End-to-end data protection - Designed to perform additional data checking from server to storage devices
Modular accessibility - Designed to extend enterprise-class checksum capabilities to modular storage
Cross-protocol support - Supports iSCSI SAN, FC SAN and NAS (NFS) protocols
Highly integrated - Supports the Oracle Hardware-Assisted Resilient Data (HARD) initiative
The challenge: the risk of data corruption is inherent in data transfers
Organizations of any size that rely heavily on the integrity of Oracle data need to safeguard against data corruption. Because database servers and storage devices reside at opposite ends of the I/O path, corruption can occur as each data block transfer passes through a series of logical layers involving hardware and software from multiple vendors. Other factors, such as application anomalies and human error, present additional risk. As a result, data corruption can occur at any stage of the process, even with the protection inherent in the most robust storage systems. The impact of these corruptions can cause considerable disruption to business continuity, which can be time consuming and costly to resolve.
The solution: end-to-end data validation
IBM System Storage N series with SnapValidator™ software is designed to provide a high level of protection for Oracle data, helping you to detect potential data corruption before it occurs. By adding intelligence and database awareness to modular storage systems-across iSCSI SAN, FC SAN and NAS protocols-the software can help extend the advantages of checksum functionality to a greater variety of organizations.
SnapValidator is tightly integrated with the Oracle database architecture. It complies with the Oracle HARD initiative, which is aimed at helping companies achieve higher levels of data integrity. The HARD initiative incorporates several data validation technologies that can be embedded in storage devices to help prevent data corruption.
When initiating data transfers, the Oracle system assigns a unique value to each write request based on the sum of the data. It then sends that data set down the I/O path to the N series storage system. Upon receipt, SnapValidator is designed to calculate the sum of the data and compare it to the Oracle value. If these values match, the system writes the information to disk and reports a successful write. If the identifiers do not match, the system does not transfer the data, but instead produces an alert that offers options for resolving the problem immediately to prevent further problems. This process can help you improve the reliability of your Oracle data storage and avoid the cost of unplanned disruption and downtime associated with resolving data corruptions.
