FlashSnap is an option to SFW that is a highly efficient procedure involving multiple commands that allows detaching of a mirrored volume. Once the volume is detached, it can be used for a variety of purposes. This chapter focuses on the SFW Quick Recovery solution, which uses split-mirror snapshots to recover from logical errors in data files. It also gives a summary of the other uses for split-mirror snapshots.

Quick Recovery is the process of using on-host point-in-time copies of production data and a transaction log to recover a database that has been corrupted or that has missing data. If a database becomes corrupted, for example, you could reload the original data from the most recent snapshot, and then use the transaction log to bring the database current to the point before the corruption.

The SFW Quick Recovery solution uses on-host, disk-based snapshots to provide fast recovery from logical errors and eliminates the time-consuming process of restoring data from tape.

If you are using Microsoft Exchange, SFW HAs recovery procedures for Microsoft Exchange storage groups or individual databases within an Exchange storage group. Additionally, Quick Recovery of Microsoft SQL Server databases is supported. Those procedures are provided through SFW's vxsnap restore command and the VSS Snapshot wizards.

This chapter gives a general overview of SFW's Quick Recovery solution. For detailed information about implementing a Quick Recovery solution with SFW and Microsoft Exchange Server, see the Storage Foundation and High Availability Solutions Quick Recovery Solutions Guide for Microsoft Exchange.

For detailed information about implementing a Quick Recovery solution with SFW and Microsoft SQL Server, see the Storage Foundation and High Availability Solutions Quick Recovery Solutions Guide for Microsoft SQL.

For information about implementing Quick Recovery solution with Oracle database:

See Example of quick recovery of an Oracle database.