A large bank in the user's storage environment sets the FAStT family of disk arrays IBM, one of the devices as a busy business system services, using more than 80% of capacity, management, a lot of pressure; At the same time, other two devices the utilization of not more than 20%, frequently in idle state. How can we balance these storage resources used? The user last used the IBM SAN Volume Controller (SVC) for unified management of these devices. In this way, the bank not only protects the original investment before, but also greatly improved storage management efficiency.
This is the user program with examples of storage virtualization. Of course, when reporters asked about the user, they are not very understanding of virtualization, but virtualization actually help them solve the problem, bring them more value.
The definition of storage virtualization
Storage virtualization is often defined as: "In the storage device the storage resources to form a transparent layer of abstraction." Essentially, virtualization technology will be the logical and physical data access data access to separate, so that users can create a tremendous physical storage resources storage pool. In the pool and can create many virtual disk, but when needed, the virtual disk Youyi the form of logical storage resources are assigned to the network server. For servers and applications, all of these physical disk storage capacity of the distribution of equipment and have become completely transparent process.
Definition of virtualization: "To achieve the purpose of providing useful abstractions, but will one or more (background) services or functions with additional (front) features integrated activities. Typically, virtualization hides the complexity of some background sex, or new features to or integrated into existing back-office services. "
IDC believes that virtualization technology can be supportive of the use of software and hardware to simplify the management of complex systems, which of course include the storage system. IDC on the definition of storage virtualization is broad. Server virtualization including the ability to connect to logical volumes, logical volumes can be very flexibly connected to actual physical volumes also include re-analysis of heterogeneous storage resources, capabilities, and storage resources without considering the low-level details, such as block The actual size, also has the ability to automate storage management functions.
Reporters that the scope of storage virtualization is broad, it includes almost all aspects of storage. Specifically, storage virtualization, including where to produce, where and how to achieve the completion of such issues, Figure 1 outlines the structure of storage virtualization.
Complexity of virtual storage requirements should
In the process to meet business needs, IT managers often have to face great challenges as they manage the environment contains a variety of operating systems from multiple vendors and storage technology, there are many different applications. It is because of this complex of stores, store typically been treated as an island to Guan Li's, Zai Xu Yao extension of time simply to add a new storage subsystem, but not sufficient 发挥 现有 resource potential. This approach led to the utilization of storage resources typically only 35% to 50%. In order to truly create an efficient environment, administrators must use the various tools, using skilled techniques for large, complex and heterogeneous environment, effective management.
In addition, many businesses are facing an unprecedented long-term budgetary pressures and the amount of growth, they must find new ways to improve operational efficiency, control costs effectively. As the management cost of storage resources required to purchase these resources is three to five times, so in order to truly improve the storage efficiency, enterprises need to adopt an appropriate framework and its effective management of storage infrastructure.
Therefore, the storage administrator a range of issues facing every day: buying additional storage resources and related costs, physical space and environmental costs, will be stored into service for the implementation of the time required to manage storage allocation and cost, Storage management skills as well as in multi-vendor environment, the increasing demand for data integration. All these problems can be summed up as time, cost (resources) and space (capacity) of three basic items. With storage virtualization, time, cost and space can be better used, reflect the real commercial value.
Data Mobility, ESG, and analysis of Gartner and other leading companies have discovered that the face of storage requirements and functional complexity of the speed increase, users need storage virtualization technology to simplify storage and data resource management. The introduction of storage area network is an important first step, because it can provide connection to be shared between multiple application server storage systems. However, despite the heterogeneous SAN storage devices can be shared, but the application server still needs to be dealt with separately on each storage devices, storage systems can not be shared between different functions or capacity. The goal of storage virtualization is the multiple heterogeneous storage systems, "melting into" a public buffer pool storage resources.
Overall, storage virtualization can show three advantages.
First, the complexity of storage management is greatly reduced. Virtualized storage environment, all the storage resources logically mapped as a whole, therefore, the system administrator need only focus on management of storage space itself, all the storage management operations, such as system upgrades, change RAID levels, initialization logic volume, virtual disk creation and distribution, storage space for expansion and so much easier.
Secondly, to improve storage efficiency. Be tied mainly to eliminate the capacity of the overall utilization rate reached a higher level. Virtual Storage technology solves the waste of storage space to use it to the various decentralized systems of storage consolidation, forming a continuous addressing of the logical storage space, breaking the single physical disk's capacity limits, due to storage pool to expand automatically re-allocation of data and use of efficient snapshot technology to reduce capacity requirements, which greatly improved storage utilization.
Third, reduce the total cost of ownership and increase return on investment. The user's storage environment is evolving through a long process, many users have to face a variety of heterogeneous environments, including servers and different operating platforms from different vendors, different types of storage devices. Use of storage virtualization technologies can support the dynamic expansion of the physical disk space, so that users do not abandon the existing equipment, to protect the user's existing investment, reduce the user's total cost of ownership and increase return on investment for users.
Virtualization can be used to hide complexity and achieve new capabilities, and to promote the performance, connectivity, capacity and availability of a technology improvement, in fact, it has been used for many years. In the server with virtualization technology to allow a single physical server to form multiple logical servers. RAID is a disk storage system, to improve availability and performance of a virtual technology. In the IP and Fibre Channel networks, the introduction of a virtual LAN (VLAN) and virtual storage area network (VSAN) to improve security and usability.
Virtualization will become a necessary function
IDC storage research for John McArthur, vice president expressed the view that, today, many manufacturers are making efforts to promote storage virtualization technology, marketing it as a hot spot, but after a period of time, we would not then such publicity, the reason is that storage virtualization will soon become an essential feature storage devices, because each major vendors support this feature and, therefore, nothing worthy of showing off the.
Long-term and domestic users through the exchange of reporters found that there is the view of some users: storage virtualization will be a glorified high storage capabilities? In fact, for our Chinese customers it is no longer far away, Analysys International recently released the "China market data storage systems to monitor," the report analysis, more and more users begin to experience storage virtualization products in its storage architecture played a key role, requiring the setting up networks using virtual of equipment.
The three types of virtualization
Storage virtualization can be located at three positions: the host in the network (through the use of equipment or switch) or in the controller.
Host-based virtualization
The emergence of storage virtualization has been for some time. Initially, it is seen from the host interface, the physical target and LUN addressing abstract "volume" of the application view. This virtual class is called by a volume manager software provided (shown in Figure 2). Volume Manager snapshot provider also increased, mirroring, and replication generate additional features. Volume Manager is directly connected to the first era of development, does not support SAN. Although the replication and other functions can be completed between heterogeneous devices, but under normal circumstances, in each volume, the virtual volumes in a storage device can only be between.
Host-based storage virtualization can be more than the array of virtual disk from multiple vendors, and then presented in a way a single virtual host before. Running the same operating system can access multiple servers to share storage resources and documents, but also for applications is completely transparent to each other can be run simultaneously.
Such solution file system and disk management technology portfolio together, to ensure the implementation of all the easy management of storage resources, optimizing performance and maximum availability of basic data, not only to provide access to heterogeneous storage resources, capabilities, also critical information and applications can provide continuous access to capacity, and mixed-platform and storage environment, storage device failure protection.
Network-based virtualization
Such programs is a switch-based applications or virtualization. In the past 4-5 years, there have been many market-based SAN virtualization product. For the band, and band equipment or smart switch application was a another round of controversy. However, they do not reduce complexity, but an increase for the core of storage network layer of complexity.
Then, by the memory controller to complete the function at the network edge has been modified in order to achieve the core SAN. However, every person connected to the SAN can feel the function of resource consumption arising from the delay.
SAN of intelligence is very important. However, only in that it can access the appropriate information, it is useful. Application in the network core device or switch is not on the host application I / O whereabouts or the location of data storage system information. This information is intercepted and transmitted through the I / O and access, which broke the original I / O request integrity. However, this information can be directly used for the storage controller, it is the host I / O target recipient.
Controller-based virtualization
Controller-based virtualization, also known as "box" virtualization, which provides users with a dedicated buffer pool, these pools can be grouped into logical units. In a storage device, the box solution with the advantages of easy to configure, and advanced programs can also be achieved through communication between the controller more than the common storage virtualization devices.
Box virtualization can greatly reduce the complexity of storage deployment, enable administrators to the storage resources as a combined resource pool management, capacity management and the independent units from their original level elevated to the pool level. All of these functions are effectively simplified storage management, improve capacity utilization, and to minimize training needs.
Box virtualization architecture also eliminates other common so-called "standard capacity." Standard capacity is generally considered to be pre-assigned to a volume capacity and the capacity for future growth in demand ready. However, this box virtual elimination of the traditional demand that the volume expansion of the work has become easier, and provides a framework for a higher capacity than traditional usage.
There is also a controller-based virtualization solution is called the Network Storage Controller by IDC storage devices, which in essence is controller-based virtualization, but with the ordinary box of different virtualization, network storage controller can also be connected to it above the other storage device virtualization, so the network storage controller, also known as external controller-based virtualization platform.
Network Storage Controller to bring the connection to the SAN to be used at the same time, also supports direct-attached open systems and mainframe. As an intelligent storage controller, universal storage platform can be on the I / O source and destination information. Therefore, it is the most suitable for the network edge devices and data storage virtualization support. This program will copy the image and function of high demand such as resources shifted to the edge of the network they belong. It also avoids the increase in the network of each I / O delays.
The challenge of various programs
Host-based virtualization management software provided by the volume, despite the increase in the snapshot, mirroring, and replication and so generate additional features, functions can also be completed between heterogeneous devices, but the virtual volumes in a storage device can only be achieved The disadvantage is the need to take up host resources, and can only be located in the host volume manager to achieve, the volume manager is chosen for the host platform, and is usually embedded in the host software.
Network-based virtualization products to the vagaries of user needs to provide more comprehensive support, but failed to reduce the complexity, but an increase for the core of storage network layer of complexity, but also to every person connected to the SAN on caused by the delay caused by the consumption of resources. In addition, there have been fears, network-based virtualization solution, all configuration, management information are stored in the network device, when the network fails or the network users how to upgrade the information management will become very complicated.
The controller is based on the "box" virtualization, while having the advantage of easy to configure, but does not provide multi-layer storage buffer pool, back to the integrity and quality of service has brought new challenges, while increasing the data space partition the complexity of daily management.
Storage Controller for a lot of challenges. Network Storage controllers not fully meet user demand for the original asset-backed, while users want the network storage controller to provide a wider range of heterogeneous storage. Network Storage Controller Another major challenge is a common management infrastructure to provide all the existing storage management tools and utilities. As companies begin to evaluate their choice of tiered storage solutions, they will need to achieve synergies and automation management simple and easy to deploy management solutions.
Standards are not uniform
More important point is that, at present, the lack of storage virtualization technology is the industry standard. Since storage virtualization from software, hardware, programs based on different levels or standards to achieve, which means that the choice of a wide range of equipment. So far, many manufacturers also busy developing technology to create their own storage virtualization devices, so A company's "virtualization" and the B firms might not matter. Thus, the majority of equipment providers and industry to enhance cooperation to develop industry-accepted standards as soon as possible in order to promote the sustainable development of storage virtualization technology.
Storage virtualization solution in determining the type of when the user should be in accordance with their IT infrastructure and application requirements specific to select the appropriate program. Storage virtualization solution in the choice of the time, the user must also understand their own data flow. This is very important, as this could ensure that it meets current business needs, but also to ensure that solutions can adapt to future technological developments and the unknown future needs. In the storage virtualization technology, storage virtualization layer is to support the most critical characteristics of various types of business strategy, business strategy, rather than binding the hands and feet.
As a result of storage virtualization vendors when they realize their own way, they achieved in different ways, different functions. Therefore, we introduce the reader to storage virtualization programs, we need to introduce each of the respective companies. ■
Select the program of eight factors of virtualization
1. Have been deployed in heterogeneous enterprise storage array characteristics
2. Application of the need for access to those contained in a variety of data storage devices
3. Replace or upgrade storage resources need to maintain non-stop
4. If there are multiple hosts need to access a single data storage device
5. Technology maturity
6. Storage area network architecture has been invested in
7. The required level of security
8. The required level of scalability
D like to see Code
Simplify virtualization
○ Zhang Feng
The user's storage environment in the end how complicated? On this issue, the reporter has repeatedly mentioned in the article, but as technology advances the development, we have not seen little improvement on the contrary, users are complaining about is the increasing complexity of .
Storage virtualization technology in principle provides a lower complexity approach storage environment, allowing users to simplify the storage, where simplicity has two meanings: one is to simplify the various types of physical storage devices, through the use of storage virtualization technology, users can view only logical to have a "virtual" storage equipment; two storage devices through simplification, the management of simplification, as many complex work carried out by the virtualization, it requires the user the operation itself becomes very small.
After the realization of storage virtualization, or storage virtualization technology matures, users will achieve further storage utility computing - users store as we daily use of water, electricity as utility computing and for storage for Storage virtualization is a very basic support for technology, which is why all of the storage vendors have introduced their own reasons for storage virtualization technology.
Of course, the current storage virtualization applications from mature and still has a long way to go, the challenges faced by each type needs to take some effort to be able to resolve. Therefore, some analysts commented storage virtualization: Objectively speaking, the current storage virtualization programs each there is a clear lack of practical use can be achieved and the manufacturers are very different from propaganda. Nevertheless, the reporter believes that storage virtualization is the direction of development, we can not hope that it will in a short period of time to mature at once, after all it is a storage technology involves many difficult issues, the key is one of many manufacturers moving in this direction have made unremitting efforts, some companies virtualization product is already a sixth or seventh version, and each version had some improvements. As for the choice of virtualization users, the biggest problem is how to choose the best suited to their current program, the ability to closely integrate business and solve most of tough problems to request.
We saw the light - the user requirements in virtualization expanding, companies in the virtualization investment is increasing, and more intense competition in the market, such as storage virtualization technology rapidly mature momentum.
Program shows
■ Manufacturers: EMC
■ Programme: Invista
■ Type: Web-based band virtualization
EMC Corporation on May 16 formally announced its storage virtualization platform. The new Invista Network Storage Virtualization Solutions (formerly storage router) will use the Brocade, Cisco, and McData switches, and other leading manufacturers of intelligent storage area network switch platform to bring development to the storage structure to a good start.
EMC Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer Mark Lewis said, EMC's Invista offers customers the flexibility to implement storage virtualization. To EMC's Invista virtualization must first separate the hardware and software based on the concept. If the hardware, software, storage and applications have their own homes, storage management even more independent.
Invista will be delivered in the third quarter, the first will all necessary software and Brocade switches, or bundled with Cisco. Lewis said that this configuration at least be able to handle 64TB storage. And McData switches bundle is expected to be delivered early next year.
■ vendors: HDS
■ Programme: TagmaStore Universal Storage Platform
■ Type: Storage controller virtualization
Introduced in 2004 TagmaStore Universal Storage Platform, Hitachi makes external storage devices can be connected to the third generation all-optical switch fabric. Different from other virtualization program is designed not Hitachi application server and storage devices increase the layer of complexity. In addition, it is not in the Fibre Channel SAN, the SAN to achieve and do not rely on virtualization, so it is not limited to open systems Fibre Channel storage virtualization. It can support direct-attached Fibre Channel hosts, and through the ESCON / FICON host connectivity. In the absence of implementation of the SAN direct attached configuration, the implementation of SAN as a first step, open systems and mainframe can directly connect up to 192 Fibre Channel ports or 48 FICON ports. With the configuration of growth, can increase the SAN switches and directors in order to increase routing efficiency, the introduction of universal storage platform for more virtual ports, and has been expanded to connect external storage systems. External storage virtualization, the host connection is no longer limited to high-end storage devices. In this case, can be mapped to low-cost external Mainframe LDE ATA or Serial ATA storage devices.
Through the Universal Storage Platform, Hitachi virtualization controller is embedded into the structure, but also be extended to the external storage system, but this approach does not increase the complexity of extending the user is not restricted to specific programs, the application of a direct connection to the Universal Storage Platform in the cache image.
In addition, the program with the box is different virtualization, Hitachi virtualization solution does not require special data format. Maintain the external storage device data format. If the user wants to restore the original open system external device connections, they do not need to re-set the data format. However, the restoration of the original connection Universal Storage Platform will lose all the important features, including the use of high-speed global cache and ShadowImage system replication, TrueCopy remote replication, volume migration, and Hitachi Universal Replicator software, data retention tools.
■ vendor: HP
■ Programme: StorageWorks EVA
■ Type: Storage system-level virtualization
HP will be a virtual storage system is defined as: the physical disk capacity and the lower limit of decoupling, which allows users to host multi-vendor storage resources to create a larger pool of available. These virtual capacity pool can be configured as a virtual disk, and provides a host to any or all of the hosts. This approach allows the implementation of virtual storage technology can be used more effectively, while also simplifying management, and greatly reduces the overall cost.
HP StorageWorks EVA virtualization technology to great advantage. Because of its effectiveness in areas such as data protection and fault tolerance aspects of the standard requirements, EVA also has a variety of value-added features that can help enterprises maximize their storage environment. The technology of virtual achieve optimized performance, ease of management, improve capacity utilization, a powerful data replication tools, and a shorter building time.
HP believes that the storage system level, performance is a virtualization technology to achieve one of the most important advantages. The main reason of this performance is that it canceled the original so-called "hot drive" (optical / disk) in order to achieve true load balancing. "Hot drive" to bear the intensive I / O load, because the data access is very frequent, or just for themselves in a RAID architecture, resulting in extremely heavy workload. Virtual technology can make the data spread across multiple disks so that the improvement of dynamic performance. EVA can support a variety of different virtual disk capacity, a single storage pool and can support different RAID types. In addition, a pool of all the virtual disk capacity can be obtained from the pool of all the physical disk.
The virtual disk capacity can be dynamically expanded, and will not cause application downtime, thus greatly improving the efficiency of the system level. Virtual technology enables administrators to use EVA to monitor a volume or storage pool of capacity utilization, and when needed a way for them through dynamic allocation of additional capacity.
Distributed or referred to as a virtual disk for EVA spare capacity to provide faster reconstruction time. Because it reduces the possibility of additional disk failures. With the virtual structure, EVA will reserve capacity in the same way into a special allocation of spare "disk", but in fact this "disk" exists in multiple physical drives. Administrators can also space requirements according to availability, or to dynamically modify the reserved space and time needed to add more protection.
■ Manufacturers: IBM
■ program: IBM Virtualization Engine v2.0
■ Type: allows multiple types of virtualization
August 2005, IBM introduced a standards-based virtual platform to help customers across multiple servers, networks, and centralized storage of resources, management and optimization, IT assets to improve the economy and efficiency, reduce the (resource) utilization shortage.
IBM Virtualization Engine v2.0 platform uses open interfaces, virtualization and Web services building blocks to connect servers and storage systems. Virtual Engine v2.0 will provide part of the innovative products and features include the following aspects:
Resource dependency services (Resource Dependency Services, RDS) to provide an overall view of IT resources can be used to define and find the user, resources, applications and networks of relationships that is a critical collaboration component of treatment. This will enable the company to: automatically find the IP network resources, business process mapping to the IT resources to achieve with the IBM Tivoli Change and Configuration Management Database Interoperability and Virtualization Engine console through the topology.
Integrated Virtualization Manager (Integrated Virtual Management, IVM) system to help simplify the creation and configuration of virtual processes, you can easily connect to a browser interface, the time required for the virtual server down to a few minutes.
IBM Enterprise Workload Manager (IBM Enterprise Workload Manager) is now available in the optimization of system resources while meeting business objectives, and thus the demand for timely response to the workload. In addition, this new version also includes additional support for heterogeneous environments. The enhancements include a new version of POWER5 processor-based systems provide dynamic partition management features, easier to achieve with the system management and network load balancing with the z series of integrated functions.
IBM and NetApp announced the two companies will extend the business relationship between the powerful and strengthen cooperation in virtual technology. The focus of this work is to IBM's storage virtualization technology and full line of NetApp V-Series and FAS storage systems for the integrated solution portfolio.
In addition, IBM SVC and running by supporting Linux, IBM z series of interoperability between systems, expand IBM TotalStorage SAN Volume Controller (SVC) storage virtualization solutions such as the function. This will allow customers the opportunity to z series through the management of IBM TotalStorage SAN Volume Controller configuration, use the traditionally open environment of the store, including the ability to use SVC to support tiered storage environment.
■ Manufacturers: NetApp
■ Programme: NetApp V-Series
■ Type: Web-based in-band virtualization
NetApp V-Series product line is a NetApp gFiler product of evolution, it is a web-based solution on the different levels of heterogeneous storage arrays for storage virtualization. The product line allows the existing Fibre Channel storage area network infrastructure, the use of Data ONTAP 7G software, dynamic virtual ability to support multiple types of user commercial application set.
As with all NetApp storage devices, like, V-Series product line is running Data ONTAP microkernel operating system. This operating system can block and file storage networking paradigm united in a common architecture. It provides a full range of NetApp advanced data management capabilities for enterprise mission-critical applications and user data consolidation to achieve sound, protection and recovery capabilities.
NetApp V-Series product line businesses of all sizes to meet accessibility requirements. V-Series storage systems can be configured for simultaneous active / active access to the same group have focused on the safety of two independent systems failover capability. Through the use of multiple V-Series systems and SAN storage systems will be configured in a scalable SAN architecture, but also to achieve large-scale SAN and NAS consolidation.