IP SAN overview
What is an IP SAN?
The IP SAN is an iSCSI-based storage system. It provides a large, scalable, easily managed pool of storage. The IP SAN is the best of both worlds: the block-level abilities of a Storage Area Network (SAN), and the simplicity and cost benefits of a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device. In other words, it’s Simply Smarter™.
The IP SAN is more flexible than a traditional Fibre Channel SAN. It communicates with host application servers using the iSCSI protocol over Ethernet, rather than Fibre Channel, allowing for less costly Ethernet switches and tighter integration with an existing network.
The IP SAN connects the components by switched Ethernet connection, allowing drive capacity and Storage Controller Modules to be managed independently.
The IP SAN is the perfect solution for decentralized, growing, and dynamic storage needs. It includes a scalable number of IP-addressable Storage Controller Modules and a scalable number of IP-addressable disks, which form a logical unit called a Realm.
A Realm is an administrative domain made up of a set of designated Storage Controller Modules, Disk Enclosures, associated software and network interconnects. The Storage Controller Modules within a Realm are managed by the StorControl software as a single pool of controllers, except in cases of single-Storage Controller Module systems. The storage space provided by the Disk Enclosures within a Realm is managed by the StorControl software as a single virtual pool of storage space. The Realm is the entirety of the managed system:
each part of the system comes together to become the Realm. You manage the Realm as a single entity by managing its components.
Storage traffic moves from your Initiator to the IP SAN via an Ethernet (GigE) switch. By having a centrally-managed system, you can create easily managed volumes for your users. Here’s how it works:
Small Computer System Interface over IP (iSCSI) uses standard IP-addressable Ethernet connections for interaction between components.
The Initiator uses a standard network interface card (NIC) with a software iSCSI driver OR a hardware-based HBA with driver.
SC5500 Storage Controller Modules send requests and responses through a GigE (Ethernet) switch, handling traffic to the Initiator and the Disk Enclosure.
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Shared arrays of inexpensive disks
A modular, shared processor pool, simplifying shared storage; storage is added and removed as needed
A switched GigE Ethernet infrastructure
Unified management simplifies IP SAN administration
Both graphical and command line-based management interfaces
High availability: system-wide failover is handled automatically with minimal need for administrator intervention.
Solution Specific Configurations
Virtual volumes are configured on the Intransa Large Scale IP SAN one for Backup for NetBackup Server named “netbackup” and other named
“source1” to “source5” on NetBackup Client as a source for data operations in such a way that they will occupy the separate set of disks.
To setup the volumes follow the following steps:
Step 1: Create policy for creating the volumes
To create policy:
Logon to StorControl command line using the realm mgmt IP Create a Policy using the below
StorControl> Policy create name = NTFS-Optimized virtualDiskType
= RAID10 numberOfStripeMembers = 3 stripeElementSize = 64
Step 2: Volume Creation
Backup Volume (named “netbackup”)
Volumes can be created using graphical user interface (GUI) or by using the command line interface. Both of these methods are demonstrated one by one.
Part I: Volume Creation using CLI.
StorControl> volume create blockSize = 512b policy = NTFS-Optimised size = 100GB name=netbackup virtualDiskplacement
= new
Response: Successful
Part II: Volume Creation using GUI
Logon to StorControl GUI using the realm management IP, “admin” user and appropriate password.
Create a Volume using the below
Right click on All Volumes for popup menu
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Use iSCSI compliant naming convention for volumes Set RAID level through policy
Select correct unit for desired volume size Placement - performance versus space efficiency
512-byte block size best for most applications on Microsoft Windows platform Initialize zeros-out blocks volume is created on
Assign initiator to the Volume
Confirm new volume parameters
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Volume is created and given an iSCSI Qualified Name (IQN)
Now go to the NetBackup Server (“Rasgulla”).
Install the Microsoft iSCSI Initiator software.
Double click on the “Microsoft iSCSI Initiator” icon
Available Targets will show the assigned target status as “Inactive”
Log on to the Target.
After log on you will see the target status changed to “Connected”
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Now open the Computer Management window
Windows File System Tuning
Windows system create a 63-sector hidden are on disk to house the Master Boot Record (MBR). This cause all I/O in the file system made on the subsequent partition to be misaligned ( not on a 256KB boundary), and therefore I/O performance will suffer. By using a program called diskpar,available on the Windows Resource kit, you can alter the number of hidden block to a larger number so that the disk array I/O are aligned and better optimized.
We now have initialized basic raw disks. Query the partition information using the diskpar “i” command. (In this example, we installed the diskpar utility in a
“Windows utility” directory on the C: drive.) This indicates the disk is accessible.
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>diskpar -i 1 ---- Drive 1 Geometry Information ----
Cylinders = 13054
TracksPerCylinder = 255 SectorsPerTrack = 63 BytesPerSector = 512
DiskSize = 107372805120 (Bytes) = 102398 (MB)
End of partition information. Total existing partitions: 0 C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>diskpar -s 1
Set partition can only be done on a raw drive.
You can use Disk Manager to delete all existing partitions Are you sure drive 1 is a raw device without any partition?
(Y/N) y
---- Drive 1 Geometry Information ---- Cylinders = 13054
TracksPerCylinder = 255 SectorsPerTrack = 63 BytesPerSector = 512
DiskSize = 107372805120 (Bytes) = 102398 (MB) We are going to set the new disk partition.
All data on this drive will be lost. Continue (Y/N)? y Please specify starting offset (in sectors): 64
Please specify partition length (in MB) (Max = 102398):
102398
Done setting partition.
---- New Partition information ----
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PartitionNumber = 1 PartitionType = 7
You now should use Disk Manager to format this partition
Verify the partition information. (Notice the starting offset is 32768 and the number of hidden sectors is 64.)
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>diskpar -i 1 ---- Drive 1 Geometry Information ----
Cylinders = 13054
TracksPerCylinder = 255 SectorsPerTrack = 63 BytesPerSector = 512
DiskSize = 107372805120 (Bytes) = 102398 (MB) ---- Drive Partition 0 Information ----
StatringOffset = 32768
PartitionLength = 107372085248 HiddenSectors = 64
PartitionNumber = 1 PartitionType = 7
End of partition information. Total existing partitions: 1
Now right click on the new volume and select the following options one by one
Mark Partition as active.
Change Drive letter and Paths and select the appropriate drive letter.
Format : Format with
o Volume Label : NetBackup Volume o File System : NTFS
o Allocation unit size: Default Perform a quick format
In the similar fashion create volume “Source1” to “Source5” on the IP SAN and assign it to NetBackup Client (Jupiter)
StorControl>
StorControl> volume create blockSize = 512b policy = stripe size = 10GB name=source1 virtualDiskplacement = new
Response: Successful
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