Storage machine
optimizations
User manual
Team members:
Tal Ron
Hadar Mor
Elad Shmidov
Adi Littman
2
Table of Contents
1. Introduction….……….…....3
2. Installation…..….……….……3
3. Training………….……….……….4
3.1. Uploading a statistics file……….…………4
3.2. Uploading a previous graph……….…………..…….5
3.3. Computing configuration……….…….………7
3.4. Remote Mirroring Buffer……….……….8
3.5. Thin provisioning……….………9
3.6. Reading the configuration graph………..10
3.7. Reading the Remote mirroring graph……….……12
3.8. Reading the Thin Provisioning graph……….14
4. References………..………..16
4.1. Replacing the storage machine……….…16
4.1.1. Configurations optimization...………. …………...16
4.2. Improving power consumption on storage machine…16 4.2.1. Remote mirroring storage machine………16
4.2.2. Thin Provisioning……….….….17
5. Limitations………..……….….18
5.1. Software requirements………...….18
1. Introduction
Storage machines can be improved by adapting them to the company they belong to.
Different companies need different storage machines that will be customized to their usage profile of the storage machine.
This tool provided different types of storage machines optimizations. All based on counter data from storage machines.
By analyzing this counter data we can offer optimizations that are customized to a specific company.
2. Installation
There is no installation needed.
Just execute the storage.jar file and start working ☺.
4
3. Training
This tool analyzes counter data and suggests different optimizations according to the results. For more information about the optimizations see section 4 (References).
In order to compute the optimizations you must choose a statistic file first.
3.1. Uploading a statistics file
3.1.1. Choose the "Load Input File" button.
3.1.2. Choose the file you are interested in. The file must
be a CSV file (for more information: section 5,
Limitations).
3.2. Uploading a previous graph
3.2.1. Choose the "Load Previous Graph" button.
3.2.2. choose the previous computation wanted. (An INI
file with the statistics file name).
6
3.2.3. Choose the computation you are interested in from
the options and press "OK!"
The chosen computation
3.3. Computing configuration
3.3.1. Choose the "Configuration" button.
3.3.2. Insert your price, power consumptions and
performance limitations.
Choose the dates that you want the computations
to be performed on.
8
3.4. Remote Mirroring Buffer
3.4.1. Choose the "Remote Mirroring" button.
3.4.2. Choose the buffer device type: SSD or SCSI.
3.4.3. Optional: choose the buffer size. If you will keep
this field empty the computation will be performed
on different buffer sizes.
Optional field
3.5. Thin provisioning
3.5.1. Choose the "Thin Provisioning" button.
(This algorithm has no additional parameters).
10
3.6. Reading the configuration graph
Each point on the graph represents a configuration.
To view configuration data press on the configuration
point. The information will appear on the text area on the
bottom.
The information includes: how many devices from each
device type are in this configuration and the performance,
price and power consumption of this configuration.
In case of two configurations with very similar results they
will be represented in one point. In this case, when
pressing on the point both configurations data will appear
on the text area.
The X axis represents the power consumption of the
configuration.
The Y axis represents the performance of the configuration.
The Z axis represents the price of the configuration.
The graph can be rotated using the arrows.
This is the information for the red point.
There is also a possibility to view the computations in a text
form. Press on the “Text output” tab.
To save the configuration graph, press on the "save" button on
the bottom.
The graph will be saved as a "statistics-file-name.ini" file in the
same folder as the statistics file.
12
3.7. Reading the Remote mirroring graph
Each point on the graph represents the number of time
units the machine was on for a buffer size.
To view buffer size data press on the buffer size point. The
information will appear on the text area on the bottom.
The information includes: buffer size, how many time units
was the storage machine turned on and those time units
IDs.
The X axis represents the buffer size.
The Y axis represents the number of time units the storage
machine was on.
This is the information for the red point.
There is also a possibility to view the computations in a text
form. Press on the “Text output” tab.
To save the remote mirroring graph, press on the "save"
button on the bottom.
The graph will be saved as a "statistics-file-name.ini" file in
the same folder as the statistics file.
14
3.8. Reading the Thin Provisioning graph
Each point on the graph represents the performance for a
thin configuration (fewer devices on).
To view a thin configuration data press on the thin
configuration point. The information will appear on the text
area on the bottom.
The information includes: number of empty devices, the
performance for this thin configuration.
The X axis represents the number of empty devices.
The Y axis represents the performance.
This is the information for the red point.
There is also a possibility to view the computations in a text
form. Press on the “Text output” tab.
To save the thin provisioning graph, press on the "save"
button on the bottom.
The graph will be saved as a "statistics-file-name.ini" file in
the same folder as the statistics file.
16
4. References
4.1. Replacing the storage machine
4.1.1. Configurations optimization
Storage machines are contained of a big amount of devices. Currently those devices are all SCSI devices.
There are three types of devices available on the market today: SATA, SCSI and SSD. Each has its benefits and disadvantages. By combining all three types in the storage machine in a smart way we can enjoy the benefits of all three types.
This feature recommends on different devices configurations for your storage machine based on your counter data.
The devices configuration is measured in 3 parameters: its price, its power consumption and its performance.
Only configurations that are not less then the Basic Configurations (all SCSI devices) in all three parameters are displayed.
From the configurations displayed by this tool you can choose the best devices configuration for your storage needs.
4.2. Improving power consumption on storage machines
4.2.1. Remote mirroring storage machine
Remote mirroring (backup) machines are characterized in writing operations.
Accumulating the writings in a buffer and performing them collectively will allow us to keep the remote mirroring storage machine turned off for part of the time and by that to save a lot of energy.
The remote mirroring storage machine will stay off while the buffer has enough room.
When the buffer content will reach a certain size the remote
mirroring storage machine will be turned on and the content of the buffer will be written to the machine.
When the writing from the buffer to the remote mirroring storage machine will finish the remote mirroring storage machine will be turned off again.
This feature demonstrates how much time the remote mirroring storage machine can be turned off as a function of the buffer size.
4.2.2. Thin Provisioning
When buying storage machine companies tend to buy a larger machine then needed, usually for future expanding.
Because of that, storage machines may contain empty devices. Those devices consume unnecessaryenergy.
By Turning off those devices it is possible to save power consumption.
This feature demonstrate the amount of devices that are turned off (out of the empty devices) as a function of the storage machine performance in that case.
18
5. Limitations
5.1. Software requirements
Without “JRE 1.6” and “Java3D” installed on the computer the software will not work.
JRE installation:
http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp
Java3D installation:
https://java3d.dev.java.net/binary-builds.html
5.2. CSV files format
The CSV files should be in the next format: Each line contains the followed fields:
Machine name, LUN id, field type (*), number of time units, start date, end date, size of time unit and all of this LUNs values for this field in every time unit sequentially.
(*) every LUN is represented by 4 different lines.
The first line is for the value of: DA Kbytes read per sec. The second line is for the value of DA Kbytes written per sec. The 3rd line is for the value of: DA read requests per sec. The 4th line is for the value of: DA write requests per sec.
The order of the fields in one line and of the 4 lines that represents the same LUN cannot be changed!
