Delphix Concepts

for MS SQL Server

Database Virtualization Overview

Course Modules
The Need for Agile Data
Why database virtualization helps
What is Delphix?

Delphix Overview for SQL Server

The Delphix Server
dSources
VDBs

Delphix Concepts
TimeFlow
Syncing
Provisioning

Motivation for Virtualization

How much storage is allocated to development, testing, and

QA databases that are over 90% identical to production and
one another?
How much of the DBA teams time is spent refreshing preproduction and post-production database environments?
How frequently does development want refreshes, and how
frequently do they actually happen?

Faster, Better, Cheaper: Pick 2

^

Faster: create fully functional copies of live databases in

minutes
Better: Allow developers to self-service their requests:
create, rewind, and copy databases on demand
Cheaper: provision fully functional testing, development,
QA, and reporting databases using a tiny fraction of the
storage required for one copy of production

What is Delphix?

Delphix Server is a software appliance

Delivered as a Virtual Machine
Not an application

Delphix Server is a platform for database management

Manages storage for databases
Manages process, configuration, and policies for refresh
Does not run SQL Server or Oracle itself

Current Refresh (without Delphix)

Production

Existing Copy and

Refresh Process*

1 TB Storage

* http://enterarena.blogspot.com/2011/05/gif-rube-goldberg-machine.html

Development

1 TB Storage

Delphix Refresh
Development

Production

Delphix Server
GUI

1 TB Storage

* click *

Course Modules
The Need for Agile Data
Why database virtualization helps
What is Delphix?

Delphix Overview for SQL Server

The Delphix Server
dSources
VDBs

Delphix Concepts
TimeFlow
Syncing
Provisioning

Key Terms
Terms for
Production
Environment

Terms for the

Delphix Appliance

Terms for PreProduction

Environment

Source host

Delphix Server

Target host

Source database

dSource

VDB

Recovery database

Pre-Provisioning
Server

Key Terms: Source Host

Production

Development

Pre-Provisioning
Server

The source host is the host on which the instance for the
source database runs. Typically this is the production host.

Key Terms: Source Database

Production

Development

1 TB Storage

Pre-Provisioning
Server

The source database is copied into the Delphix Server via

a pre-existing or new backup. Delphix Server then stays in sync
via incremental backups and by collecting transaction logs.

Key Terms: Delphix Server

Production

Development

1 TB Storage

Pre-Provisioning
Server

The Delphix Server acts as a backup destination for the source

databases, and as network attached storage for VDBs.
It also hosts the Delphix management GUI.

Key Terms: dSource

Production

Development

1 TB Storage

~256 GB
Storage
for dSource
Pre-Provisioning

Server

The dSource is the Delphix Servers compressed representation

of the source database. It is the basis for the storage that is
allocated to a VDB.

Key Terms: Pre-Provisioning Server

Production

Development

1 TB Storage

~256 GB
Storage
for dSource
Pre-Provisioning

Server

The Pre-Provisioning Server is a host running the same SQL Server

version as the dSource. It is responsible for recovering incremental
changes for provisioning. This can run on the same host as the targ
VDBs but should be on its own host for performance reasons.

Key Terms: Target Host

Production

Development

1 TB Storage

~256 GB
Storage
for dSource
Pre-Provisioning

Server

The target host is the host on which the instance for the VDB
runs. Typically this is wherever the pre-prod database runs today.

Key Terms: VDB

Development

Production

1 TB Storage

~256 GB
Storage
for dSource
Pre-Provisioning

Server

Only
changes
stored for
VDB

No additional
storage
for VDB outside of
Delphix

The VDB is a fully functional database running on a target host.

The storage for a VDB is managed by Delphix, and provided to the
target host via iSCSI. Changes are stored in the Delphix Server.

Delphix Overview
Development

Production

1 TB Storage

~256 GB
Storage
for dSource
Pre-Provisioning

Server

Only
changes
stored for
VDB

No additional
storage
for VDB outside of
Delphix

Course Modules
The Need for Agile Data
Why database virtualization helps
What is Delphix?

Delphix Overview for SQL Server

The Delphix Server
dSources
VDBs

Delphix Concepts
TimeFlow
Syncing
Provisioning

Key Concepts
TimeFlow

Storage Consolidation

Create database
copies from any point
in time

Do not copy
redundant blocks
Do not store unused
blocks
Compress necessary
blocks

Key Concepts: TimeFlow

Each dSource, and each VDB, has its own TimeFlow, copies can
be made as of any point within the TimeFlow:

Key Concepts: TimeFlow

TimeFlow uses two mechanisms to provide point in time
provisioning:
Periodic backups of the dSource or VDB
Transaction collection for all time between backups

For dSources:
Initial backup can be taken by Delphix or provided from an
existing backup located in an SMB path
New snapshots are created in Delphix as transaction logs are
applied
Using bulk-logged/full recovery, transactions are ingested into
Delphix continuously

For VDBs:
Snapshots are created in Delphix as transaction logs are
applied

Key Concepts: TimeFlow Initial Sync

Delphix synchronizes to the production
Producti Supports:
SQL Server 2005-2012
on
database via the Delphix Connector, a
on Windows 2003 SP2
software package installed on your
and up
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One Way
communication
introduces no new risk
Delphix is a
software
Appliance that
installs on a
standard x86
Platform or VM
Delphix can use
your existing
storage

Pre-Provisioning and Target hosts. This

connector
We
apply acts as a proxy to your
source databases.
block aware filtering
block aware
compression
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Key Concepts: TimeFlow Staying in Sync

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Delphix stays in synchronization with the

database
Creates a TimeFlow of the changes to the
database
using applied transaction logs for provisio
of Virtual Databases (VDB)

TimeFlow
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Block
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Producti
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Log
s

Sna
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Snap

Sna
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Key Concepts: TimeFlow Creating a VDB

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To create a VDB from a dSource

selected a point-in-time or LSN

Test

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Delphix starts with the blocks

from the most recent TimeFlow
recovery point.
No NEW blocks are written
LSN or Wall Time
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Key Concepts: TimeFlow Creating a VDB

Test

iSCSI
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Delphix mounts the file system to

and
the starts
Serverthe recovery process
rolling it forward with logs as required
To create a fully functional VDB
that is read/write enabled
with its own unique TimeFlow.

VDB

LSN or Wall Time

Sna
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Producti
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Instantly Provision VDBs

DB SERVER

APP SERVER

SOURCE DBs
Development

Application

1 TB

NONPRODUCTION: APPLICATION SUPPORT

Sync
via
standa
rd APIs

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1 TB VDB

QA

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Testing

Snap

Blocks

STORAGE

1 TB

Solution uses
500 GB vs. 5
TB

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1 TB VDB

Log
s

Snap

Staging

1 TB VDB

Snap

1 TB
VDB

Snap

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>> Strictly Confidential