Hosted by Storage Management What You Need to

Hosted by Storage Management: What You Need to Know Randy Kerns Copyright 2003 - All Rights Reserved Evaluator Group, Inc. 7720 East Belleview Avenue • Suite 210 • Greenwood Village CO 80111 Tel: (303) 221 -7867 • Fax: (303) 221 -1615 www. evaluatorgroup. com

Hosted by Agenda l Storage Management Overview l Storage Management Structure • Virtualization • SAN Management • Storage Resource Management • Management Frameworks • Application Management • Policy Management • Device Management l Workbook l Summary

Hosted by Storage Management Issues l Storage is becoming immense and strategically important l Management tools are required to intelligently manage this important asset and to better utilize IT staff talents l Included in storage management • Data management • Storage resource management • Storage network management • Device management • Virtualization management • Management of functions such as backup, capacity, and performance

Hosted by Storage Management Issues l The problem: • MANY different storage management solutions • Essentially, they do not work together • Overlap of functionality • Storage networking has greater demands § New management products for storage networking • Different terminology used by vendors § Network-centric vs. storage-centric § Attempts at “differentiation” • • Resulting confusion Overall – total possible gains from storage networking not realized

Hosted by Storage Management l What is important • Economics § Efficiencies in managing storage § Amount of storage administered § Accommodating growth § Business dynamics • Capabilities § Problem determination § Optimal operation § Provable security § Business operations

Hosted by Storage Management l How to depict storage management • Need to illustrate by what management is being done to understand overall picture • • Solutions may cover more than one market segment • Terminology may be different from different vendors Evaluator Group broke down the areas or segments to aid in understanding § A rose is a rose … • Management is from a storage professional’s perspective

Hosted by Storage Management Structure Application Management CA Unicenter, HP Open. View, IBM Tivoli, etc. Storage Resource Management Capacity usage, reporting, trending, charge-back, etc. Storage Network Management SAN topology, discovery, etc. Virtualization Logical representation of physical devices Device Management of individual devices Policy Management Framework Rules-based automated actions Manage applications rather than devices

Hosted by Storage Management l Integration of management software • Necessary to provide complete management coverage • Avoid duplication of capabilities • Single management philosophy – avoid conflicts • Simplify training – reduce opportunity for human error • Minimize administration of tools § Updates / advances • • Allows new tools to be seamlessly added Overall – greatest economic gain

Hosted by Storage Management l Integration possibilities • Single vendor • • § Lock in - prices § May limit new exploitation of new advances Consortium with shared APIs or new standard § Software can “cooperate” § Some vendor’s software can work with certain others § Another matrix of interoperability Repository based

Hosted by CIM, Bluefin and SMI l General computer system management: • Common Information Model (CIM) is the language and • • • methodology for describing management data Extends the existing instrumentation and management standards (SNMP, DMI, CMIP, etc. ) Works in the context of Web Based Enterprise Management (WBEM) Currently includes models for systems, applications, networks (LAN) and devices l Storage-specific management • Storage Management Initiative (SMI) • • to develop a complete storage management standard using CIM & WBEM technology Bluefin is the CIM SAN specification and is now included within SMI SNIA goal: “All storage managed by the SMI Interface in 2005”

Hosted by Common Information Model for Storage l First version – Industry standard interfaces for: • Disk arrays • Tape devices • FC HBAs • FC Switches • Host resources • Virtual LUNs • Copy functions l Futures • Policy functions • Filesystem functions • NAS, i. SCSI, Infiniband • More virtualization functions * CIMOM: CIM Object Manager

Hosted by CIM Today and Tomorrow l CIM Providers present device data to management applications l CIM Clients are the management applications that receive CIM data l As of late 2002, functional prototypes available: • Providers: Brocade, Crossroads, EMC, HP, Hitachi/HDS, IBM, In. Range, • LSI Logic, Network Appliance, Qlogic, Quantum, Sun, VERITAS Clients: App. IQ, BMC Software, Brocade, Computer Associates, EMC (Prisa), HP, IBM (Tivoli), Inter. SAN, Mc. DATA (SANavigator), Sun, VERITAS l CIM and SMI are work-in-progress, and are not complete yet l New hardware is expected to be CIM-enabled l Some older hardware will not be CIM-enabled… • May use a proxy agent that uses SNMP or other protocol l Expect production versions of CIM-enabled devices and applications to appear over time

Hosted by Storage Management l Repository is a database • Contains information • • about storage network Includes device information May contain policy control information l Many vendors using databases • No standard or • “standard in practice” so far from storage management software vendors Provides the greatest opportunity for management software to work together integrate

Hosted by Management Segments Examination of Each Segment

Hosted by Virtualization Management Framework Storage Resource Management Storage Network Management Virtualization Device Management Policy Management Application Management

Hosted by Storage Virtualization l Breaks the relationship between server operating system and physical storage • Deal with storage as an abstraction (virtualization) l Allows or aids significantly certain functionality • Provisioning of storage (LUN expansion, creation, etc. ) • Treatment of all storage (from heterogeneous storage • • devices) with the same management tools Advanced functions such as point-in-time copy, duplication, remote copy, etc. Performance distribution of data on logical units based on policy l Will be the main element in allowing administration of significantly more storage • Estimates range from 4 to 40 times

Hosted by Describing Storage Virtualization l Abstraction of storage l “Key” word now used in many contexts • NAS – presenting single image across multiple NAS devices • Storage system – dynamic virtualization of logical volumes (LUNs) across physical storage devices • SAN Fabric – dynamic virtualization across domain of storage systems, typically heterogeneous • Server software – map physical storage to logical representations within control of that server • Virtual tape – multiple tape images with consolidation onto fewer tape cartridges • Management techniques – manage LUNs with indirection and grouping

Hosted by Storage Virtualization l For this discussion: • Virtualization is abstraction of storage represented to servers for data processing • Specific to storage networking § Including all elements • • • Considers both LUN and file system based storage Focused on disk storage Static or algorithmic mapping is not included in our definition of storage virtualization l Consideration is where virtualization is performed and how it is done

Hosted by Storage Virtualization – Server Level Virtualization – Fabric Level Virtualization – Storage Level

Hosted by Virtualization Categories l Location • Server • Fabric Level § Switch § Asymmetric (Metadata Server) – out of the data path § Symmetric (SAN Storage Manager) in the data path • Storage System l Types • File system based • LUN based

Hosted by Storage Virtualization – Server Level VERITAS SANpoint + Volume Manager HPQ VR Virtualization – Fabric Level Symmetric Data. Core SANsymphony, HP CASA, Falcon. Stor IPStor, IBM Lodestone, VERITAS Serv. Point SAN, HP Versa. Stor, Data. Direct Networks. Stone. Fly Asymmetric Store. Age, True. SAN, IBM Storage Tank, VERITAS Virtualization – Storage Level Storage. Tek SVA, HPQ EVA, 3 Par

Hosted by Economic Value l Drive down administrative cost • Storage administrator manage more storage § Multiplier to amount § Component of TCO § Compelling number • Deal with storage as abstraction § Reduces training - opportunity for error § Allow policy automation l Accommodate growth of storage • Business limiter l Increase utilization of storage resources l Address shortage of skilled IT workers

Hosted by Types of Virtualization Broken down to categories by Evaluator Group 1. 2. 3. 4. Asymmetric - Metadata Server Symmetric – § SAN Storage Manager § Switch based Server based Storage System

Hosted by Asymmetric - Metadata Server l Separation of metadata and user data via “Redirector” l Abstraction of storage (virtualization) called “asymmetrical pooling” l Typically wide “span” of virtualization l Can be file or LUN virtualization l Implemented via redirector or volume driver / special HBA

Hosted by Symmetric - SAN Storage Manager l Abstraction of storage (virtualization) called “symmetrical pooling” l All I/O requests go through storage manager • similar to high-function cache disk controller • LUN “images” presented to attached servers l SAN storage managers have “domains” of storage they control l Scaling by adding multiple storage managers

Hosted by Symmetric – Switch Based l Also can use “special purpose hardware” – called an intelligent switch l Frame cracking • Maps to new LUN and address • Doesn’t require target mode • emulation Specialized hardware with advanced software added on processor blade l Can be used without fabric switch (SAN-in-a-box implementation) l Mapping controls either in switch processor blade or separate appliance

Hosted by Server l Distributed approach • Software on each server • Layer in program stack l Examples: • VERITAS SANpoint with Volume Manager • HPQ Virtual Replicator l Hardware independent • Target to be operating system independent

Hosted by Storage System l Virtualization done internal to storage system • Allows dynamic creation / deletion of LUNs / volumes • Advanced features added § Based on virtualization § PIT copy, over commit of space § Value in reduced admin costs l PROPRIETARY solution • Custom hardware, embedded code • Operational changes typically required • Smaller domain virtualization

Hosted by Virtualization Summary

Hosted by Also called SAN management Storage Network Management Framework Storage Resource Management Storage Network Management Virtualization Device Management Policy Management Application Management

Hosted by Storage Network Management l Management of the storage network • Discovery • Topology visualization • Performance reporting and management • Storage network configuration management • Controlling of data movement § Remote copy § 3 rd party copy § Migration § Workload balancing l May include device management and other management functions

Hosted by Topology Discovery l Kinds of SAN Devices to Discover • Disk and tape devices • • • § Logical Unit Numbers (LUNs) Switches and Directors Routers and Bridges Host Bus Adapters (HBAs) Servers Paths between devices on SAN l Each FC port or device has unique World Wide Name • Each manufacturer is assigned a specific range of WWNs l Each IP device has unique MAC address

Hosted by Discovery Methods l In-band (Fibre-channel) • Various MIBs Clients LAN (Management Information Base) • • • Ethernet Servers Various APIs Official standards Standards-in-practice SAN switch SAN l Out-of-band (Ethernet) • SNMP • Vendor-specific (agents, etc. ) JBOD Disk array ATL

Hosted by Topology Management l SAN discovery can be performed by: • Servers • Switches l When discovery is performed • Full discovery is usually performed: § At initialization of discovery manager § Periodically (default time period usually customizable) • Incremental discovery is usually performed: § SAN component changes status § SAN component is added or removed • A database or repository is created

Hosted by Topology Management l Various solutions include some or all of: • Discovery • Topology views • Alerting (email, pager, console, SNMP) • Logical device grouping • Reporting • Performance analysis • Policy-based management • Equipment inventory l Pricing models • By server • By storage capacity • By SAN switch ports

Hosted by Storage Network Management l Requires information about network to be maintained • Repository of data usually in a database • Discovery fills in the information • Database is key to management tools § Interoperating § Using same base of information § Avoiding conflicts l Need APIs for integration with other management tools • Integrity of access • Coordination of information

Hosted by Storage Network Management l Issue is where SAN management is done • Computing element at the Fabric level § Combined with other function such as virtualization – Combined SAN Management § Separate computing element – SAN Management Appliance • Distributed with a separate framework as a launch vehicle on a designated management system • Distributed across each server with cooperating software l Different economic value and different operational characteristics for each l Issue with integration with other management

Hosted by Storage Network Management Vendor Solution BMC Patrol Storage Network Manager Computer Associates Bright. Stor SAN Manager Creek. Path AIM Suite EMC SAN Manager EMC Visual. SAN Network Manager Fujitsu Softek SANView HP Open. View Storage Node Manager Inter. SAN Path. Line Mc. DATA SANavigator Netreon SANexec Manager Sun Stor. Edge Enterprise Storage Manager Tivoli SAN Manager True. SAN Cloud. Break VERITAS SANpoint Control

Hosted by Storage Resource Management Framework Storage Resource Management Storage Network Management Virtualization Device Management Policy Management Application Management

Hosted by Storage Resource Management (SRM) l Central view of storage resources and their usage l Measure and report storage • Resource availability, capacity, consumption, cost and performance • • Activity by user, file, server, application Capacity and consumption trends § Better usage of existing storage § Forecasting future storage purchases l Leverages skills of existing administrators l Manage business aspects of enterprise data storage

Hosted by Storage Resource Management (SRM) l SRM software can be both active and passive management Active Passive Provisioning Monitoring Business Continuance Reporting Backup Remote Copy Database Management Integration Link to Database Mgt

Hosted by Levels of SRM - Passive l Asset management – tracking physical storage assets l Capacity management – real-time and historical usage l Charge-back – for billing purposes, requires other SRM data l Configuration management – configuration of hardware & software l Event management – alerting and logging l Media management – tracking removable media l Performance analysis – real-time and historical l Quota / space management – tracking usage by user

Hosted by Levels of SRM - Active l Capacity management – provisioning based on policies l Event management – taking based events and established policies l Business continuity management • Backup and restore • Remote copies for disaster tolerance l Migration – moving data from one location to another l Performance management – taking actions based on Qo. S policies l Life-cycle data management – rules and schedules for media, files, record retention, etc.

Hosted by Types of Data Typically Provided l Percent of storage capacity consumed by server l Capacity of storage consumed by file type (MP 3, etc. ) l “Vulnerable” files – no backup copy l “Wasted Space” – duplicate files l “Obsolete” files – not accessed in certain time period l “Orphan” files – creator of files no longer with company l Capacity growth trends by server, file system, user, etc. l Storage performance trends l One time and regularly scheduled reports l Some can examine application data (Oracle, Exchange)

Hosted by SRM Solutions by Operating System AIX HP-UX Linu x Astrum BMC PATROL C. A. Bright. Stor SRM Creek. Path AIM Suite EMC Storage. Scope HP Open. View SAM IBM Tivoli SRM Inter. SAN Pathline Storability Sun Stor. Edge Resource Mgmt Mainframe Win NT/2000 Win XP Other • Solaris True. SAN Cloudbreak VERITAS SANPoint Control Netware can manage Tru 64 • new acquisition • limited •

Hosted by SRM Directions l Storage Management software maturing towards: • Central package for all storage management • • functions, feeding larger system management framework Cross-platform (operating system) Intelligent policies and integration help take application and business oriented actions l Storage Management software will be completely hardware independent, and will outlive storage hardware choices l Tools moving from high concentration in the mainframe market towards even split with distributed systems

Hosted by Life-Cycle Data Management l Data Life and Location • Defined time periods for creation, backup, retention and deletion of data • Move data to more appropriate storage based on defined criteria l Data Security • Integrity of data • Prevent inadvertent or malicious changes • Maintain data confidentiality • Audit who has accessed data and what changes (if any) were made

Hosted by Business Continuance Management l Backup / Restore • Many reasons for backup/restore management • Management from a variety of environments • Automation • Other issues § Point-in-time copy integration § Security for backed up data – encryption ? § Full volume vs. incremental – time to restore § Two stage backups – to disk and archive to tape

Hosted by Business Continuance Management l Remote copy • Business critical issue – may be legally required • Needs specific management – complex task • • § Automation § Monitoring May be a variety of technologies employed § Based on issues of cost, distance, business requirements Management controls § Typically software at a workstation/server to control hardware or software remote copy § Needs to have volume controls (enable/disable, etc. ) § Needs to have “visibility” to remote systems § Integration with application recovery, databases, and other disaster recovery options

Hosted by Capacity Management l Reasons for Capacity Management • Continue operations – not run out of capacity resource and maximize resource utilization • • Project needs based on trends / new requirements Control (and charge) allocation of storage for individuals / groups / applications § Monitoring based on consumption l Typically uses SRM tools • Operate from workstation / server • Data collected from various sources • Reports / graphs based on changes over time l Automatic provisioning of storage based on criteria • Includes LUN expansion

Hosted by Performance Management l Performance management operation • Usually from workstation/server with point tools to gather • • • specific information from various sources Project trends for decisions on future acquisitions or changes Measure to monitor Service Level Agreement adherence Management depends on data gathered – “If you can’t monitor it, you can’t manage it” l Performance issues • Correlation of events from different components • Heterogeneous devices and systems § Must report the same information (no “transparent” devices) l Automation • Policies to automate actions based on exception/conditions

Hosted by Database Management Integration l Often an optional component to SRM solution l Not designed to replace complete database administrator tools provided by the database vendor, but to provide storage usage information for storage administrators l Monitor size and usage of database specific items such as database instances, tablespaces, datafiles, segments, extents and redo logs l Collect data on storage space consumption and availability, block size, I/O activity, backup status, owner information, free space on raw devices, etc. l May be available for Oracle, Sybase, SQL Server, etc. l Currently a maturing area, not all products support all versions of the database applications

Hosted by Email Application Integration l Often an optional component to SRM solution l Not designed to replace complete email administrator tools provided by the email application vendor, but to provide storage usage information for storage administrators l Monitor capacity and utilization of email storage objects such as server store, folders, public and private mailboxes, etc. l May be able to identify stale messages, dormant mailboxes, etc. l May have linkage to backup products l May be available for specific versions of MS Exchange, Lotus Notes, etc. l Currently a maturing area, not all products support all versions of the email applications

Hosted by Management Framework Storage Resource Management Storage Network Management Virtualization Device Management Policy Management Application Management

Hosted by Management Framework l Frameworks for Enterprise IT management • BMC Patrol • CA Unicenter • HP Open. View • Tivoli Enterprise Storage l These frameworks are now beginning to add storage management features – at varying maturity levels l Other (competing) storage management solutions feed these frameworks with storagerelated data l Frameworks allow administrative staff one look and feel to systems management, reducing training and administrative costs across disparate operating systems

Hosted by Application Management Framework Storage Resource Management Storage Network Management Virtualization Device Management Policy Management Application Management

Hosted by Application Management l Manage applications rather than devices • Group all files, servers, storage and related devices into application group • Monitor status of application and all its associated resources • • Example: Payroll application • Moves toward business management rather than computer device management Allows user to answer the question: “Did a particular event affect the payroll application? ”

Hosted by Application Management l Integration with specific application management (eg – Oracle, Exchange, SAP, etc. ) • Work seamlessly or as an exception? • Use APIs with other tools • Sets priorities / policies for other actions § Capacity § Performance § Reporting l How is association between application and data accomplished is major issue

Hosted by Policy Management Framework Storage Resource Management Storage Network Management Virtualization Device Management Policy Management Application Management

Hosted by Policy Management l Rules-based automated actions • Regular schedule • • § Backup § Data collection § Generate reports Events or thresholds § Send alerts (email, pager, etc. ) § Execute external programs or scripts (with passed parameters) § Provision additional storage § Extend file systems § Grow databases § Migrate data Pre-defined or canned policies § Customizable policies § “Best Practices”

Hosted by Policy Management l Issues for policy management – • Does each storage management segment need a separate set of policies? • Can an overall policy drive each different storage management software function? • • Is there an overall policy engine? Will this be coordinated between vendors?

Hosted by Device Management Framework Storage Resource Management Storage Network Management Virtualization Device Management Policy Management Application Management

Hosted by Device Management l Included in device management: • Configuration • Monitoring l n § Error alerts § Status § Performance information § Historical information • • • Maintenance / service All devices have special management software n l Some vendors supply device management aggregation n Diagnosis Security Some can be managed by other management software using vendor APIs Must be able to be managed n Manage multiple device of same type (from same vendor) as single entity Degree of aggregation varies considerably

Hosted by Device Management l Switches / Directors • Configuration § Passwords for access § State change notification actions § ISL and trunking § Port configuration controls § Grouping of elements into management domains § Firmware download and activation § IP address for out-ofband management § SNMP settings § Switch name n Security Zoning – hard and soft u Trusted switches – digital certification for switch to switch connection u Secure communication – encrypting of control information u Management access controls – restrict access to IP address, device ports, WWN’s, management domains u Port binding – access control lists for secure fabric to storage connection to prevent spoofing u Frame filtering – per LUN, WWN, port ID u

Hosted by Device Management l Storage systems • Configuration § Define logical devices – capacity, RAID level, groups § Define controller images – address, name § Configure host ports § Specify host systems – identity and allegiance to devices § Add volumes, remove volumes, reassign volumes to servers § Establish communications – IP addresses, user Ids, passwords § Download and activate code § Establish remote copy and point-in-time copy controls n Security Establish authorization levels for users u Set up LUN masking u n Monitoring Error logs u Device status u Configuration information u Performance data u n Other Licensed code management u Remote copy and point-intime copy activities u

Hosted by Device Management l Host bus adapters • Configuration § Driver software § HBA firmware § LUN management • Monitoring § Error reporting and status § Performance • Companion failover and load balancing software

Hosted by Device Management l Virtualization devices • Configuration § Planning for alternate paths from server, cluster path access, dual paths to storage systems § Create virtualized volumes – size (or dynamic) and attributes based on storage used § Identify and add application servers – assign virtual volumes and priorities § Set up caching controls and options if applicable § Define storage domains with servers and storage § Set up management console – IP address, users, passwords § Optional features (eg. Remote copy, local device mirrors, 3 rd party copy) § Add / remove physical storage § Maintenance and service – replacing elements in a SAN § Download and activate code

Hosted by Device Management l Virtualization devices • Security § Set up user privileges by storage domain § Password access • Monitoring § Events and history § Status § Inventory of components (storage, switches, etc. ) § Performance data – I/O’s (read/writes/host channel /storage system), data rates, cache usage, response times • Other § Licensed code management § Feature activities (remote copies, etc. )

Hosted by Device Management l Others • Need to be managed in same manner as other devices • A “transparent” device is not manageable by storage professional – dangerous • • • A device managed by a different group has risks Device needs to log in to fabric Examples: § FCIP switches § i. SCSI devices § i. FCP devices

Hosted by Summary l Storage management for storage networking is in early stages • Integration very limited now • Full value can’t be realized yet • Will be coalescing l Still economic gains to be made • Compelling economics • Will continue to improve l Customers must choose carefully • Roadmap or dead end? • Long term support, enhancements • Interoperability is key