Setting up communication between the source and the target clusters
You need to set up communication between your source and your target clusters.
Make sure that you already created an online file system on the Access Appliance source cluster and an online file system on the Access Appliance target cluster.
Access Appliance Replication authentication strategy is based on RSA-key authentication, and both the source and the target clusters have to export their replication public keys. The source cluster imports the target cluster's public key and the target cluster imports the source cluster's public key.
After you have determined which two Access Appliance clusters to use, you need to authenticate them.
The replication continuous config commands must be executed in a specific order.
You need to run the replication continuous config bind command (to bind the virtual IP) before you can run the replication continuous service start command.
You need to run the replication continuous config export_keys and replication continuous config import_keys to export and import the keys of both the source and the target clusters.
Copy the keys displayed in the output of the replication continuous config export_keys command from the source cluster. Run the replication continuous config import_keys command on the target cluster using the output that you copied.
Copy the keys displayed in the output of the replication continuous config export_keys command from the target cluster. Run the replication continuous config import_keys command on the source cluster using the output that you copied.
You can only run the replication continuous config auth command after both the source and destination have imported each other's keys.
You need to run the replication continuous config auth command to create a link from every cluster to any remaining cluster that is used for replication irrespective of their role as a source or a target cluster.
The command checks the two-way communication between the source and the target cluster, and authenticates the clusters allowing the Access Appliance continuous replication service to begin.
This section provides a walk-through for the creation and export/import of these encrypted keys for both the source and the target cluster.
Note:
Without the correct authentication of the source and the destination encryption keys, Access Appliance continuous replication does not function correctly.
To export the source cluster's key to the target cluster
- To export the source cluster's key to the target cluster, enter the following:
Replication> continuous config export_keys [URL]
URL
The location you want to copy the public keys to.
If you do not want to enter a URL, you can copy the output from the replication continuous config export_keys command into the Replication> continuous config import_keys command at the target cluster.
By default, the output is displayed on your computer screen.
The SCP and FTP protocols are supported.
- To import the source cluster's key to the target cluster, enter the following:
Replication> continuous config import_keys [URL/keyfile]
URL
The location you want to copy the public keys from.
keyfile
The file name of the key that is generated by the export.
If you did not enter a URL during the Replication> continuous config export_keys command, you can cut and paste the output and enter it into the replication continuous config import_keys command.
- To verify that the key has been imported correctly, enter the following:
Replication> continuous config show
To export the target cluster's key to the source cluster
- To export the target cluster's key to the source cluster, enter the following:
Replication> continuous config export_keys [URL]
URL
The location you want to copy the public keys to.
The SCP and FTP protocols are supported.
If you do not want to enter a URL, you can cut and paste the output from the Replication> continuous config export_keys command to the Replication> continuous config import_keys command. By default, the output is displayed to your computer screen.
- To import the target cluster's key to the source cluster, enter the following:
Replication> continuous config import_keys [URL/keyfile]
URL
Enter the URL of the location you want to copy the public keys from.
keyfile
Enter the file name of the key that is generated by the export.
If you did not enter a URL during the replication continuous config export_keys command, you can cut and paste the output and enter it into the replication continuous config import_keys command.
- To verify that the key has been imported correctly, enter the following:
Replication> continuous config show
To authenticate source cluster and target clusters for replication
- This command should be executed on the source cluster as well as on the target cluster. To authenticate the public keys on the source cluster and the target clusters, enter the following:
Replication> continuous config auth conIP link_name
conIP
Enter the target cluster console IP address.
link_name
Both the source cluster and the target cluster need to be assigned a unique identifier (name). This identifier is used to identify the link that is established between the source and the target clusters. You can use the link name instead of the virtual IP addresses of the source and the target clusters when using the other replication commands. For example: Pune_Shanghai.
- To confirm the authentication, enter the following:
Replication> continuous config show
Note:
These steps must be executed on the destination side cluster to authenticate the public keys on the source and the target cluster.
Once you have configured the clusters and links, you need to set up the file system you want to replicate.