Question

Windows Server 2016 - Configuring Advanced Storage Solutions -

1. Discuss how the implementation of advanced storage technology, such as that which is found in Windows Server 2016, may eliminate or reduce the need for larger storage hardware such as a SAN.
2. Discuss the differences between Storage Replica and Data Deduplication. How are they complementary? How might they generate conflicting output?

Answer 1

ANSWER:

Implementation of advanced storage technology such as one used in Windows server 2016 can eliminated the need for larger storage hardware such as a Storage Area Network (SAN). Given below are the reasons how it is possible-

1. The Storage Migration Service now migrates local accounts, clusters and Linux servers

   The Storage Migration Service facilitates moving servers to a newer version of Windows Server. It provides a graphical tool that inventorys data on servers and then transfers the data and configuration to newer servers - all without apps or users changing anything.

   Using this version of Windows Server to organize migration, we added the following capabilities:

   - Switch local users and groups to the new server
   - Move storage from failed clusters
   - Transfer storage from a Linux server that uses Samba
      - Migrate shares to sync into Azure by using Azure File Sync

2. Duplication and compression for ReFS volumes

   Store up to ten times more data of the same size with extraction and compression for the ReFS file system. (Just one click to proceed with the Windows Administration Center.) The chunk of variable size chunks with optional compression maximizes savings rates, while the multi-threaded post-processing architecture maintains minimal performance impact. It supports sizes up to 64 TB and will duplicate the first 4 TB of each file.

3. Replica Storage

   Storage replication enables synchronous, block-level, synchronous replication, between servers or clusters for disaster recovery, as well as extending a failed cluster between sites. Synchronous replication enables data mirroring in physical locations with sizes consistent with crashes to ensure zero data loss at the file system level. Asynchronous replication allows site extensions beyond city ranges with the potential for data loss.

Differences between Storage Replica and Data Deduplication.

1) Storage replica:

• Provides block-level file replication between storage devices, primarily for the purpose of fault tolerance and disaster recovery .
• Can be intalled on both physical machines as well as virtual machines.
• Doesn't optimise on free space.

2) Data Deduplication:

• Data Deduplication, often called Dedup, is a feature that will help reduce the impact of redundant data on storage costs.
• Can be installed only on virtual machines.
• It Optimises on free space too.

Data Deduplication and Storage replica are complimentary to each other. They can be used together but only on one condition, Data Deduplication should be configured to not run on the secondary copy. It means data deduplications works on virtual machines only.

They can generate conflicting output if they are used on the same machine. This will create a rift between them, as we have to make sure data deduplication is not running on a secondary copy.

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