Initialize Site Replication

This page documents the steps necessary to initialize site replication between two AIStor deployments.

The procedures assume at least two existing AIStor installations.

Only one of the two sites can have any data at the time of setup. All other sites must be empty of buckets and objects.

All sites must otherwise having the following matching configurations:

• AIStor Server version
• Key Management Server for Server-Side Encryption
• Identity Manager

Ensure each peer site has a Load Balancer, Reverse Proxy, or similar network control plane component to handle routing connections to its AIStor Server nodes. Using a single node hostname for a peer site creates a single point of failure for site replication where replication can fail if that single node goes down.

Validate that all hosts have complete bidirectional network connectivity prior to configuring site replication.

1. Deploy two or more separate AIStor sites, using the same Identity Provider for each site.

   Only one site can have any buckets or objects on it. The other site(s) must be empty.

2. In a browser, access the Console for the site with data (if any).

   For example, https://<addressforsite>:9000

   Replace <addressforsite> with the hostname or IP address of the load balancer, reverse proxy, or similar control plane that manages connections to the AIStor deployment.

3. Select Settings, then Site Replication.

4. Select Add Sites +.

5. Complete the requested information:

   Field	Description
   Site Name:	A name or other identifying text to associate with the site.
   Endpoint:	(required) The hostname or IP of the load balancer managing connections to the site. Specify the URL or IP address of the site’s load balancer, reverse proxy, or similar network control plane component. Requests are automatically routed to nodes in the deployment.
   Access Key:	(required) The user name for root to use for signing in to the site.
   Secret Key:	(required) The password for root to use for signing in to the site.

   Fill out the requested data for each peer site to add to the site replication configuration. To add additional sites beyond two, select the + button to the side of one of the Site entries. To remove a site previously added, select the - button to the side of the site.

   Site replication adds a svcacct under the root user of each site to perform replication activities.

6. Select Save.

7. Select Replication Status button to verify replication has completed across peer sites.

   Any replicable data that exists should show as successfully synced.

   For more on reviewing site replication, see the Site Replication Status tutorial.

The following procedure creates a site replication configuration from a set of existing AIStor deployments using the same IDP.

1. Configure an alias for each site.

   Specify the URL or IP address of the site’s load balancer, reverse proxy, or similar network control plane component. Requests are automatically routed to nodes in the deployment.

   AIStor recommends against using a single node hostname for a peer site. This creates a single point of failure: if that node goes offline, replication fails.

   For example, for three AIStor sites, you might create aliases minio1, minio2, and minio3.

   Use mc alias set to define the hostname or IP of the load balancer managing connections to the site.

   mc alias set minio1 https://minio1.example.com:9000 adminuser adminpassword
   mc alias set minio2 https://minio2.example.com:9000 adminuser adminpassword
   mc alias set minio3 https://minio3.example.com:9000 adminuser adminpassword
   

   or define environment variables

   export MC_HOST_minio1=https://adminuser:adminpassword@minio1.example.com
   export MC_HOST_minio2=https://adminuser:adminpassword@minio2.example.com
   export MC_HOST_minio3=https://adminuser:adminpassword@minio3.example.com
   

2. Add site replication configuration.

   mc admin replicate add minio1 minio2 minio3
   

   If all sites are empty, the order of the aliases does not matter. If at most one site contains data, list that site first.

   If multiple sites contain data, contact MinIO Support for further guidance.

3. Query the site replication configuration to verify.

   mc admin replicate info minio1
   

   You can use the alias for any peer site in the site replication configuration.

4. Query the site replication status to confirm any initial data has replicated to all peer sites.

   You can use the alias for any of the peer sites in the site replication configuration.

   mc admin replicate status minio1
   

   The output could resemble the following:

   Bucket replication status:
   ●  1/1 Buckets in sync
   
   Policy replication status:
   ●  5/5 Policies in sync
   
   User replication status:
   No Users present
   
   Group replication status:
   No Groups present