Project Replication Targets

Before a source ZFSSA can replicate to a target, the two systems must set up a replication peer connection that enables the ZFSSAs to identify each other securely for future communications. Administrators set up this connection by creating a new replication target on the Configuration > Services > Remote Replication screen on the source ZFSSA. To create a new target, administrators specify three fields:

• Name (used only to identify the target in the source ZFSSA's BUI and CLI)

• Network address or hostname (to contact the target ZFSSA)

• Target ZFSSA's root password (to authorize the administrator to set up the connection on the target ZFSSA)

The ZFSSAs then exchange keys used to securely identify each other in subsequent communications. These keys are stored persistently as part of the ZFSSA's configuration and persist across reboots and upgrades. They will be lost if the ZFSSA is factory reset or reinstalled. The root password is never stored persistently, so changing the root password on either ZFSSA does not require any changes to the replication configuration. The password is never transmitted in the clear because this initial identity exchange (like all replication control operations) is protected with SSL.

By default, the replication target connection is not bidirectional. If an administrator configures replication from a source A to a target B, B cannot automatically use A as a target. However, the system supports reversing the direction of replication, which automatically creates a target for A on B (if it does not already exist) so that B can replicate back to A.

NOTE: When a replication source uses NIS or LDAP services to map users or user groups and those users or user groups are included in a share configuration on the source (for example in 'Share Level ACL' or 'Share Space Usage'), those users or user groups should be available on the replication target (for example by using the same NIS or LDAP servers) otherwise replication sever/reverse operations may fail.

To configure replication targets, see Configuring Project Replication .