Delphix architecture with SAP ASE

This topic describes the high-level process for adding SAP ASE-supported environments, linking SAP ASE databases to the Delphix Engine, and provisioning virtual databases. 

Diagram of underlying Linking Architecture to support ingestion workflows between SAP ASE-supported Environments and the Delphix Engine.

Linking architecture between SAP ASE and Delphix engine

The diagram featured above shows a common architecture for SAP ASE-based systems. The diagram shows the infrastructure used to ingest data. (From the above diagram) The workflow starts with a Source Host (Left, which in this example is a Production Database Server), that provides critical data in the form of dump files (used for SnapSync) and transaction logs (used for LogSync). 

The Delphix Engine (Bottom), continuously monitors the source database to determine when new dumps are available. When a dump is available, the Delphix Engine will contact the SAP ASE Staging host (Right) via Delphix Session Protocol (DSP). The Staging host will read the dumps from the Source Host and recover them through a Staging Database that is automatically set up on Delphix NFS storage. Once recovery is complete, the backup data is incorporated into the Delphix dSource as a new snapshot card and is available for use to provision a new virtual or physical database. 

Diagram of underlying provisioning architecture to support VDB provisioning workflows between the Delphix engine and SAP ASE-supported target environments.

If no remote load location (aka Source Host) is configured, dump files must be made available on the staging host via NFS or some other copy mechanism. If no remote load location is configured, the Delphix Engine searches for the files on the staging server. If they are not found, the Delphix Engine cannot load them

SAP ASE provisioning architecture

This diagram is an extension of the previous diagram with the new content showing how Delphix provisions Virtual Databases (VDBs) to a Target Environment. The Delphix Engine (bottom) creates a set of virtual files from a snapshot that becomes the VDB. These files are presented to the Target host (right) via NFS. Delphix uses DSP to communicate with Target and initiates the creation of a new database. Once complete, the VDB is brought online and made available for use. 

Environment setup

Target and staging environments for SAP ASE

For SAP ASE-based Delphix Architectures, the Staging Host plays a critical role:

1. Provide the “staging” point in which the Delphix Engine coordinates data ingestion to a dSource by restoring backups to a staging database and creating a dSource from that ingested data.

2. Tracks changes on disk by running validated sync, a process that identifies when new backups are available and initiates the ingestion process if new backups and/or transaction log backups are found.

3. Minimizes touch to production by providing an intermediate host between source databases and Delphix.

For SAP ASE-based Delphix architectures, the target host has two potential roles:

1. Host a target environment for provisioning virtual databases (VDBs).

Staging and Target hosts can be run on a target server, although a dedicated staging server is recommended for optimal performance.

SAP ASE dSources are representations of a Source Database replica on the staging database that runs on a target or staging host. There is no requirement for additional local storage with either host option, as the storage is mounted over NFS from the Delphix Engine. For a deeper, technical discussion, please see the Technical Deep Dive section below.

At Delphix, we refer to the creation and maintenance of this staging database on the staging host as "validated sync," because it prepares the dSource data on the Delphix Engine for provisioning VDBs later on. After the Delphix Engine creates the staging database, it continuously monitors the source database for new transaction log/Full backups (if “truncate log on checkpoint” is active, Delphix will need Full Backups for Validated Sync). When it detects a new transaction log backup, it restores that backup to the staging database. The result is a TimeFlow with consistent points from which you can provision a VDB, and a faster provisioning process, because there is no need for any database recovery during provisioning. If Log Sync is enabled, you may provision a VDB to a point in time, in between snapshots.

When you later provision a VDB, you can specify any environment as a target, including the environment that contains the staging database. However, for best performance, we recommend that you choose a different target environment. The only requirement for the target is:

• It must have an operating system that is compatible with the one running on the validated host.

Target hosts for ASE

Container for VDBs

This topic describes the basic concepts involved with provisioning VDBs from SAP ASE dSources or even other SAP ASE VDBs.

A dSource is a virtualized representation of a physical or logical source database. As a virtual representation, it cannot be accessed or manipulated using database tools. Instead, you must create a virtual database (VDB) from a dSource snapshot. A VDB is an independent, writable copy of a dSource snapshot. You can also create VDBs from other VDBs. Once you have provisioned a VDB to a target environment, you can also implement snapshot and retention policies for the VDB, which will determine how frequently Delphix Engine will take a database snapshot and how long the snapshots will be retained for recovery and provisioning purposes.

When provisioning a VDB, Delphix creates the database with the default SAP ASE database options. If the database options have been altered on the source database and you wish for the VDB to reflect these same options, they would need to be altered via a Post-Script or by Hook Scripts for Automation and Customization

For an overview of the high-level components involved in provisioning an SAP ASE VDB, see Overview of Provisioning SAP ASE Virtual Databases

Validated sync and logSync

To run validated sync, a staging environment must be specified to host a staging database for the validated sync process. In this process, the Delphix Engine continuously monitors the source database for new full and transaction log backups if the source database is using a simple recovery model, and only transaction log backups if using a full recovery model. When it detects a new backup, it restores that backup to the staging database with the storage residing in Delphix. The result is a Timeflow with consistent points from which you can provision a VDB, also known as snapshots.

If the “truncate log on checkpoint” is set, Delphix will only apply full backups.

Snapshots accumulate over time. To view a snapshot:

1. From the Datasets panel, click the group containing the dSource.

2. Select dSource.

3. Click the Timeflow tab.

Each snapshot is displayed and includes information about the source database, operating system, and time stamp. You can scroll through these cards to select the one you want, or you can enter a date and time to search for a specific snapshot.

Once you have provisioned a VDB, you can also take snapshots of it. As with the dSource snapshots, you can find these when you select the VDB in the Datasets panel. You can then provision additional VDBs from these VDB snapshots.

Dependencies

If there are dependencies on the snapshot, you will not be able to delete the snapshot free space; the dependencies rely on the data associated with the snapshot.