IBM System Storage SAN Volume Controller and Storwize V7000 Best Practices and Performance Guidelines

IBM System Storage SAN Volume Controller and Storwize V7000 Best Practices and Performance Guidelines

by An Chen Jon Tate Tiago Moreira Candelaria Bastos, Jana Jamsek, Danilo Morelli Miyasiro, Antonio Rainero
Released May 2018
Publisher(s): IBM Redbooks
ISBN: 9780738443003

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Book description

Abstract

This IBM® Redbooks® publication captures several of the preferred practices and describes the performance gains that can be achieved by implementing the IBM System Storage® SAN Volume Controller and IBM Storwize® V7000 powered by IBM Spectrum Virtualize™ V8.1. These practices are based on field experience.

This book highlights configuration guidelines and preferred practices for the storage area network (SAN) topology, clustered system, back-end storage, storage pools and managed disks, volumes, remote copy services, and hosts. Then it provides performance guidelines for SAN Volume Controller, back-end storage, and applications. It explains how you can optimize disk performance with the IBM System Storage Easy Tier® function. It also provides preferred practices for monitoring, maintaining, and troubleshooting SAN Volume Controller and Storwize V7000.

This book is intended for experienced storage, SAN, and SAN Volume Controller administrators and technicians. Understanding his book requires advanced knowledge of the SAN Volume Controller and Storwize V7000 and SAN environments.

Table of contents

  1. Front cover
  2. Notices
    1. Trademarks
  3. Preface
    1. Authors
    2. Now you can become a published author, too!
    3. Comments welcome
    4. Stay connected to IBM Redbooks
  4. Summary of changes
    1. May 2018, Sixth Edition
  5. Chapter 1. Storage area network
    1. 1.1 SAN topology general guidelines
      1. 1.1.1 SAN performance and scalability
      2. 1.1.2 ISL considerations
    2. 1.2 SAN topology-specific guidelines
      1. 1.2.1 Single switch SAN Volume Controller/Storwize SANs
      2. 1.2.2 Basic core-edge topology
      3. 1.2.3 Edge-core-edge topology
      4. 1.2.4 Full mesh topology
      5. 1.2.5 IBM Spectrum Virtualize and IBM Storwize as a SAN bridge
      6. 1.2.6 Device placement
    3. 1.3 SAN Volume controller ports
      1. 1.3.1 Slots and ports identification
      2. 1.3.2 Port naming and distribution
    4. 1.4 Zoning
      1. 1.4.1 Types of zoning
      2. 1.4.2 Prezoning tips and shortcuts
      3. 1.4.3 SAN Volume Controller/Storwize internode communications zones
      4. 1.4.4 SAN Volume Controller/Storwize storage zones
      5. 1.4.5 SAN Volume Controller/Storwize host zones
      6. 1.4.6 Hot Spare Node zoning considerations
      7. 1.4.7 Zoning with multiple SAN Volume Controller/Storwize clustered systems
      8. 1.4.8 Split storage subsystem configurations
    5. 1.5 Distance extension for remote copy services
      1. 1.5.1 Optical multiplexors
      2. 1.5.2 Long-distance SFPs or XFPs
      3. 1.5.3 Fibre Channel over IP
      4. 1.5.4 SAN extension with Business Continuity configurations
      5. 1.5.5 Native IP replication
    6. 1.6 Tape and disk traffic that share the SAN
    7. 1.7 Switch interoperability
  6. Chapter 2. Back-end storage
    1. 2.1 Storage controller path selection
      1. 2.1.1 Round robin
      2. 2.1.2 MDisk group balanced and controller balanced
    2. 2.2 Considerations for DS8000 series
      1. 2.2.1 Connectivity considerations
      2. 2.2.2 Defining storage
    3. 2.3 Considerations for IBM XIV Storage System
      1. 2.3.1 Connectivity considerations
      2. 2.3.2 Host options and settings for XIV systems
      3. 2.3.3 Volume considerations
      4. 2.3.4 Additional considerations
    4. 2.4 Considerations for IBM FlashSystem A9000/A9000R
      1. 2.4.1 Connectivity considerations
      2. 2.4.2 Volume considerations
      3. 2.4.3 Additional considerations
    5. 2.5 Considerations for IBM Storwize V7000/V5000/V3700
      1. 2.5.1 Connectivity considerations
      2. 2.5.2 Defining internal storage
      3. 2.5.3 Volume considerations
    6. 2.6 Considerations for IBM FlashSystem 900
      1. 2.6.1 Connectivity considerations
      2. 2.6.2 Defining storage
      3. 2.6.3 Volume considerations
    7. 2.7 Considerations for storage subsystem compression and deduplication capability
    8. 2.8 Considerations for third-party storage with EMC VMAX and Hitachi Data Systems
  7. Chapter 3. Storage pools and managed disks
    1. 3.1 Availability considerations for storage pools
    2. 3.2 Selecting storage subsystems
    3. 3.3 Selecting the storage pool
      1. 3.3.1 Capacity planning consideration
      2. 3.3.2 Selecting the number of arrays per storage pool
      3. 3.3.3 Selecting LUN attributes
    4. 3.4 Quorum disk considerations
      1. 3.4.1 IP Quorum
      2. 3.4.2 IP Quorum requirements
    5. 3.5 Tiered storage pool
    6. 3.6 Adding MDisks to existing storage pools
      1. 3.6.1 Checking access to new MDisks
      2. 3.6.2 Persistent reserve
      3. 3.6.3 Renaming MDisks
    7. 3.7 Rebalancing extents across a storage pool
    8. 3.8 Removing MDisks from existing storage pools
      1. 3.8.1 Migrating extents from the MDisk to be deleted
      2. 3.8.2 Verifying the identity of an MDisk before removal
      3. 3.8.3 Correlating the back-end volume with the MDisk
    9. 3.9 Remapping managed MDisks
    10. 3.10 Controlling extent allocation order for volume creation
    11. 3.11 Considerations when using Encryption
      1. 3.11.1 General considerations
      2. 3.11.2 Hardware and software encryption
      3. 3.11.3 Encryption at rest with USB keys
      4. 3.11.4 Encryption at rest with key servers
  8. Chapter 4. Volumes
    1. 4.1 Overview of volumes
    2. 4.2 Guidance for creating volumes
    3. 4.3 Striped versus sequential volumes
      1. 4.3.1 Use cases of sequential volumes
    4. 4.4 Thin-provisioned volumes
      1. 4.4.1 Compressed volumes
      2. 4.4.2 Space allocation
      3. 4.4.3 Thin Provisioning considerations
      4. 4.4.4 Limits on virtual capacity of thin-provisioned volumes
    5. 4.5 Volume migration
      1. 4.5.1 Image-type to striped-type migration
      2. 4.5.2 Migrating to image-type volume
      3. 4.5.3 Migrating with volume mirroring
    6. 4.6 Preferred paths to a volume
    7. 4.7 Changing the preferred node within or across I/O groups
    8. 4.8 Volume throttling
      1. 4.8.1 Managing throttles for volumes
    9. 4.9 Volume cache mode
      1. 4.9.1 Changing the cache mode of a volume
      2. 4.9.2 Underlying controller remote copy with IBM Spectrum Virtualize and Storwize cache-disabled volumes
      3. 4.9.3 Using underlying controller FlashCopy with IBM Spectrum Virtualize and Storwize cache-disabled volumes
      4. 4.9.4 Using IBM Spectrum Virtualize or Storwize with FlashSystem
    10. 4.10 VMware Virtual Volumes
    11. 4.11 Additional considerations
      1. 4.11.1 Volume protection
      2. 4.11.2 Volume resize
  9. Chapter 5. Copy services
    1. 5.1 Introduction to copy services
      1. 5.1.1 FlashCopy
      2. 5.1.2 Metro Mirror and Global Mirror
      3. 5.1.3 Global Mirror with Change Volumes
      4. 5.1.4 Volume Mirroring function
    2. 5.2 FlashCopy
      1. 5.2.1 FlashCopy use cases
      2. 5.2.2 FlashCopy capabilities overview
      3. 5.2.3 FlashCopy functional overview
      4. 5.2.4 FlashCopy planning considerations
    3. 5.3 Remote Copy services
      1. 5.3.1 Remote copy functional overview
      2. 5.3.2 Remote Copy network planning
      3. 5.3.3 Remote Copy services planning
      4. 5.3.4 Remote Copy use cases
      5. 5.3.5 1920 error
    4. 5.4 Native IP replication
      1. 5.4.1 Native IP replication technology
      2. 5.4.2 IP partnership limitations
      3. 5.4.3 VLAN support
      4. 5.4.4 IP Compression
      5. 5.4.5 Remote copy groups
      6. 5.4.6 Supported configurations
      7. 5.4.7 Native IP replication performance consideration
    5. 5.5 Volume Mirroring
      1. 5.5.1 Read and write operations
      2. 5.5.2 Volume mirroring use cases
      3. 5.5.3 Mirrored volume components
      4. 5.5.4 Volume Mirroring synchronization options
      5. 5.5.5 Volume Mirroring performance considerations
      6. 5.5.6 Bitmap space for out-of-sync volume copies
  10. Chapter 6. Hosts
    1. 6.1 Configuration guidelines
      1. 6.1.1 Host levels and host object name
      2. 6.1.2 Host cluster
      3. 6.1.3 The number of paths
      4. 6.1.4 Host ports
      5. 6.1.5 Port masking
      6. 6.1.6 Host to I/O group mapping
      7. 6.1.7 Volume size as opposed to quantity
      8. 6.1.8 Host volume mapping
      9. 6.1.9 Server adapter layout
    2. 6.2 N-Port ID Virtualization
    3. 6.3 Host pathing
      1. 6.3.1 Multipathing Software
      2. 6.3.2 Preferred path algorithm
      3. 6.3.3 Path selection
      4. 6.3.4 Path management
      5. 6.3.5 Non-disruptive volume migration between I/O groups
    4. 6.4 I/O queues
      1. 6.4.1 Queue depths
    5. 6.5 Host clustering and reserves
      1. 6.5.1 Clearing reserves
      2. 6.5.2 IBM Spectrum Virtualize MDisk reserves
    6. 6.6 AIX hosts
      1. 6.6.1 HBA parameters for performance tuning
      2. 6.6.2 Configuring for fast fail and dynamic tracking
      3. 6.6.3 SDDPCM
    7. 6.7 Virtual I/O Server
      1. 6.7.1 Methods to identify a disk for use as a virtual SCSI disk
      2. 6.7.2 UDID method for MPIO
    8. 6.8 Windows hosts
      1. 6.8.1 Clustering and reserves
      2. 6.8.2 Tunable parameters
      3. 6.8.3 Guidelines for disk alignment using Microsoft Windows with IBM Spectrum Virtualize volumes
    9. 6.9 Linux hosts
      1. 6.9.1 Tunable parameters
    10. 6.10 Solaris hosts
      1. 6.10.1 Solaris MPxIO
      2. 6.10.2 Symantec Veritas Volume Manager
      3. 6.10.3 DMP multipathing
      4. 6.10.4 Troubleshooting configuration issues
    11. 6.11 VMware server
      1. 6.11.1 Multipathing solutions supported
      2. 6.11.2 Multipathing configuration maximums
    12. 6.12 Monitoring
      1. 6.12.1 Load measurement and stress tools
  11. Chapter 7. IBM Easy Tier function
    1. 7.1 Easy Tier
      1. 7.1.1 Easy Tier concepts
      2. 7.1.2 Four tiers Easy Tier and Read Intensive flash drive
      3. 7.1.3 SSD arrays and Flash MDisks
      4. 7.1.4 Disk tiers
      5. 7.1.5 Easy Tier process
      6. 7.1.6 Easy Tier operating modes
    2. 7.2 Easy Tier implementation considerations
      1. 7.2.1 Implementation rules
      2. 7.2.2 Limitations
      3. 7.2.3 Easy Tier settings
    3. 7.3 Monitoring tools
      1. 7.3.1 Offloading statistics
      2. 7.3.2 Interpreting the STAT tool output
      3. 7.3.3 IBM STAT Charting Utility
  12. Chapter 8. Monitoring
    1. 8.1 Generic monitoring
      1. 8.1.1 Monitoring with the GUI
      2. 8.1.2 Monitoring using quotas and alert
    2. 8.2 Performance Monitoring
      1. 8.2.1 Performance monitoring with the GUI
      2. 8.2.2 Performance monitoring with IBM Spectrum Control
      3. 8.2.3 Important metrics for debugging
      4. 8.2.4 Performance support package
    3. 8.3 Metro and Global Mirror monitoring with IBM Copy Services Manager and scripts
      1. 8.3.1 Monitoring MM and GM with scripts
    4. 8.4 Monitoring Tier1 SSD
  13. Chapter 9. Maintenance
    1. 9.1 Documenting IBM Spectrum Virtualize and SAN environment
      1. 9.1.1 Naming conventions
      2. 9.1.2 SAN fabric documentation
      3. 9.1.3 IBM Spectrum Virtualize documentation
      4. 9.1.4 Storage documentation
      5. 9.1.5 Technical support information
      6. 9.1.6 Tracking incident and change tickets
      7. 9.1.7 Automated support data collection
      8. 9.1.8 Subscribing to IBM Spectrum Virtualize support
    2. 9.2 Storage management users
    3. 9.3 Standard operating procedures
      1. 9.3.1 Allocating and deallocating volumes to hosts
      2. 9.3.2 Adding and removing hosts
    4. 9.4 IBM Spectrum Virtualize code update
      1. 9.4.1 Current and target IBM Spectrum Virtualize code level
      2. 9.4.2 IBM Spectrum Virtualize Upgrade Test Utility
      3. 9.4.3 IBM Spectrum Virtualize hardware considerations
      4. 9.4.4 Attached hosts preparation
      5. 9.4.5 Storage controllers preparation
      6. 9.4.6 SAN fabrics preparation
      7. 9.4.7 SAN components update sequence
      8. 9.4.8 IBM Spectrum Virtualize participating in Metro Mirror or Global Mirror
      9. 9.4.9 IBM Spectrum Virtualize update
      10. 9.4.10 IBM Spectrum Virtualize disk drive update
    5. 9.5 SAN modifications
      1. 9.5.1 Cross-referencing HBA WWPNs
      2. 9.5.2 Cross-referencing LUN IDs
      3. 9.5.3 HBA replacement
    6. 9.6 Hardware upgrades for IBM Spectrum Virtualize
      1. 9.6.1 Adding IBM Spectrum Virtualize nodes to an existing cluster
      2. 9.6.2 Upgrading IBM Spectrum Virtualize nodes in an existing cluster
      3. 9.6.3 Moving to a new IBM Spectrum Virtualize cluster
      4. 9.6.4 Splitting an IBM Spectrum Virtualize cluster
    7. 9.7 Adding expansion enclosures
    8. 9.8 I/O Throttling
      1. 9.8.1 General information on I/O Throttling
      2. 9.8.2 I/O Throttling on front end I/O control
      3. 9.8.3 I/O Throttling on backend I/O control
      4. 9.8.4 Overall benefits of using I/O Throttling
      5. 9.8.5 Considerations for I/O Throttling
      6. 9.8.6 Configuring I/O Throttling using the CLI
      7. 9.8.7 Configuring I/O Throttling using the GUI
  14. Chapter 10. Troubleshooting and diagnostics
    1. 10.1 Starting troubleshooting
      1. 10.1.1 Recommended actions and fix procedure
    2. 10.2 Remote Support Assistance
    3. 10.3 Common issues
      1. 10.3.1 Host problems
      2. 10.3.2 SAN events
      3. 10.3.3 Storage subsystem issues
      4. 10.3.4 Port masking issues
      5. 10.3.5 Interoperability
    4. 10.4 Collecting data and isolating the problem
      1. 10.4.1 Collecting data from IBM Spectrum Virtualize
      2. 10.4.2 SDDPCM and SDDDSM data collection
      3. 10.4.3 Additional data collection
    5. 10.5 Recovering from problems
      1. 10.5.1 Solving IBM Spectrum Virtualize events
      2. 10.5.2 Solving host problems
      3. 10.5.3 Solving SAN issues
      4. 10.5.4 Solving back-end storage issues
      5. 10.5.5 Common error recovery using IBM Spectrum Virtualize CLI
    6. 10.6 Health status during upgrade and known error
    7. 10.7 Call Home Web and Health Checker feature
      1. 10.7.1 Health Checker
  15. Chapter 11. IBM Real-time Compression
    1. 11.1 Evaluate compression savings using Comprestimator
    2. 11.2 Evaluate workload using Disk Magic
    3. 11.3 Verify available CPU resources
    4. 11.4 Configure a balanced system
    5. 11.5 Standard benchmark tools
    6. 11.6 Compression with FlashCopy
    7. 11.7 Compression with Easy Tier
    8. 11.8 Compression on the backend
    9. 11.9 Migrating generic volumes
    10. 11.10 Mixed volumes in the same MDisk group
  16. Appendix A. IBM i considerations
    1. IBM i Storage management
    2. Single-level storage
    3. IBM i response time
    4. Planning for IBM i capacity
    5. Connecting SAN Volume Controller or Storwize to IBM i
    6. Setting of attributes in VIOS
    7. Disk drives for IBM i
    8. Defining LUNs for IBM i
    9. Data layout
    10. Fibre Channel adapters in IBM i and VIOS
    11. Zoning SAN switches
    12. IBM i Multipath
    13. Boot from SAN
    14. IBM i mirroring
    15. Copy services considerations
    16. HyperSwap considerations
  17. Appendix B. Business continuity
    1. Business continuity with Stretched Cluster
    2. Business continuity with Enhanced Stretched Cluster
    3. Business continuity with HyperSwap
    4. Third site and IP quorum
    5. Comparison of business continuity solutions
  18. Appendix C. Scripting examples
    1. Secure Shell (SSH)
    2. SMI-S
    3. HTTPS and RESTful API on IBM Spectrum Control
    4. HTTPS on IBM Spectrum Virtualize
    5. Conclusions
  19. Related publications
    1. IBM Redbooks
    2. Other publications
    3. Online resources
    4. Help from IBM
  20. Back cover

Product information

  • Title: IBM System Storage SAN Volume Controller and Storwize V7000 Best Practices and Performance Guidelines
  • Author(s): An Chen Jon Tate Tiago Moreira Candelaria Bastos, Jana Jamsek, Danilo Morelli Miyasiro, Antonio Rainero
  • Release date: May 2018
  • Publisher(s): IBM Redbooks
  • ISBN: 9780738443003