SIOS Welcomes Microsoft SQL Failover Clustering into Amazon EC2 environment!

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Another title could be “Is there more to replication in the cloud?” and I will explain further.

First, let me start by saying that recently SIOS Technologies Corp. introduced DataKeeper Cloud Edition that enabled Microsoft SQL Failover Clustering in Amazon EC2 cloud environment. Prior to that the clouds were quite gloomy for applications that require MS SQL Failover Clustering and as a results those who wanted to take advantage of the emerging cloud technology and all the corresponding benefits were stuck.

“What is the value proposition?” You would ask me…

That’s actually pretty easy. There are number of great database solutions from Amazon (RDS as example, and etc.) and others, but SIOS enablement of MS SQL Failover Clustering opens an opportunity for applications that depend on Microsoft Distributed Transaction Controller (MSDTC) to start finding its way into Amazon EC2 cloud environment. Plus there are number of other benefits that are mentioned in the following chart.

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So what is the root of the problem?

Image above circles around the area where cloud infrastructure needs help, i.e. lack of shared storage. No, that’s not EC2 (or any other cloud provider) problem, but that’s simply a gap that requires technology like DataKeeper Cloud Edition to close by creating a “shared” storage layer leveraging the high performance replication technology that encapsulated inside SIOS’ product. DataKeeper Cloud Edition creates such “shared” layer under a files system (i.e. block level) leveraging its high performance block level replication.

What is more to replication when it comes to cloud?

One thing to keep in mind is the level at which DataKeeper Cloud Edition operates. It works at the block level, and besides performance that comes with the granular understanding of the IO blocks that change on the storage device it also takes an interesting twist in the cloud infrastructure where performance is closely related to the cost.

There are two levels of performance to consider:

  • one is related to granular understanding of the IO blocks that change, i.e. “no noise on the wire”
  • second is the ability to intelligently leverage available bandwidth

Therefore only changes at the IO block level transported between the nodes and as you may already know bits that cross Availability Zones (DataKeeper Cloud Edition supports today!) and/or Regions cost money. More intelligent the solution in understanding the difference, the lower the bill.
As a result DataKeeper Cloud Edition besides enabling native Microsoft Failover Cluster to happily live in EC2 cloud environment without proprietary files systems, etc. also comes with a couple of hidden perks like performance and cloud economics.

If you have a MS SQL based application and looking for a home in Amazon EC2 cloud contact SIOS team https://aws.amazon.com/solution-providers/isv/sios-technology-corp

Drop your comments with ideas, concerns, suggestions.

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