Understanding Cloud Reader mode
A QoreStor instance can be configured to read the backups uploaded to a Cloud Tier from a different QoreStor instance. The primary QoreStor, where the Cloud Tier bucket is configured, writes and manages the data in the bucket while another QoreStor instance in Cloud Reader mode can access the same data in Read-Only mode. Any number of Cloud Reader instances can access the cloud bucket data. The data in the cloud is only read by this Cloud Reader instance. A snapshot of the files is made available to the Cloud Reader.
Use cases for cloud reader include Testing and Development and for validating QoreStor disaster recovery.
Operations allowed
Cloud Reader mode is a restrictive mode, where only few QoreStor configuration changes are allowed. For example, new storage groups and containers cannot be created. Only the following actions are allowed:
- Adding QoreStor to Active Directory domain
- Adding Domain Group
- Password changes for the users
- Addition of license
- Diagnostics generation
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NOTE: If a QoreStor instance is only used to read the data in the cloud, then no license is required to be added.
NOTE: Any new data written to the Cloud Reader instance are saved in local storage and not propagated to Cloud Tier. |
Compatibility
Only RDA protocol is supported. NetVault and BridgeHead backup solutions are supported. For the list of supported DMAs, see the QuestQoreStor Interoperability Guide.
Deploying Cloud Reader
Install QoreStorr with similar mode as the QoreStor that is writing data to the cloud tier bucket. Use the minimal required CPU, memory, and storage as per the Quest QoreStor Interoperability Guide.
After you complete the installation, change the mode by providing the cloud connection details. For details about the maintenance --disaster_recovery and --quick_ro_recovery commands, see the Quest QoreStor Command Line Reference Guide. To refresh the data at any time later, repeat the same command. The existing data is replaced with the file space from cloud bucket.
Example command:
maintenance --disaster_recovery --cloud_string "DefaultEndpointsProtocol=https;AccountName=qorestortest;AccountKey=8Tt7/ysHSGSBSW7FG1Vr2+27xgccskbUWf9GLlGEPeMHYfmVxl+fTg1XYpA==;EndpointSuffix=core.windows.net" --container_name cloud_container1 --cloud_provider_type AZURE --passphrase qqq --logfile /tmp/t1 --quick_ro_recovery yes
Quest recommends that the cloud reader QoreStor instance be in the cloud, but it also works from on-premises.
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NOTE: The QoreStor UI does not support initiating Cloud Reader mode. After you deploy Cloud Reader and it is operational, you can use the QoreStor UI for monitoring and configuration changes. |
Refreshing data in Cloud Reader
When you run the maintenance command with the --quick_ro_recovery, the QoreStor instance only sees what was in cloud bucket at the time the command was done. Later backup data can become expired from the primary QoreStor instance and the Cloud Tier, and new backup data uploads. To see the new file space view, run the same maintenance command. It erases the current view and retrieves the latest view from the cloud.
Configuring RDA immutability
This topic introduces the RDA immutability feature and related concepts and tasks. Refer to the subsequent topics and procedures in this section for more information.
