learn IBM SAN storage

"if any specifict situation then post complete details to support on that perticular issue..all the best"

how about 3 x Site with HA and DR solution for Oralce, DB2, sybase using SAN ?

more on topology and architecture design point of view, quick start.

usally what a person will ask you if he/she want to hire you as SAN administrator is welcome.

HA is always need very Low latency and high bandwidth ... so sites are connected with Fiber each other this is great idea..
DR solution are nice option you can go with suitable (depends up on the DB size the calculation comes in varies) bandwidth as well..

all the best

"HA is always need very Low latency and high bandwidth ."

yeah, no need across site at all. just inter-SAN, very fast of course ! so between SAN to SAN also optical fiber ?

usally what a person will ask you if he/she want to hire you as SAN administrator is welcome.

using optical fiber doesn't guarantee higher speed. Fiber is used for distance not speed.
https://store.mellanox.com/categories/interconnect/infiniband-cables.html?_bc_fsnf=1&Max+Speed%5B%5D=QDR%2FFDR10&Max+Speed%5B%5D=QDR

The main challenge in SAN-SAN replication is to have enough bandwidth (media link) for replication. Metro Mirror is generally considered a campus-level solution, where the systems are located in fairly close proximity, such as within the same city. However, the distance supported will vary based on the write intensity of the application and the network being used. In general, with adequate resources, most customers find up to a 50-kilometer distance acceptable with some customers implementing up to a 300-kilometer distance.

https://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/17534/Storage-Replication.html 
https://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/33009/Disaster-Recovery-Solution-Design.html 
https://www.ibm.com/it-infrastructure/storage/san 

"In general, with adequate resources, most customers find up to a 50-kilometer distance acceptable with some customers implementing up to a 300-kilometer distance."

still optical fibers ?

From my experience; I used Dark fiber within 5km, due to Synchronous Latency requiments 5ms max. Beware 5ms round trip latency, for synchronous replication and asynchronous replication does not have a latency recommendation.

Latency is the delay that a packet will experience on its way from source to the destination because it needs to cross through different devices when a network device is busy, the packets either must wait, be queued in a buffer or be dropped.

Synchronous remote replication is ideal for DR solutions involving critical data sources. It ensures that data at the remote site can be used at any time with minimal manual intervention, allowing instant access to remote data in a failover scenario. However, such solutions have a high-cost impact due to the requirement for low latency, high bandwidth communication link to minimise impact to host performance.

Synchronous replication has the following advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages    
• No data loss
• Support for RPO of zero
• Guaranteed in-order delivery
• Easy management of recovery process

Disadvantages
• High bandwidth requirement
• Latency will directly impact host performance
• Limited to distances

My above articles can help you understand the importance of latency, SAN concept and HA.

https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/26743236/Replicate-or-synchronize-folders-between-two-NAS-over-VPN.html#a34607086 
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/27181304/Ha-to-offsite-location.html#a36140439
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/STXKQY_5.0.4/com.ibm.spectrum.scale.v5r04.doc/bl1adv_dr.htm 
https://www.slideshare.net/andreamauroit/the-dark-side-of-stretched-cluster
https://www.ibm.com/it-infrastructure/storage 
https://www.ciscolive.com/c/dam/r/ciscolive/apjc/docs/2016/pdf/BRKDCT-2615.pdf 
https://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redbooks/pdfs/sg248072.pdf 
https://ibmsystemsmag.com/ 
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/
https://searchdisasterrecovery.techtarget.com/magazineContent/Replication-revisited
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/29101529/High-availablity-suggestions.html 
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/29101529/High-availablity-suggestions.html#a42576578 

"My above articles can help you understand the importance of latency, SAN concept and HA."

which link focus on SAN and SAN replication only ?

any information on how to failover and fallback based on SAN  and application tier in terms of DB failover ?

>>> which link focus on SAN and SAN replication only ?
https://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/17534/Storage-Replication.html 

tks,

and which one for SAN HA and DR ?

>>and which one for SAN HA and DR ?
https://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/33009/Disaster-Recovery-Solution-Design.html 

for IBM SAN, I knew it is high speed but story to me is long time ago and at the moment I know IBM has 8GBps direct connection to the SAN box and still 5GBps in case for fiber sharing,
 what is the latest picture now ?

usually how do we do backup on SAN data and how to restore it ?

madunix,

">>and which one for SAN HA and DR ?
https://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/33009/Disaster-Recovery-Solution-Design.html "


then how to setup IBM SAN replication? must be in command ? any URL ?

>>>for IBM SAN, I knew it is high speed but story to me is long time ago and at the moment I know IBM has 8GBps direct ..
I would check IBM page for latest storage, "...Typically, the data transfer speeds of fibre-channel SAN storage start at around 4 Gbps, ranging up to 128 Gbps and faster. Speed varies by vendor and the type of SAN technology infrastructure, but the very latest storage fabric can now break 200 Gbps transfer rates .." https://www.atlantic.net/what-is-a-san/

Regarding SAN solution you should look for Storage and SAN switches

SAN storage

• Minimum IOPS
• RAID
• Minimum usable disk space
• Dual redundant controller for increased fault tolerance Active-Active
• High availability with hot plug/hot-swap drives, power supplies, fans
• Replication or Active-Active-Passive stretched Cluster
• Cache
• Management Tool
• Expandable storage

 
SAN switches

• Numbers of Ports        
• Port Speed support
• Numbers of Active Ports
• Fans and power supplies        
• Dual power supply/fan modules
• Zoning, Management, Monitoring

>> usually how do we do backup on SAN data and how to restore it ?
Most SAN storages have Data Protection & Replication Ability to take snapshot, clone and volume copy, with continuous data protection, additionally data mirroring between Sites. You can use also Netbackup, EMC networker, IBM Tivoli Storage Manager ...etc

https://stonefly.com/resources/technical-education 
 

then any guide only for IBM SAN ?

"snapshot, clone and volume copy"

there that mean there are 3 x types of data backup, please briefly explain what is the difference between each other.

a good URL is welcome.

hi,

I am reading this :

https://www.slideshare.net/andreamauroit/the-dark-side-of-stretched-cluster

seems not related much on SAN and is vSAN something like IBM SVC ?

it is more on VMware replication!

and this link:

"https://www.ibmsystemsmag.com/ibmi/march09/features/24370p1.aspx" from your other post

seems can't access, any other updated URL  ?

from here you said :

"implement SAN-SAN replica using LUN copying from Prod site to DR site with high speed link."

this can make sure auto failover based on SAN level ? how about application and database tier ? please share a high level procedure you implement so far.

and in this post:

https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/27181304/Ha-to-offsite-location.html?anchorAnswerId=36140439#a36140439

you said

"dark fiber for replication between the Data Centers.
http://www.ibmsystemsmag.com/aix/storage/software/Disaster-Recovery-x-3/?ht=
"

that link is not working at all, sth missed?

"IBM got Metro Mirror (synchronous) and Global Mirror (asynchronous)."

are they SW or hardware?  is it latest IBM SAN replication solution? I think we should focus on this.


" The frequency of creating a consistency group is a tunable parameter, "

what is a consistency group?

"http://www.brocade.com/downloads/documents/awards/storage-magazine-feb-2011.pdf
Read "Replication revisited Once an expensive  option, replication is now available in many forms
and is more affordable and effective than ever." BY JACOB GSOEDL"

this article is not in here anymore, right ? or where is it please suggest.

what is SRM ? people in https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/27181304/Ha-to-offsite-location.html?anchorAnswerId=36140439#a36140439 keep talking about that DR and HA solution.

"https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/STXKQY_5.0.4/com.ibm.spectrum.scale.v5r04.doc/bl1adv_dr.htm"

when should we use disaster-resilient GPFS cluster ? related to IBM SAN ?

seems like Storage cluster ! it operate using storage quorum to operation to prevent splitbrain

from here : https://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/33009/Disaster-Recovery-Solution-Design.html

"SAN replication (B)
Stretched Cluster (C)
"

what is the technical different between SAN and Stretched cluster make Stretched Cluster better than SAN in terms of HA and DR ? Stretched cluster use Storage virtualization ?

hi,

I read this :
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/29101529/High-availablity-suggestions.html?anchorAnswerId=42576578#a42576578


The SAN Volume Controller keeps both copies of the storage in synchronization, and the cache is mirrored between both nodes. Therefore, the loss of one location causes no disruption to the alternate location

so stretched cluster = SAN volume controller ? which virtualize the whole SAN platform as one UNIT ?

>>seems not related much on SAN and is vSAN something like IBM SVC ?
http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/sg247933.html?Open 

SVC is the highest product in the StorWize portfolio, and its considered one of the enterprise products, mainly it used for virtualization (any storage device can be added behind the SVC regardless of its specs or vendor) and as caching engine with very enhanced caching algorithms. Add to that a lot of other features (compression, easy tiering, this provisioning and many others). SVC stretched cluster has a single point of management and monitoring for all SVC nodes and backend storage.

hi,

tks.

 for general SAN operation, as SAN replication do not have AUTO failover, how can I failover manually ? via IBM sc storage manager ? or SAN replicaiton can be configure for auto failover?

under what situation can SAN replication auto failover ?

"SVC stretched cluster has a single point of management and monitoring for all SVC nodes and backend storage."

so IBM SVC is stretched cluster ?

madunix,

please help to answer the rest of the question above:

e.g:

" The frequency of creating a consistency group is a tunable parameter, "

what is a consistency group?

>>>what is a consistency group?

"..
-Metro Mirror
Metro Mirror provides real-time mirroring of logical volumes between two storage system that can be located up to 300 km from each other. It is a synchronous copy solution where write operations are completed on both copies (local and remote site) before they are considered to be done.

-Global Copy
Global Copy is a nonsynchronous long-distance copy function where incremental updates are sent from the local to the remote site on a periodic basis.

-Global Mirror
Global Mirror is a long-distance remote copy function across two sites by using asynchronous technology. Global Mirror processing is designed to provide support for unlimited distance between the local and remote sites, with the distance typically limited only by the capabilities of the network and the channel extension technology.

-Metro/Global Mirror (a combination of Metro Mirror and Global Mirror)
Metro/Global Mirror is a three-site remote copy solution. It uses synchronous replication to mirror data between a local site and an intermediate site, and asynchronous replication to mirror data from an intermediate site to a remote site.

-Multiple Target PPRC
Multiple Target PPRC builds and extends the capabilities of Metro Mirror and Global Mirror. It allows data to be mirrored from a single primary site to two secondary sites simultaneously. You can define any of the sites as the primary site and then run Metro Mirror replication from the primary site to either of the other sites individually or both sites simultaneously.

..."

Check IBM Redbook (http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redpieces/abstracts/sg247521.html?Open) will give you a good idea. Also the other chapters do have usefull info.
https://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redbooks/pdfs/sg247521.pdf
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSHGBU_9.0.0/com.ibm.storage.ssic.help.doc/f2c_copysgintro_1xiohq.html
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/STSLR9_8.3.0/com.ibm.fs9100_830.doc/svc_consistencygrpovr_21pdyx.html

Consistency Groups can be used to help create a consistent point-in-time copy across multiple volumes. They are used to manage the consistency of dependent writes that are run in the application following the correct sequence.

The Global Mirror replication between the site A and the site B copy data asynchronously; which means in a random order, then the consistency group in the site B storage rearrange data with the same order/sequence as it was stored in the site A.

hi,

so Metro Mirror and Global Mirror copy full copy of DB to other size and difference is metro mirror for short distance Sync function and globla mirror is for long distance async function ?

"site A and the site B copy data asynchronously; which means in a random order"

oh async is in random order ? I thought both sync and async in right order.

so all replication parnter in Consistency Groups means all dependence writes ACROSS ALL memeber must be in right order?

so just define all SAN in a groups then that's willl be fine ? simple enought.

I am reading this :

https://www.slideshare.net/andreamauroit/the-dark-side-of-stretched-cluster

seems not related much on SAN and is vSAN something like IBM SVC ?

it is more on VMware replication!

and this link:

"https://www.ibmsystemsmag.com/ibmi/march09/features/24370p1.aspx" from your other post

seems can't access, any other updated URL  ?

from there you said :

"implement SAN-SAN replica using LUN copying from Prod site to DR site with high speed link."

this can make sure auto failover based on SAN level ? how about application and database tier ? please share a high level procedure you implement so far.

and in this post:

https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/27181304/Ha-to-offsite-location.html?anchorAnswerId=36140439#a36140439

you said

"dark fiber for replication between the Data Centers.
http://www.ibmsystemsmag.com/aix/storage/software/Disaster-Recovery-x-3/?ht=
"

that link is not working at all, sth missed?



"http://www.brocade.com/downloads/documents/awards/storage-magazine-feb-2011.pdf
Read "Replication revisited Once an expensive  option, replication is now available in many forms
and is more affordable and effective than ever." BY JACOB GSOEDL"

this article is not in here anymore, right ? or where is it please suggest.

what is SRM ? people in https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/27181304/Ha-to-offsite-location.html?anchorAnswerId=36140439#a36140439 keep talking about that DR and HA solution.

"https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/STXKQY_5.0.4/com.ibm.spectrum.scale.v5r04.doc/bl1adv_dr.htm"

when should we use disaster-resilient GPFS cluster ? related to IBM SAN ?

seems like Storage cluster ! it operate using storage quorum to operation to prevent splitbrain

from here : https://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/33009/Disaster-Recovery-Solution-Design.html

"SAN replication (B)
Stretched Cluster (C)
"

what is the technical different between SAN and Stretched cluster make Stretched Cluster better than SAN in terms of HA and DR ? Stretched cluster use Storage virtualization ?

SAN is active and passive and stretched cluster is active/active?

and when we do SAN failover as it is active passive, it can set to auto failover, right? under what situation SAN replication failover must be manual ?

and when should we use Point-in-time copy (FlashCopy)?  why need a point-in-time copy of that source volume to be copied to the associated target volume.  I think that feature is a data recovery feature.

Point-in-Time (PiT) copy is exactly what its name says: a copy of your data at a particular point in time. Check the following: Storage Area Networks for Dummies Book by Alex Nikitin and Christopher Poelker

hi,

actually what I mean is, why need this? as data is replicating anyway, why still need point in time copy?

user can't wait to see real figure so has to do point in time ?

one very important thing, anything in SAN operation need to use command ?

and what is it and what is the command ?

and in all replication case there are situation that system replicate BAD DATA To other side and I think it will also exists in SAN physical data block replication operation too, how SAN handle that ?

>>what is it and what is the command ?
They use IBM Spectrum Protect Plus is a modern data protection solution that provides near-instant recovery, replication, retention, and reuse, previously they have been using TPC for Replication (TPC-R).
https://www.ibm.com/it-infrastructure/storage/spectrum 

"e IBM Spectrum Protect Plus"

something like IBM Spectrum Virtualize V8.2.1? if not ,what is IBM Spectrum Virtualize V8.2.1 for ? to setup SVC  only ?

that one is the UI console for administrating all SAN replication task ? like setup 3 way mirror using protect plus ?

and it also can do manuall failover? IBM SAN alert for any hardware failure ? is this tools free with IBM SAN ?

BTW, what is XIV storage software then ? I keep seeing it in the Business Continuity Functions pdf.

The IBM Disk Systems portfolio is vast and covers disk storage systems and Flash Storage (EXP3XXX, DS3XXX, DS4XXX, DS5XXX, DS6XXX, DS8XXX. A9XXX, V7XXX, V9XXX and XIV).
http://www.coworthtechnologies.com/products/ibm/total-storage-disk 
https://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redbooks/pdfs/sg245250.pdf
https://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redbooks/pdfs/sg247659.pdf
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SS5R93_5.2.17/com.ibm.spectrum.sc.doc/tpc_kc_homepage.html 

hi,

 you mean this tools "IBM Spectrum Protect Plus", cover the admin and management of all IBM storage ?

Yes ... they have different types of products that are members of IBM Spectrum Storage Suite

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SS5R93_5.2.17/com.ibm.spectrum.sc.doc/prd_suite_products.html 

hi,

tks.

so what is IBM Spectrum Virturalize V8.2.1 for ?

what is the difference between IBM DS storage manager and IBM Spectrum Protect Plus and IBM Spectrum Virturalize ?

hi,

"Typically, the data transfer speeds of fibre-channel SAN storage start at around 4 Gbps, ranging up to 128 Gbps and faster. Speed varies by vendor and the type of SAN technology infrastructure, but the very latest storage fabric can now break 200 Gbps transfer rates .." https://www.atlantic.net/what-is-a-san/"

but what I meant is, what FC speed and MPLS(iscsi) speed customer in your side will use ? affordable FC speed please.


 I am also reading the PDF you sent me on volume copy and snapshot:

A volume copy is different from a snapshot because a snapshot creates a point in time copy
that is a child device of the original source volume, whereas a volume copy is a point in time
copy that is independent of its source volume. This effectively makes it similar to a traditional
volume copy, but combined with the sophisticated use of metadata that is found in XIV.
Volume copy’s main advantage over a snapshot is that it is independent and is not at risk of
being automatically deleted if pool space becomes constrained. A volume copy target can
also be in a different pool than the source. However, for temporary copies of data with low
change rates, a volume copy will most likely be less capacity efficient than using the XIV
snapshot function. This is because it effectively duplicates all the data from the source volume
at the time it is created.

'

I still do not understand the different. Why is volumn copy is independent from the source and snapshot is not ?

and what usually the most IBM SAN model business will buy ?

tks man, I attened a good class.

I found out this tools

IBM storage, flash system, 5000: low, 7000 medium, 9000 high end to replace old V5000, V7000 (virtualized, software-defined storage system designed to consolidate workloads into a single storage system )

Admin SAN: spectrum control on-premise(charge), can manage a lot of SAN.

checked with IBM, best common model for sales is 5000, 7000 and 9000, a lot of thing inside the storage is doubled so availability is 100% up time.

FC has speed up to 32Gbps now.

IBM spectrum control is to admin the storage ! IBM key management for encryption !

spectrum protect suite is for backup !

hi man,

Any operation guide on how to use the followings software to monitor/control and admin IBM SAN ?

1) spectrum protect suite
2)spectrum control
3) IBM key management software
4) IBM spectrum virtualize