Active-Active DR Architecture

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{{DISPLAYTITLE} Active-Active Disaster Recovery (DR) Architecture}

Active-Active Disaster Recovery (DR) Architecture

This document details the hardware and software configuration of an Active-Active Disaster Recovery (DR) architecture designed for mission-critical applications. This setup provides near-zero downtime and data loss in the event of a site failure. This architecture differs from Active-Passive setups by utilizing both sites simultaneously for production workload, providing faster failover and increased resource utilization.

1. Hardware Specifications

The following specifications represent a high-performance, scalable Active-Active DR configuration. These are recommendations and can be adjusted based on specific workload requirements. We'll detail two identical sites (Site A and Site B) for complete redundancy.

Component Site A Specification Site B Specification
CPU 2 x 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processor (Platinum 8380) - 40 cores/80 threads per CPU, 3.4 GHz base frequency, 4.0 GHz Turbo Boost 2 x 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processor (Platinum 8380) - 40 cores/80 threads per CPU, 3.4 GHz base frequency, 4.0 GHz Turbo Boost
RAM 2TB DDR4 ECC Registered 3200MHz (16 x 128GB DIMMs) - Configured in 8 channels per CPU 2TB DDR4 ECC Registered 3200MHz (16 x 128GB DIMMs) - Configured in 8 channels per CPU
Storage - OS/Boot 2 x 960GB NVMe PCIe Gen4 SSD (RAID 1) - Utilizing a hardware RAID controller for redundancy. See RAID Levels for more information. 2 x 960GB NVMe PCIe Gen4 SSD (RAID 1) - Utilizing a hardware RAID controller for redundancy.
Storage - Application/Data (Tier 1) 8 x 7.68TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 SSD (RAID 10) - High IOPS and low latency for critical data. See NVMe Technology for details. 8 x 7.68TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 SSD (RAID 10) - High IOPS and low latency for critical data.
Storage - Application/Data (Tier 2) 16 x 16TB SAS 12Gbps HDD (RAID 6) - For large capacity, less frequently accessed data. See SAS Interface for details. Consider Storage Tiering for optimal performance. 16 x 16TB SAS 12Gbps HDD (RAID 6) - For large capacity, less frequently accessed data.
Network Interface Card (NIC) 2 x 100Gbps QSFP28 Network Adapters (bonded) - Utilizing Link Aggregation for increased bandwidth and redundancy. 2 x 100Gbps QSFP28 Network Adapters (bonded)
Network Switch (Top of Rack) Cisco Nexus 9508 with 100Gbps stacking modules. See Network Switching for more details. Cisco Nexus 9508 with 100Gbps stacking modules.
Power Supply Unit (PSU) 3 x 1600W Redundant Power Supplies (80+ Titanium Certified) - N+1 redundancy. Refer to Power Redundancy for best practices. 3 x 1600W Redundant Power Supplies (80+ Titanium Certified) - N+1 redundancy.
Chassis 2U Rackmount Server Chassis with hot-swappable components. Designed for high airflow. See Server Chassis Design. 2U Rackmount Server Chassis with hot-swappable components. Designed for high airflow.
Remote Management IPMI 2.0 Compliant with dedicated LAN connection. Utilizing IPMI Protocol for out-of-band management. IPMI 2.0 Compliant with dedicated LAN connection.


The network infrastructure between Site A and Site B is critical. A dedicated, low-latency, high-bandwidth connection (e.g., 100Gbps or higher dedicated fiber optic link) is required. Consider using a dedicated dark fiber link for maximum control and performance. See Network Connectivity for more information on network design.

2. Performance Characteristics

Performance testing was conducted using industry-standard benchmarks (SPEC CPU 2017, IOmeter, and HammerDB) to assess the capabilities of this configuration. These tests were performed with a representative workload simulating a high-transactional database application.

  • **SPEC CPU 2017:** Average score of 3500 (overall) per server. This demonstrates strong processing power for CPU-bound applications. See CPU Benchmarking for a detailed explanation of SPEC CPU.
  • **IOmeter:** Sustained IOPS of 800,000 (mixed read/write) on the Tier 1 storage (NVMe RAID 10). Latency averaged 0.2ms. This confirms the high performance of the NVMe storage.
  • **HammerDB:** Transaction Throughput (TPC-C) of 150,000 transactions per minute per server. This indicates excellent performance for database applications. See Database Benchmarking for information about TPC-C.
  • **Failover Time:** Failover time between sites was consistently measured at under 15 seconds. This is achieved through the use of a global load balancer and data replication. See Failover Mechanisms for more details.
  • **Network Latency (Site A to Site B):** Average round-trip time (RTT) of less than 1ms. This is crucial for maintaining synchronization and minimizing performance impact during normal operation and failover.

These benchmarks demonstrate the ability of this architecture to handle demanding workloads and provide rapid recovery in the event of a site failure. However, real-world performance will vary based on the specific application and configuration. Regular performance monitoring and tuning are essential. See Server Performance Monitoring.

3. Recommended Use Cases

The Active-Active DR architecture is best suited for applications that require:

  • **Near-Zero Downtime:** Applications where even a few minutes of downtime can result in significant financial losses or reputational damage.
  • **High Availability:** Critical business applications that must be continuously available.
  • **Data Consistency:** Applications requiring strong data consistency across both sites.
  • **Scalability:** The ability to easily scale resources to meet growing demand.
  • **Geographic Redundancy:** Protection against regional disasters or outages.
  • **Financial Transactions:** Systems processing financial data where data integrity and availability are paramount.
  • **E-commerce Platforms:** Online stores requiring 24/7 availability to maximize sales.
  • **Healthcare Systems:** Critical patient data management systems.
  • **Manufacturing Control Systems:** Real-time control systems where downtime can disrupt production.

This configuration is *not* ideal for applications with infrequently changing data or those that can tolerate some downtime. An Active-Passive configuration may be more cost-effective in those scenarios.

4. Comparison with Similar Configurations

Configuration Description Advantages Disadvantages Cost
Active-Active DR (This Document) Both sites actively serve production traffic; data is replicated continuously. Near-zero downtime, high resource utilization, rapid failover, improved scalability. Complex setup, requires robust data replication and synchronization mechanisms, higher cost. High
Active-Passive DR One site actively serves traffic; the other site is a standby for failover. Simpler setup, lower cost than Active-Active. Longer failover time, underutilized resources at the passive site. Medium
Cold Standby DR The DR site is powered off and requires significant time to bring online. Lowest cost, minimal resource consumption. Longest recovery time objective (RTO), highest risk of data loss. Low
Warm Standby DR The DR site is powered on but not actively serving traffic; data is replicated periodically. Faster failover than Cold Standby, moderate cost. Still requires some time to activate the DR site, potential data loss. Medium


The decision of which DR configuration to use depends on the organization's Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO). Active-Active provides the best RTO and RPO but at a higher cost. See Disaster Recovery Planning for a detailed explanation of RTO and RPO. The Active-Active configuration also leverages technologies like Data Replication Techniques to ensure data consistency.

5. Maintenance Considerations

Maintaining an Active-Active DR environment requires careful planning and execution.

  • **Cooling:** The high-density hardware requires robust cooling infrastructure. Consider using in-row cooling or liquid cooling to maintain optimal operating temperatures. Regular monitoring of server temperatures is crucial. See Data Center Cooling.
  • **Power:** Each site requires a dedicated and redundant power supply. Ensure sufficient power capacity to handle peak loads and future growth. Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) are essential. See Power Distribution Units (PDUs).
  • **Network Management:** Monitoring network latency and bandwidth utilization between sites is critical. Regularly test the failover mechanisms to ensure they are functioning correctly. Utilize network monitoring tools such as Network Monitoring Tools.
  • **Software Updates:** Apply software updates and patches consistently across both sites to maintain security and stability. Automated patching tools can help streamline this process. See Server Patch Management.
  • **Data Replication Monitoring:** Continuously monitor the health and performance of the data replication process. Alerts should be configured to notify administrators of any issues.
  • **Regular Failover Testing:** Conduct regular, non-disruptive failover tests to validate the DR plan and identify any potential weaknesses. Document the results of each test and make necessary adjustments. See Disaster Recovery Testing.
  • **Security:** Implement robust security measures at both sites to protect against unauthorized access and data breaches. This includes firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and access control lists. See Server Security Best Practices.
  • **Physical Security:** Ensure both sites have adequate physical security measures in place, including access control, surveillance, and environmental monitoring.
  • **Documentation:** Maintain comprehensive documentation of the DR architecture, configuration, and procedures. This documentation should be readily available to all relevant personnel.


Intel-Based Server Configurations

Configuration Specifications Benchmark
Core i7-6700K/7700 Server 64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 512 GB CPU Benchmark: 8046
Core i7-8700 Server 64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2x1 TB CPU Benchmark: 13124
Core i9-9900K Server 128 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 1 TB CPU Benchmark: 49969
Core i9-13900 Server (64GB) 64 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD
Core i9-13900 Server (128GB) 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD
Core i5-13500 Server (64GB) 64 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD
Core i5-13500 Server (128GB) 128 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD
Core i5-13500 Workstation 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2 NVMe SSD, NVIDIA RTX 4000

AMD-Based Server Configurations

Configuration Specifications Benchmark
Ryzen 5 3600 Server 64 GB RAM, 2x480 GB NVMe CPU Benchmark: 17849
Ryzen 7 7700 Server 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2x1 TB NVMe CPU Benchmark: 35224
Ryzen 9 5950X Server 128 GB RAM, 2x4 TB NVMe CPU Benchmark: 46045
Ryzen 9 7950X Server 128 GB DDR5 ECC, 2x2 TB NVMe CPU Benchmark: 63561
EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/1TB) 128 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe CPU Benchmark: 48021
EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/2TB) 128 GB RAM, 2 TB NVMe CPU Benchmark: 48021
EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/4TB) 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe CPU Benchmark: 48021
EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/1TB) 256 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe CPU Benchmark: 48021
EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/4TB) 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe CPU Benchmark: 48021
EPYC 9454P Server 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe

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⚠️ *Note: All benchmark scores are approximate and may vary based on configuration. Server availability subject to stock.* ⚠️

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