EMC VPLEX : Extending VMWare Functionality Across Data Centers

VPLEX is a storage virtualization appliance. It sits between the storage arrays and hosts and virtualizes the presentation of storage arrays, including non-EMC arrays. Storage is then configured and presented to the host. It delivers data mobility and availability across arrays and sites. VPLEX is a 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, nondisruptive data movement, taking technologies like VMware and other clusters that were built assuming a single storage instance and enabling them to function across arrays and across distance. 

VPLEX key use cases comprise:

• Continuous operations – VPLEX enables active/active data centers with zero downtime
• Migration/tech refresh – VPLEX provides accelerated and nondisruptive migrations and technology refresh
• Oracle RAC functionality – VPLEX extends Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) and other clusters over distance
• VMware functionality – VPLEX extends VMware functionality across distance while enhancing availability
• MetroPoint Topology – VPLEX with EMC RecoverPoint delivers a 3-site continuous protection and operational recovery solution

The EMC VPLEX family includes three models:

EMC VPLEX Local:

EMC VPLEX Local delivers availability and data mobility across arrays. 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.

EMC VPLEX Metro:

EMC VPLEX Metro delivers availability and data mobility across sites. VPLEX Metro with AccessAnywhere enables active-active, block level access to data between two sites within synchronous distances.  Host application stability needs to be considered. It is recommended that depending on the application that consideration for Metro be =< 5ms latency. The combination of virtual storage with VPLEX Metro and virtual servers allows for the transparent movement of VM’s and storage across longer distances and improves utilization across heterogeneous arrays and multiple sites.

EMC VPLEX Geo:

EMC VPLEX Metro delivers availability and data mobility across sites. VPLEX Geo with AccessAnywhere enables active-active, block level access to data between two sites within asynchronous distances. Geo improves the cost efficiency of resources and power.  It provides the same distributed device flexibility as Metro but extends the distance up to 50ms of network latency.