ISRC Future Technology Briefing:

1
ISRC Future Technology Briefing
Storage Area Networks
Source http//www.intechnology.co.uk/images/ibm/g
eneric/San.jpg
2
Escalating Data Growth Rate Not Met By Current
Storage
1400
1200
1000
800
Typical Capacity in GB
Site Demand
600
400
200
0
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
Server Capacity
(Adapted from Vacca, 2002)
3
Current Problems

• Network administration
• Data protection
• Backups
• Unused disk space
• Addition of servers and storage

Source http//www.millan.net/anims/giffar/giffar2
/download.gif
4
Traditionally
NAS Network Attached Storage
NAS Server
Just a Bunch Of Disks Small Computer System
Interface
5
An Emerging Alternative
Clients
Internet Protocol
LAN
Application Servers
Storage Area Network
Fiber Channel/ Internet Protocol
RAID
Redundant Array of Disk Drives
Storage Area Network Architecture
6
What is a SAN?

• It is a high-speed network dedicated to
  shared-storage and connecting different kinds of
  data storage devices to network users
  (Khurshudov, 2001)
• The network behind the server (Vacca, 2002)
• SAN
• Dedicated or shared,
• Local or remote
• FC-Based and IP-Based

7
SAN Management

• Software manages
• (a) the network and
• (b) the storage
• Resides on either servers or SAN appliances
• (An appliance centrally controls data placement)
• Manages storage using a single console in a
  vendor-independent way

8
Expected Benefits of SAN

• Decoupled storage and servers for better
  scalability
• Dedicated storage path
• LAN-free backup
• Server-free backup
• Pool of storage seen as single storage unit by
  the clients and servers

9
Expected Benefits of SAN

• Data availability and utilization
• Scaling
• Interoperability
• Centralized management

Source McKinsey Company, Merrill Lynch, 2001 -
http//www.brocade.com/company_info/graphics_newde
sign/chart1.gif
10
Where SANs are Headed

• Global SAN market growing
• By late 2003, large majority will adopt
• 2007 Mature SAN management software
• FC based SANs will dominate in near term
• 2004 IP based SANs will emerge as player

11
Potential Problems with SANs

• Cost
• Lack of standard
• Patent infringements
• SAN management software integration difficulty
• Interoperability??

12
Interoperability Problems?

• Restriction on replacements
• Restriction of features in certain environments
• Scalability
• Complete proprietary SAN solution

Source http//www.fujitsu-siemens.lu/inc/img/phot
o_centric.jpg
13
Interoperability Solution Bluefin

• Bluefin (or Storage Management Initiative
  Specification) (Reich, 2002)
• First design standard
• Allows vendor-specific products to inter-operate
• Based on open-source code
• Reduces cost of management

SNIA Storage Networking Industry Association
Source http//www.snia.org/news/newsletter/2002/0
8/bluefin_poised_for_splash/smi.jpg
14
Elements of Bluefin

• Common backbone
• Extends the features and functions without
  redesign
• Single object model
• Implements SAN-management components
• Automated discovery system
• Not often found in current SAN architectures

15
Future Trends in Bluefin

• 2003
• Release of Bluefin 1.0 in April (Kerns, 2002)
• Simple device discovery and error management
  available
• 2005 2006
• Bluefin-complaint management policies (Goodwin,
  2002)
• 2006 2007
• Bluefin-complaint local snapshot replication
  (Goodwin, 2002)
• 2007 2009
• Acceptable industry standard and stable
  specifications

16
So What Can My Organization Do?

• Examine the current storage architecture
• Decide upon a FC or IP (or both) future
• Replace and/or complement older SCSI
• Leverage existing RAID in the new architecture
• Introduce a separate SAN within a small department

- Redundant Array of Independent Disks
17
What Else Can My Organization Do?

• Consider membership in SNIA
• Attend conference
• Request SAN standards of your choice
• Stay connected
• Watch the standards war
• Ask other customers for their ROI and TCO

Source http//www.snia.org
18

• Thank You