

freeing it from physical device limitations. Virtualizing storage extends the benefits

of server virtualization, providing automation, integration with existing

infrastructure and growth on demand. In the past, application data was tied to a

single array. Providing Availability/mobility was challenging and doing so without

application interruption was impossible.

The EMC VPLEX family delivers data availability and mobility across arrays in a

single data center and across arrays in data centers separated by distance. VPLEX

is a continuous availability and data mobility platform that enables mission-critical

applications to remain up and running during a variety of planned and unplanned

downtime scenarios, even in the event of a data center site failure. VPLEX enables

non-disruptive data mobility, leveraging technologies like VMware and other

clusters that were built assuming a single storage instance and enabling them to

function across arrays in a single data center and across distance.

So, how does VPLEX work? VPLEX enables the exact same data to be read/write

accessible across two arrays at the same time. The arrays can be in a single data

center, or separated by distance. The way this is accomplished is via VPLEX's

unique implementation of distributed cache coherency. This enables transparent

load sharing between multiple arrays while providing the flexibility of relocating

workloads between arrays in anticipation of planned events.

DATA SHEET

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VPLEX completely changes the way IT is managed and delivered - particularly when

deployed with server virtualization. The VPLEX family breaks down technology silos

and enables IT to be delivered as a service by enabling new models for operating

and managing IT, with the ability to dynamically move applications and data across

sites.

The ability to read and write data to multiple locations simultaneously delivers newcapabilities under a number of use cases:

Stretch cluster hosts and applications across distance including OracleRAC, VMware ESX, Microsoft Failover Cluster and Linux Cluster

Non-disruptively move virtual server and storage resources within andacross data centers including VMware vMotion and Microsoft Hyper-V

Live Migration

Maintain a single cache consistent image of federated storage atmultiple sites

Create a single point of control for a consolidated pool of federatedresources

Turn a diverse heterogeneous storage infrastructure into a centrallymanaged storage pool

Transparently balance and relocate workloads in anticipation ofplanned events and maintenance

Provide high availability for mission critical applications Perform data migrations to new arrays without scheduled downtime,

during working hours, by the customer, without migration services

Enable the use of resources at a passive site by creating anactive/active environment between two data centers

EMC RecoverPoint native splitter technology for VPLEX Local andVPLEX Metro combines the benefits of both continuous availability and

disaster recovery in the same deployment

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CONTINUOUS AVAILABILITY FOR MORE OF

YOUR WORKLOADSThe EMC VPLEX family has expanded its implementation options to include a set of

virtual appliance working together as a vApp to protect your VMware workloads.

Now you can achieve the same levels of availability and mobility that you get from

VPLEX on a simple, affordable, and virtual appliance that leverages your existing

VMware infrastructure and iSCSI storage.

EMC VPLEX Virtual Edition takes the revolutionary VPLEX technology and

implements it as a set of virtual appliances in a VMware vApp implemented on your

existing ESX infrastructure. VPLEX Virtual Edition creates a storage cluster across

two sites that can be in the same building or up to synchronous distance apart.

This new deployment model stretches your ESX infrastructure between sites and

provides unique capabilities to your VMware applications and VMs

CONTINUOUS AVAILABILITY

VMware High Availability (HA) and VMware Fault Tolerance (FT) solutions require a

single source of data to operate. VPLEX Virtual Edition overcomes the single source

limitation by making two identical copies of the same data read and write

accessible from two locations simultaneously. This can be in a single data center or

spread across two datacenters at synchronous distances (for VMware HA). Now

VMware VMs protected by VPLEX Virtual Edition can recover from even a full site

failure in a matter of seconds with VMware HA at the second site. And with VMware

FT, workloads can continue to operate without interruption after an array or site

failure by continuing to access application data made continuously available at the

second site by VPLEX Virtual Edition.

INSTANT VM MOVES BETWEEN SITES

Traditional tools such as Storage vMotion only copy data from the old location to

the new location when the vMotion request is made. This results in delayed VM

moves that require pre-planning to ensure existing VM workloads arent impacted

by the burst in host resource use caused by the VM data replication activities. By

mirroring data between sites and allowing ESX hosts to access the VM and

application data at both sites simultaneously, VPLEX Virtual Edition allows instant

VM moves across array boundaries and over distance without additional impact to

ESX host CPU allowing for instant moves without host impact and without a need

for extensive pre-planning.

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INSTANT LOAD BALANCING BETWEEN SITES

As with vMotion and Storage vMotion, automated load balancing through VMware

Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS) relies on Storage DRS to move VMs and

application data when a VM move is requested due to DRS load balancing. The VM

moves are always delayed by the VM data copy process, which also puts a burden

on the ESX host as it reads and transfers the VM and application data to the new

location. By maintaining a constant mirror of VM and application data, VPLEX

Virtual Edition enables VMware DRS to load balance across arrays and over

distance instantly and without additional impact on the ESX host.

A SCALABLE ARCHITECTURE TO MEET FUTURE

REQUIREMENTSEMC VPLEX introduces a scalable architecture, which incorporates lessons learned

from more than 20 years of expertise in designing, implementing, and perfecting

enterprise-class intelligent cache and distributed data protection solutions.

Built on a foundation of scalable and highly available processor engines, EMC

VPLEX is designed to seamlessly scale from small to large configurations. VPLEX is

an appliance that resides between the servers and heterogeneous storage assets

and uses unique clustering architecture that enables servers at multiple data

centers to have read/write access to shared block storage devices. Uniquecharacteristics of this architecture include:

Scale-out clustering hardware which lets you start small and grow big withpredictable service levels

Advance data caching utilizes large-scale SDRAM cache to improveperformance and reduce I/O latency and array contention

Distributed cache coherence for automatic sharing, balancing, and failover ofI/O across the cluster

Distributed cache coherence for automatic sharing, balancing, and failover ofI/O across the cluster

An active-active infrastructure fully utilizing all resources Resource pooling from multiple data centers, separated either by a few feet

within a data center or across synchronous or asynchronous distances,

enabling new models of continuous availability and workload relocation

With its unique scale-up and scale-out architecture, VPLEX advanced data caching

and distributed cache coherency provides workload resiliency, automatic sharing,

balancing, and failover of storage domains and enable both local and remote data

access with predictable service levels.

A SOLUTION FOR ONE OR MULTIPLE DATA

CENTERSThe VPLEX family consists of three products: EMC VPLEX Local, EMC VPLEX Metro,

and EMC VPLEX Geo

EMC VPLEX Local delivers data mobility and availability across arrays. VPLEX isa unique virtual storage technology that enables mission critical applications to

remain up and running during any of a variety of planned and unplanned

downtime scenarios. VPLEX permits painless, non-disruptive data movement,

taking technologies like VMware and other clusters that were built assuming a

single storage instance and enabling them to function across arrays

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EMC VPLEX Metro delivers data mobility and availability across sites. VPLEX is aunique virtual storage technology that enables mission critical applications to

remain up and running during any of a variety of planned and unplanned

downtime scenarios. VPLEX permits painless, non-disruptive data movement,

taking technologies like VMware and other clusters that were built assuming a

single storage instance and enabling them to function across synchronous

distance

EMC VPLEX Geo delivers data mobility and availability across sites. VPLEX is aunique virtual storage technology that enables mission critical applications to

remain up and running during any of a variety of planned and unplanned

downtime scenarios. VPLEX permits painless, non-disruptive data movement,

taking technologies like VMware and other clusters that were built assuming a

single storage instance and enabling them to function across asynchronous

distance

A VPLEX Local configuration is defined by up to four VPLEX engines, which are

integrated into a single cluster image through their fully redundant inter-engine

fabric interconnections. The cluster interconnect functionality enables the online

addition of VPLEX engines, providing exceptional scalability for all three VPLEX

product configurations. All connectivity between VPLEX cluster nodes and across

VPLEX Metro and VPLEX Geo configurations is fully redundant, ensuring protection

against single points of failure.

A VPLEX cluster can scale up through the addition of more engines, and scale out

by connecting two VPLEX clusters within synchronous metro distances for a Metro

configuration or two VPLEX clusters connected within asynchronous distances for a

Geo configuration. Both VPLEX Metro and VPLEX Geo help transparently move and

share workloads - including entire virtual machines - consolidate data centers, and

optimize resource utilization across data centers. In addition, it provides non-

disruptive data mobility, heterogeneous storage management, and continuous

application availability. VPLEX Metro supports up to two clusters, which can be in

the same data center or at two different sites within synchronous distances.

VPLEX Geo supports up to two clusters at two different sites within asynchronous

distances.

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At a single site or across sites, the VPLEX family improves data and storage

resiliency. VPLEX enables you to mirror volumes within and across locations,

providing continuous application availability in the event of a disaster. This

capability can increase protection and availability for critical applications while

leveraging your existing storage resources - without requiring host resources.

VPLEX Metro, in combination with VMware, provides a unique capability that

enables you to extend VMware HA, FT and DRS across distance and move

application data without taking CPU cycles of the hosts. Combined with vMotion,

enables transparent movement and relocation of virtual machines and their

corresponding data over distance.

VPLEX Geo, in combination with Microsoft's Hyper-V technology, further extends

these capabilities by enabling application and data mobility over longer

asynchronous distances (up to 50 ms round-trip latency).

As EMC helps customers build and implement their private clouds, VPLEX will

provide the flexibility, availability, and automation to increase data access while

simultaneously reducing cost and increasing efficiencies.

CONTACT US

To learn more about how EMC

products, services, and solutions canhelp solve your business and IT

challenges,contact your local

representative or authorized reseller

or visit us at www.EMC.com.

EMC2, EMC, the EMC logo, [add other applicable product trademarks in alphabetical order] are

registered trademarks or trademarks of EMC Corporation in the United States and other countries.

VMware [add additional per above, if required] are registered trademarks or trademarks of

VMware, Inc., in the United States and other jurisdictions. Copyright 2012 EMC Corporation. All

rights reserved. Published in the USA. 10/12 Data Sheet H7070.1

EMC believes the information in this document is accurate as of its publication date. The

information is subject to change without notice.

www.EMC.com

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