Implementing Storage Virtualisation

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Implementing Storage Virtualisation Data
Management
Hamish Macarthur Hamish.Macarthur_at_macarthurstroud.
com 44 (0)20 8240 6000
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Implementing Storage Virtualisation
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Better Disk Utilisation andData Management

• Increasing storage utilisation - better
  provisioning
• Simplified and enhanced data protection
• Virtual tape libraries
• Managing data across tiers of storage
• Reducing the occurrence of duplicate data
• Taking complexity out of the storage
  infrastructure

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Storage Virtualisation

• Before
• Multiple/diverse storage devices and management
  interfaces
• Server attached, spread around the enterprise
• Wastage and poor utilisation
• Poor management control
• One type of (expensive) disk fits all data
• Spend ahead of usage - capacity planning
  challenges
• Diverse backup and business continuity policies
• High power consumption and footprint
• After
• Single management interface to storage pool
• Thin provisioning
• Reduce number of storage devices - less disk,
  same capacity
• Cost effective tiered storage and de-duplication
  of data
• Easier deployment of extra capacity
• Reduced power and footprint

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Virtualising Storage Arrays
SAN Virtualisation
Storage Array Virtualisation
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Flexible Storage Infrastructure withSAN
Virtualisation Appliance
Make changes to the storage without disrupting
host applications
Virtual Disk
Virtual Disk
Virtual Disk
Virtual Disk
SAN
Manage the storage pool from a central point
SAN Vitualisation Appliance
Apply common services across the storage pool
IBM SVC / NetApp V-Series / DataCore
Storage Pool
Combine the capacity from multiple arrays into a
single pool of storage
HP
DS8000
EMC
HDS
DS4000
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Thin Provisioning
1TB
Requested Storage 3TB
800GB
700GB
500GB
Used Storage
Thin Provisioning
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Thin Provisioning

• When data is in one pool, capacity is shared by
  users
• User is given a virtual allocation / threshold
  within the pool
• Physical storage is deployed to cover actual
  usage plus a sensible shared buffer
• Users see more capacity than is actually
  physically deployed
• Policies can be applied to limit users and
  trigger flags / action when more virtual or
  physical disk capacity is needed
• Thin Provisioning should result in a significant
  reduction in physical disk and idle capacity
• Spend on disk is reduced and slowed down
• Less disk less power and cooling

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Continuous Data Protection

• Traditional backup and recovery is a batch
  process that eats into operational systems
• Consolidating storage in one place, minimising
  the amount of data stored, makes the challenge of
  back up and restore simpler to manage
• Traditional tape is slow and cumbersome - but
  still underpins most backup strategies for
  off-siting of data copies
• Primary continuous back up technologies
• RAID provides automatic rebuilding of data in the
  case of disks failing
• Snapshots take a point-in-time copy of data that
  has changed
• Virtual Tape Libraries (VTLs) enable disk to disk
  backup, reducing backup times, support faster
  restore times
• Data replication/ mirroring processes will form
  the basis of new continuous data protection
  practices

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Continuous Backup, Zero Server Impact

• The Problem
• High server utilisation
• No spare cycles for backups
• Tape is slow, complex and expensive
• DR is very difficult

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Snapshot and Mirroring

• Point-in-time (snapshot) copy based on original
  full data copy and subsequent point-in-time
  updates to capture changes
• Run periodically throughout the day
• Useful for testing new applications /
  pre-production releases
• Higher frequency capture than daily backup
• Recovery point is nearer to real time
• Full mirror copy replicates 100 of primary disk
  in real time
• Typically implemented in high value / high volume
  transaction and data base applications
• Can be combined with DR polices to achieve
  automatic failover
• Instant recovery to last write
• Disks can be located locally or remotely

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Storage Data Replication
Primary VI3 Data Center
Secondary VI3 Data Center
Data Application Replication
One data protection relationship per Datastore to
set up
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Storage Data Replication
Secondary VI3 Data Center
Primary VI3 DataCenter
Secondary VI3 DataCenter
Applications are back online in minutes - fast
and easy!
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Virtual Tape Libraries (VTL)

• Backup cycle runs as normal but initial back up
  is to secondary disk not tape
• VTL interface makes disk look like tape
• Compatible with all leading backup software
  providers
• Stand alone of combined with tape
• Significantly reduced backup time and faster
  restores

Tape
Primary Disk
Secondary Disk VTL
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VTL Improves Existing Backup Infrastructure
VTL array with multiple virtual tape libraries
HeterogeneousStorage Pool
Backup Server
UNIX Servers
Windows Servers

• Multiple logical libraries Eliminates tape drive
  sharing issues

• Direct tape creation Offloads backup server

• Encryption option Encrypt before VTL or before
  tape

• Replication option Virtual tape replication
  offsite

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Data De-Duplication

• Significant amounts of data are duplicated
• For example, email attachments, copies of files
  and documents
• Also backed up daily, using up unnecessary
  amounts of data storage resources
• De-duplication identifies the same files
• Sets up a process to keep one copy and
• Provides a tag in all other occurrences of this
  data directing the system to the master image
• De-duplication can be presented at different
  levels of the system architecture
• VTLs
• Backup systems
• email systems
• Useful when keeping data for longer periods,
  especially if the access frequency is not too
  high
• Enables a significant reduction in storage space
  to be realised
• Particularly relevant with unstructured data

• Archives
• Content managers
• Disk arrays

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Data De-Duplication and Backup

• Reduces the need to maintain multiple copies of
  data
• Speeds up backup processes
• Leads to a need for less disk storage
• Less storage means less power, cooling and space
  is required

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File Systems with a Global Namespace

• Challenge
• Data and files are stored across many systems,
  each with their own file system
• Optimise file serving across heterogeneous
  systems into a single, logical file system
• Enable clients / users to access files without
  knowing their physical location (just as users
  access Web sites without knowing the IP
  addresses)
• Operational Benefit
• Users have a single, logical view of files with
  access through a single drive letter
• Data changes are automatically updated and
  require no client reconfiguration
• Administrators can expand, move, rebalance, and
  reconfigure storage without affecting how users
  view and access it
• Data management and movement require far less
  administrative effort and time
• Administrators can manage data on heterogeneous,
  geographically distributed storage devices
  through a single console

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File Systems Knowing where the Data is
Windows_2 \\Windows_2\Accounts
F G W
NAS_Device_1 \\NAS_Device_1\Personnel
\\NAS_Device_1\Advertising
UNIX_5 \\UNIX_5\Engineering
\\UNIX_5\Operations
Linux_2 \\Linux_2_2\Brochures
Windows_18 \\Windows_18\Export
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File Systems With a Global Namespace
Windows_2 \\Windows_2\Accounts
Accounts
NAS_Device_1 \\NAS_Device_1\Personnel
\\NAS_Device_1\Presentations
Personnel
E
Presentations
Operations
UNIX_5 \\UNIX_5\Engineering
\\UNIX_5\Operations
Personnel
Linux_2 \\Linux_2_2\Brochures
Engineering
/Dept
Brochures
Export
Windows_18 \\Windows_18\Export
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Information Lifecycle Management (ILM) and Archive

• Archiving data is a necessary part of each
  organisations information management strategy
• Data must be maintained on a storage system that
  manages obsolescence
• Data may need to be kept for 7 years, 10 years,
  20 years or more
• ILM provides a framework by which a clear set of
  policies and practices can be defined and
  implemented
• Policy based data protection and data migration
  to cost effective storage
• Content aware management practices
• Organisational management that keeps an audit
  trail of activities, for example,
• When data is migrated to archive
• Deleting data that does not need to be retained

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Backup and Archive

• Backup
• For recovery
• Copies information
• Improves availability
• Short term in nature
• Data is typically overwritten
• Not for regulatory compliance

• Archive
• For retrieval
• Move information
• Adds operational efficiencies
• Long term in nature
• Data is typically maintained
• Useful for compliance

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Archive Characteristics

• Capture and retain documents, transactions and
  files
• Repository for multiple types of information
  files, databases, email
• Capture incoming and outgoing email, before it is
  modified by users
• Verify integrity and accuracy of the recording
• Protect from malicious or accidental tampering or
  deletion during the retention period
• Options for retaining information
• Non-erasable, non-rewritable protected media
• Options to delete when retention is no longer
  required
• Mirrored or duplicate storage
• Migrate data to new media as old media wears out
• Enforce the disposal of information at the
  appropriate time, but not before
• Enforce retention periods and holds on all stored
  data, indices and metadata
• Delete when information is no longer required
  for regulatory, legal or corporate requirements

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Archive Solution Infrastructure
Content Manager Layer
Policy Based Retention Tiered Storage Hierarchy
Management Indexing and Search Automated Data
Migration for long term preservation
Archive Infrastructure Layer
Archive Platform Layer
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In Summary

• Storage virtualisation enables the sharing of
  physical storage resources across more tasks and
  across the system architecture
• Further storage consolidation will take place,
  increasing the utilisation of disks and tapes
• New levels of data protection, with recovery
  times significantly reduced to support continuous
  service to the business
• Categorisation and migration of data to lower
  cost storage based on the frequency of access and
  agreed service levels
• Reduction in volumes and duplication of stored
  data

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In Summary
Act in the knowledge that You are developing
your own business And delivering real gains for
your customers
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Macarthur Stroud International St James
House, 9 - 15 St James Road Surbiton, Surrey
KT6 4QH United Kingdom Tel [phone]
6000 Fax [phone] Email
msi_at_macarthurstroud.com