Storage Virtualization Manager (SVM)

Solutions:
1. Centralized Storage Management
2. Accelerated Application Testing
3. Zero-Window Backup & Rapid Restore
4. Snapshot-Enhanced
Any-to-Any Data Mirroring
5. Non-Disruptive, Any-to-Any Data Migration
See solutions summary

Overview
Storage Virtualization is the technology that separates the logical representation of storage from the actual physical storage components. This delivers the true benefits expected from Storage Area Networks (SAN). With its innovative, “off the data path” architecture, StoreAge’s SVM™ appliance provides centrally managed storage pooling and virtual volume allocations for the entire SAN.

SVM enables independent scalability, top performance, and high availability of all SAN resources. It brings substantial improvements to managing enterprise-class storage networks, reducing administration costs and improving utilization of expensive storage resources. SVM also enables the implementation of advanced disaster recovery and back up applications.

SVM operates in a heterogeneous SAN environment, which can include servers and storage devices from various vendors. Storage can be flexibly allocated to the servers and value-added storage applications using SVM. Managed via a web-based GUI, storage can be organized into stripe sets, storage pools, and then selectively allocated to one or more servers.

The SVM appliance is connected to a Fibre Channel loop or switched fabric, and is capable of monitoring the status of physical devices connected to the SAN. The SVM manages storage off the data path, serving the volume maps to distributed virtualization agents. This design enables full utilization of SAN performance and provides superior scalability and reliability. SVM is a key enabler for advanced disaster recovery strategies and other enterprise storage applications, implemented above the virtualization layer.

Principles of Operation
The SVM provides a central point of storage management across the entire SAN without imposing a performance penalty.

By separating the control path and the handling of metadata from the data path, the SVM provides centrally managed mapping and other SAN functions while maintaining the distributed nature of servers and storage devices. This architecture enables the full bandwidth of the SAN fabric to be utilized. A variety of server platforms are supported through the installation of an SVM Agent.

The SVM Agent retrieves the volume information from the SVM appliance and allows the server to communicate directly with the physical storage devices for read/write operations.

Administrators can perform SAN monitoring and operation via SVM’s web-based GUI. This monitoring may be integrated with policy based storage management software on various servers in the SAN via SVM’s SAN Application Programming Interface (API) and Command Line Interface (CLI).

Architecture
• Single or Dual-active stand-alone SVM appliance(s), connected to one or two SAN fabrics.
• Servers are connected to the SAN with industry standard HBAs, using standard, vendor-supplied HBA drivers.
• SVM Agents in each server supporting fail-over and load balancing across multiple HBAs.
• Supports a wide variety of Fibre Channel Disk and Tape storage devices.
• Web-enabled management.

Key Benefits
SAN Management
SVM provides a central point of management for all enterprise SAN resources. The Web-enabled, intuitive GUI is accessible through a standard web browser.

Reduced TCO
Central point of management, efficient usage of storage resources, ability to purchase the most cost effective storage device when needed, reduced load on storage administrator personnel - all contribute to a significant reduction in Total Cost of Ownership of the enterprise storage system.

SAN Scalability
The Asymmetric design of SVM enables virtually limitless independent growth in terms of number of servers, storage capacity, I/O performance and bandwidth.

High Performance
With SVM, data is transferred between servers and storage resources. Striping across RAID arrays further increases total storage performance, and is especially effective in providing cost effective video solutions.

High Availability
Complete redundancy is supported by the SVM. Modifications to system configuration (e.g. add or delete servers or storage resources; create or reallocate volumes) are done on the fly without system re-boot. SVM Agent on each server supports multiple paths with automatic fail-over.

Storage Applications
The SVM provides a platform for advanced enterprise recovery, back up and other SAN-aware storage applications.

SAN Security
Only Volumes that are explicitly allocated to servers are accessible by them. Traditional zoning of SAN switches is enabled, preventing unauthorized access from servers to disks.

Policy Based Infrastructure-Ready
SVM enables 3rd party applications to automate storage pooling, volume management, and backup procedures using the SVM SAN API and CLI.

Features
Storage Pooling
SVM enables the allocation of virtual volumes from any SAN storage device to any server. Volumes can be expanded over various different mixed breed storage devices. The utilization of storage resources can be maximized with storage pooling.

The creation of several pools according to site-defined quality of Service (QoS) criteria allows uniform allocation of storage with necessary characteristics to application needs.

Striping
Striping a volume over several devices can substantially increase performance, especially with large stripe sizes -a megabyte or more- that match application I/O sizes.

Virtual Volume Management
Volumes are created from storage pools and stripe sets. Each volume can be allocated to one or more servers and is not accessible to all others.

When a volume needs to be expanded, more capacity can be added “on the fly” from one of the storage pools. Creating, expanding or deleting a volume do not require server reboot.

Central Storage Management
The SVM provides a central point for managing all storage devices connected to the SAN.

Seamless Integration into Existing SAN
The SVM can be integrated into an existing SAN. It will not affect user’s data and the administrator can select which of the physical devices will be managed via the SVM, gradually migrating legacy SANs to a fully virtualized environment, without copying the data.

Booting from the SAN
The SVM enables servers to boot from virtual volumes presented by the SVM.

Scripting and API
SVM provides SAN API and CLI, while enabling administrators to automate procedures. Users can write scripts for 3 rd party applications while accessing SVM functionality via its API.

Interoperability and Sharing
Volumes can be allocated to multiple servers, enabling storage sharing for cluster management software, SAN file systems, and shared database managers. Volumes can be reassigned from server to server without copying.

SVM Appliance Specifications
19” Rack Mountable, 1U Appliance
Two 2Gb Native fibre optic connections (2 x LC connectors)
Mouse, Keyboard & Monitor ports (Headless operation possible)
10/100 Base-T LAN port
10/100/1000 Base-T LAN port

Platforms Supported
Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, 2000, 2003
UNIX - Sun Solaris, HP-UX, IBM AIX
Linux
Novell Netware
Other – Consult Caen Engineering for more information