System image conversion
Once transferred to the Snapshot storage system, a new snapshot is scanned to calculate any changes to the previously held system image. The new snapshot is then combined with files that have not changed (and therefore not been transmitted from the appliance) to create a new physical system image. We call this a ‘Rescue Image’, and once created is then ready for conversion so it can run on the virtualised Plan B DR Rescue platform.
The ‘Physical to Virtual’ (P2V) conversion of the image is done automatically by applying various Plan B DR ‘Overlays’. These Overlays make changes to the system files so they can run successfully on a virtual machine. Plan B DR have many standard Overlays for common system elements and common applications, but will write new overlays for customers with unique configurations.
Once a Rescue Image has completed its P2V conversion, it will be queued for testing.
Automatic Testing of every Rescue image
Plan B DR test all new Rescue Images every time they are updated, which for standard systems would be at least once every day. Testing is done automatically by booting up a newly created Rescue Image on a live virtual server and applying a test harness that will check an image is functioning.
All Rescue Images that pass testing are then moved to the Rescue Image Repository, where they are stored ready to be booted up if needed. All images in the Repository are therefore images that are ready to run and have been proven to work against your agreed criteria. All that is needed to get a your image running from this point is for Plan B DR to allocate it a virtual server and boot it up. Running images can therefore be ready literally within minutes!
Continuous testing is pretty much unique to the Plan B DR service. We don’t like to leave important things - like whether or not your system will run - to chance, so testing is central to our approach. And we test intelligently, if you you have a set of interdependent machines we test them together as a set.
Our testing is automated (as is all the work-flow of taking, converting and testing system images) and an integral part of the process. It can’t therefore get forgotten or put off.
Knowing that Rescue images have past testing, not only reassures us, and you, that they will work if needed but also confirms that your live systems are ‘bootable’ and also that our local file backups are also working, intact and usable.
If an image fails testing then the Plan B DR Process Scheduler will ticket it and our engineers will investigate the cause of the failure. You can keep track of issues via our Customer Portal.
