News and Information on IBM’s N series

Some of you had asked to know when this was released so here it is.  Please, as always take time to read through the release notes and the admin guides to familiarize yourself with the changes.  There are new commands and some have been retired.

A couple of key things for this release:

Support for the EXN 3000 disk shelf

FCoE support

SnapMirror Compression

Port based load balancing option for multimode VIFs

There is a lots of good information in the release notes that a lot of people miss and end up calling support.  Everything in the document is linked so you can quickly move around and find things easily.

7.3.2 Release Notes

7.3.2 Publications

7.3.2 Download

There are MS Exchange admins out there that if you ask them how long does it take to recovery an Exchange server, you will see them shudder over the thought.  And those who are recovering from tape? It gets even worse.  I know there are requirements for tape and there are some that still like putting a tape in a fire proof safe just in case but lets talk about recovery.

Messaging is increasing becoming a top priority in companies around the world.  We use it to communicate latest releases, respond to clients requests, get the scores from last night.  It may not be as important as keeping the SAP database online, but its provides value that is noticed when down.

Not all recoveries are done through swinging the entire data center through the DR strategy.  There are times when we need to restore a mailbox for legal reasons or people asking for certain emails to be brought back from an errand delete.  How quick is your restore at that point?  Can you pull the data off tape quicker than someone can recreate the excel spreadsheet?

With SnapManager for Exchange, we can quickly backup and restore exchange mailboxes.  The same technology that we use for file level snapshots apply to here to a database.  We put the database into a backup mode and take a consistent snapshot of the data with out the end user noticing.  Backups can then be mirrored to another system either at a DR site or just another exchange cluster.  This allows you to have a point in time capture of the data in case you need to restore.

Restores seem to be the more of the headache for most admins.  With the snapshot restore via SnapManger for Exchange, an admin can simple choose which recovery point they want to restore from and they can have the data restore over the production or they can restore to a recovery storage post.  The restore is quick and is intuitive which also cuts down on the overall recovery time.

Here is a quick video of the backup and restore function of SnapManager for Exchange.

I have been asked about the VMware SRM tool a few times  this week and its already Tuesday.  Netapp has published a great demo on you tube that goes through the process of protecting the VMware environment.  SRM allows VMware administrators to automate and test the disaster recovery strategy.

The main question people are asking is how do we know the DR site data is going to work when we really need it.  For most customers I have suggested using the flex clone technology that allows you to clone a volume from a snapshot.  This cloned volume does not take any more space from the N series system which allows you to create multiple copies of the volume if needed.

SRM automates this process of snapmirroring the virtual machines and the creation of the cloned VMs.  Here is a great video of the tool and how it works.

For more information about SMVI, Snapmirror and flexclones, go to the IBM N series page

Event at the NYC Netapp office.  Gain perspective on the business and architectural considerations required to support an end-to-end,
virtualized data center. Learn more about how the IBM N Series Storage uniquely compliments vSphere environments. Understand how the proven technologies such as deduplication, thin provisioning and snapshot can significantly reduce the amount of storage needed in a virtual environment while enhancing performance and streamlining administration.

Sponsered by IBM, Netapp, VMware and Brocade

The Virtualized Dynamic Data Center

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

3:00 Registration
3:30 - 5:30 Virtualized Dynamic Data Center Presentation

Breakout Sessions: Cloud Computing, Brocade,
IBM System X
Wine Tasting Reception

100 Park Avenue, 13th Floor,  New York, New York -

IBM N series Release News 4 of 4

TGIF everyone! Our final installment of the IBM N series release news. I have updated you on the new generation PAM II Cards, SnapManger for Hyper V and today we will discus 10GB Ethernet/FCoE.

Consolidation is a great topic you will find lots of bloggers talking about and we mainly talk about either server consolidation with virtualization or storage consolidation with deduplication or cloning technologies. But now we have the technology to consolidate your network topology into larger pipes using 10GB ethernet.

This idea of moving from a slower network speed like 10 MB to 100MB or 100mb to 1GB has been all based on faster performance and building a bigger pipe to applications. Now that we can push 10GB there is a different idea behind the movement.

The movement comes on the heels of virtualization and ‘Doing more with less’ mentality. No longer are we looking for just faster speed, but we are looking at the cost that we can save by consolidating all of the 1GB links down into a single 10GB link.

I still think most people will recommend two 10GB links to help with high availability but why not use 1 10GB port as a primary and then a few 1GB links teamed (Vifed together) as a backup or failover. This will allow you to utilize the speed and performance with the hit of having to use two 10GB ports on your switch.

Just like the 1GB switches when they arrived on the data center scene, 10GB switches are still expensive. But if you look at history, the cost per port will start to come down after the ‘newness’ of it wears off and more and more people start adapting it as their standard.

IBM N series now supports the 10GB ethernet card with dual ports. This allows you to connect to two different switches or create a 20GB vif. The setup of the 10GB is the same as the 1 GB ehternet ports you have been using for years.

IBM N series is the first storage product (and only as of now) to support FCoE. The FCoE cards do come in two different flavors, fibre or copper ports. They are both setup as target cards and use a PCIe slot.

For more information about IBM Dynamic Infrastructure click here

IBM N series Release News 3 of 4

The past two days I have been writing about new technologies IBM released on October 20^th. There was plenty of hardware to help IBM customers to get more bang for the buck but there was also an addition the SnapManager suite; SnapManager for Hyper-V.

One of the biggest chances in the data center has been the server virtualization of the data center. This new idea of consolidating the server farm from multiple 1 U servers to a larger server hosting multiple virtual machines posed new challenges. Backup, restores, IO bottle necks; all new things we had to work through.

For many years VMWare was the main player in the virtual server game. As the virtual movement caught more traction with customers, other vendors started coming out with their own virtual products. Microsoft released their virtual product codename Viridian, with their Windows 2008 OS and named it Hyper-V.

IBM SnapManager suite allows customers to take a consistent backups of databases and Hyper-V is no different. Built on snapshot technology, SMHV takes snapshots of the VM. Some of the terms used with Hyper –V is different than VMWare but the idea is pretty much the same.

SMHV uses a group of objects called datasets. These datasets can have certain retention policies set on the dataset. The dataset is backed up collectively but can be restored individually.

There is also Snapmirror integration that helps mirror the datasets to another N series set of disks. Reporting is also a feature that is included.

If you have some time to review the SMHV product, there are a few links you should take a look at:

IBM information page on SnapManger for Hyper-V

Netapp Nuts and Bolts Blog with screen shots of SM HV

IBM Redbook on N series and Hyper-V

IBM N series Release News 2 of 4

As I noted in yesterday’s blog update, IBM has released a wealth of new hardware and software on the N series platform. This release includes the first IBM storage platform to support FCoE and 10Gb Ethernet, a new disk shelf that is 30% more capacity than older technologies in a 4 U footprint, an additional SnapManger product called SnapManager for Hyper-V and the next generation Performance Acceleration Module. The technology behind the N series is geared to help our clients meet the new paradigm shift of doing more with their storage with higher availability, quicker recovery and less cost.

Today, I wanted to update you on the new generation of Performance Acceleration Module or PAM II for short. This second generation technology is built on the predecessor of only 16GB of memory. The idea is to increase the amount of read cache by using flash-based technology instead of adding more spindles to the entire system.

Traditionally we have needed to add more disks into the spindle count to increase our IOP throughput and lower our response time from a disk subsystem. Some have changed the disk type to a solid state disk which allows faster response and higher IO throughput for the data that is only on that chip. This can get expensive for larger data sets that still require ‘Tier 1’ throughput and it only benefits the data that is stored on the chips.

A comparison study (link) was done to see what the difference was between adding more drives or adding PAM II cards. A N6060 system with 84 disks were tested with an OLTP workload which is typically both random and sequential IO. It has been described as the best method to really test performance by not only IBM but most other storage vendors. The result was it took 140 more disks to the same throughput of adding 1 TB of PAM II cache. The cost for the PAM II cards was 50% cheaper than the purchase of 140 more disks. The other cost savings was in additional power and cooling and a total savings of 30 U in the rack.

The PAM II cards are SLC NAND Flash memory instead of the older SDRAM and comes in both 256GB and 512GB sizes depending on the N series system. A total of 2TB of cache can be added to the system for improving performance. They do require a PCI-E slot so only the N 6000 and the N7000 product systems can take advantage of this new technology.

If you are looking at increasing the performance of your system and want an alternate to spinning up more disk, PAM II might be your answer. PAM II is designed to help you with read heavy workloads like OLTP databases, messaging and virtual infrastructure. If you want more information about PAM II feel free to contact your local IBM Storage rep or a IBM Business Partner.

For more information about the PAM II card, click here.

For more information about IBM Dynamic Infrastructure, click here.

IBM today announced releases for the N series platform including the first IBM Storage product to offer FCoE support. The N series platform now includes

• Performance Accelerator Module – Second Generation
• SnapManager for Hyper-V 1.0
• Fiber Channel over Ethernet
• 10Gb Ethernet support
• EXN3000 SAS Expansion Disk

Over the next 4 days, I will be writing about these technologies and how they related to the IBM Smarter Planet initiative. With these technologies, you will be able to consolidate your data center infrastructure, use less power and cooling and make your solution more efficient.

With budgets getting tighter and CIOs asking to do more with less, companies are asking IBM to help them achieve this shift in the paradigm. The IT department is being not only to provide more services at a higher availability but some are asked to be revenue centers for the company.

The new Performance Accelerator Module II (aka PAMII) is an upgrade to its smaller brother the PAM I. The new flash memory card can be added to systems (both N6000 and N7000) in 256GB and 512 GB cards. Unlike Solid State Drives that accelerate data stored on the chip, the PAM II effectively extends the buffer cache for all data. By adding memory cache to the system, it reduces the total number of IOPS the disk subsystem has to perform across the entire dataset stored in the system.

Server virtualization has become a hot topic with many companies looking to consolidate the data center footprint. Now IBM is adding to the list of SnapManager software packages support for MS Hyper-V. SMHV is built on the SnapManger product line that cut it’s teeth on Exchange and Oracle many years ago. Much like those products, SMHV allows customers to backup and recover their virtual machines within the storage protection policies set by the backup administrator. Clients that use SMHV will find it easier to rapidly provision and clone their virtual machines and the ability to recover one virtual machine if needed.

Server virtualization has been a hot topic for a few years, and people have started looking at storage virtualization/consolidation within the last year. Something that was left out was the networking in the data center. The introduction of Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) and 10Gb Ethernet is allowing companies to save more money by consolidating older 1Gb lines into one or two lines. IBM N series is the first storage system to support FCoE hardware. We are very proud to have this honor and as customers look to IBM to provide an FCoE or a 10Gb product, we have a proven product that will help consolidate their network infrastructure.

The new announcement of the EXN3000 disk shelf is part of the IBM Smarter Planet goal. With a total capacity of 48TB raw disk in a 4 U footprint, we can reduce the number of watts consumed (per TB) more than 10% per shelf. The EXN3000 can use either SAS or SATA drives in 12 or 24 drive configurations. This equates to about 30% more dense storage than the EXN2000 or EXN4000 shelves. With a higher density storage footprint, less power and cooling is required for fewer spinning disks.

These technologies allow IBM customers to meet the tightening parameters that are changing the paradigm in IT. IBM is constantly building on the proven N series platform to enhance and simplify our customer’s environment while increasing efficiency with the world’s resources. Come back tomorrow for part 2 of 4 in the week long update on the IBM N series release.

A packet is sent down the line and it comes to a fork in the channel, does it pick the right way?  Only if you tell it.

With N series active/active configurations, you can see a lun from both controllers.  This sometimes confusses people and they end up picking the wrong path to the hosting controller.  The I/O that should be going directly to the primary controller is now going through the ‘partner’ and over the interconnect.  This does increase the amount of workload each system has to put out as it handles the extra traffic.

Typically there are a few things to check when trying to diagnose the issue.

1. Identify the LUNs being accessed through the partner node’s FCP Target port.
   a. lun stats -o  (LUN STATISTICS)
2. Identify the host initiators that are performing the I/O through the partner path
   a. lun config_check -A  (LUN CONFIG CHECK)
   b. lun show -v  (LUN CONFIGURATION)
   c. igroup show -v  (INITIATOR GROUPS)
3. Identify the primary storage controller FCP target ports available for access to the LUN.
   a. fcp show cfmode  (FCP CFMODE)
   b. fcp show adapters  (FCP TARGET ADAPTERS)
4. Verify the host initiator connectivity to primary FCP target ports and the host MPIO software configuration.
5. Verify use of the partner path has ceased from both cluster nodes.
   a. sysstat -b 1

Also make sure your MPIO settings are correct and not affecting the system path.  All hosts should also be running the host utility kit provided by IBM.

With these techniques you should be able to clear up any mis-directed I/O.  As with any correction, if you are not sure please contact IBM Support at 1.800.IBM.SERV or open a service request ticket at IBM Online Support Portal

You just received your new N series system and after plugging it all up, you want to read up on how configure autosupport. Or maybe, you want to chat with others about the best way to setup a cifs share.  Whether you are an experienced user or just starting out, we have all of the information you need to get through the install, administrate the day to day activities and if needed a recovery.

I put together a list of topics / links people are always asking me to send to them.

Registration:

Your N series system has to be registered with the current information so IBM Support can contact you and you can get access the IBM Support Page. To begin this process go to the following link and start your process with the overview of this process in step 1.

https://www-947.ibm.com/systems/support/storage/register/nseriesinfo.html

Portal:

You can now customize your support page with IBM Support Portal. Here you can select your different IBM products (storage, servers, software…).

https://www-947.ibm.com/systems/support/myview/supportsite.wss/brandmain?brandind=5000029&speredirct=true

My IBM:

My IBM is where you can sign up for notifications on IBM products.

http://www.ibm.com/account/us/en/

Downloads:

To download code from IBM you have to be signed into the support site and choose Data ONAP as your storage family, then click download.

On the next screen you will click on the link at the bottom for Software Packages for registered users.

The following pages allow you to choose your product to download. If you do not see a product that you purchased on the page, contact your local account team or call 1.800. IBM.SERV for support (See below for more instructions on contacting support via phone).

Documentation:

All of the IBM documentation is based on the release of Data Ontap. The best way to get to the documentation is the through the ‘Matrix’. From the same screen you used to get the software download, click on the N series Data ONTAP Matrix link at the bottom:

From here you find release notes and publications that will assist you with every aspect of your N series system and environment.

Here is a quick link to the latest (October 12, 2009) release of publications. You will have to either be logged in or the site will prompt you to login.

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=1147&uid=ssg1S7002804

This page has tons of information that you will need for administrating and recovering your system and more. Here is a list of topics:

• Alerts
• News
• General Information
• Installation
• Data Access Protocols
• Storage Management
• Data Protection/Recovery
• Clustering
• Command References
• Autosupport and Troubleshooting

Forums:

Ask questions and chat with IBM team members about N series and other products:

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/forums/forum.jspa?forumID=846

Redbooks:

Professionally written Redbooks and Redpapers on N series and other technologies.

http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/cgi-bin/searchsite.cgi?query=n+series

A couple of suggestions:

IBM System Storage N series

Data Protection Strategies in IBM System Storage N Series

Multiprotocol Data Access with IBM System Storage N series

There are over 60 Redbooks written about N series and its software components. Need help with virtualization, Exchange, SQL, SAP? This is where you will find it.

Opening a service ticket:

Currently there are two ways to open a service ticket with IBM support; calling 1.800.IBM.SERV or through the website.

1. Calling IBM.SERV

When calling IBM.SERV you will have two options: Hardware or Software. Your warranty for break fix covers both the system and the software that was sold to you. If you are needing a part fixed or if an error is occurring with your software, you will choose option 1 for Hardware.

If you have purchased a supportline contract from your account manager, then you will be able to ask IBM any type of installation or configuration question by choosing option 2 for Software.

Typically if you do not know which option to choose, then select option 1 and our Level 1 team will transfer you to the appropriate team as needed.

As with any IBM production you will be asked for the Machine type and serial when calling. This can be found on the front bezel of the machine or in the header of your autosupport:

===== SYSCONFIG-A =====
> Data ONTAP Release 7.2.5.1: Wed Jun 25 11:01:02 PDT 2008 (IBM)
> System ID: 0101224997 (toasterA); partner ID: 01014303234 (toasterB)
> System Serial Number: 2864130990522 (toasterA)

Look for the Serial Number listing, the first four digits are your model, the next 7 digists are the serial number.

2. Through Webpage

If you wish to submit a ticket to through the IBM Support site simply click on the link in the blue box (on the right side of the page).

After answering your questions the ticket will be submitted to the IBM Support team who will call you to resolve your issue.

If for any reason you do not receive the level of support you deserve, you can always call the 1.800.IBM.SERV number and ask to speak to Duty Manger. This person will always be available and can be an advocate for you when you need someone.