The AIX Logical Volume Manager (LVM) maintains the hierarchy of logical structures that manage disk storage. Assure MIMIX for AIX kernel extensions, or datataps, reside logically above the LVM layer inside the operating system kernel. Furthermore, these datataps are logically below the file system level and handle block level transfers. The datatap receives a buffer structure from the file system layer in the case of a file system write operation or from the application in the case of a raw Logical Volume write. Data is then processed and sent onto the LVM (Logical Volume Manager) layer. For read operations from storage, data passes through untouched.
The datatap is loaded on both the production server and the recovery server. On the production server, the datatap is responsible for splitting data write operations. Each write results in a write to the intended protected volume as well as to a redo log.