Cloud Storage Solutions

Let’s face it: even the most resilient, robust, and secure storage sites, located above ground or even underground, could potentially be exposed, in a certain degree, to all kinds of disasters that may temporarily or indefinitely halt the site operation. This could be an extreme weather condition or natural disaster (hurricane, tornado, earthquake, etc.), a prolonged and unplanned interruption of power supply (power grid or power station failure), an accident, act of war, cyberattack, and who knows what else – God forbid…

Enterprises that rely on non-stop, continuous, and unbreakable access to data, as well as on the ability to keep existing data integrity in parallel to on-going update/writing operations at the highest possible standards, must have disaster prevention and recovery mechanisms in place, ready to be used at any point in time.

Enterprise-class storage systems, such as IBM XIV Gen3, IBM FlashSystem A9000, and IBM FlashSystem A9000R, provide advanced site mirroring capabilities, either synchronous or asynchronous, including 3-site mirroring for XIV Gen3, and HyperSwap for FlashSystem A9000 and A9000R. These native underlying replication and high availability (HA) technologies allow these IBM storage systems to serve not only conventional hosts and clusters, but also virtual machines in VMware and Microsoft cloud environments, as well as OpenStack cloud nodes.

Virtual machines duplicates can be deployed at a secondary backup site, together with the backup storage systems to serve those sites.

• In a Microsoft Azure environment, automatic failover to the backup or primary site is natively supported by the storage system, by using Microsoft Azure Site Recovery.
• In a VMware environment, virtual machines can be recovered by using VMware Site Recovery Manager (SRM) together with the IBM Spectrum Accelerate Family Storage Replication Adapter (SRA), which also supports – starting from version 3.0.0 – HyperSwap operations.
• OpenStack high availability configurations are also supported.

For detailed information about employing HyperSwap for VMware and Microsoft environments, refer to the IBM Redpaper: ‘IBM HyperSwap for IBM FlashSystem A9000 and A9000R’. Additional data protection scenarios are described in this IBM Redpaper: ‘IBM FlashSystem A9000 and A9000R Business Continuity Solutions’.

Host connection is a vital part of any storage system deployment procedure. Basically, a host is the physical computer or virtual machine that uses storage resources of the storage system, rather than having its own local storage. Accordingly, the hosts are defined on the storage system itself, allowing for this interaction.

Only hosts that are mapped to storage volumes can access those volumes on the storage system. Also, all host I/O operations must be equitably distributed among the storage interface modules. This workload balance is ensured by the storage administrator, who also monitors and assesses it over time when host traffic patterns change.

However, the host operating systems and network protocols come in different types and vendors. This variety presents a challenge to host administrators who must configure the host properly before it can perform on-going and uninterrupted I/O operations on the storage system. This is where the IBM Storage Host Attachment Kit (HAK) comes in handy.

The HAK for the IBM Spectrum Accelerate family – namely XIV, FlashSystem A9000 and A9000R, as well as the software-defined storage (SDS) Spectrum Accelerate deployable software – provides the host administrator with all the required tools for automatic and simpler host diagnostics, configuration, and attachment to the storage system. In addition, the HAK facilitates the monitoring and management of storage volumes from the host.

The HAK can be run on Linux (RHEL or SLES), Microsoft Windows Server, or IBM AIX hosts, and uses iSCSI or Fibre Channel SANs for connecting to the storage systems. Moreover, you can forgo the host installation altogether and use the HAK as a portable package (disk-on-key version). This allows you to run its utilities from a shared network drive or a portable USB flash drive.

Once the host is attached to storage system, defined on the storage device itself, and have the storage volumes mapped to the host, you can:

• Display information about connected storage arrays and volumes.
• Configure connectivity parameters.
• Run host diagnostics.
• Gather configuration information on the host and create host profile that can then be shared with different IBM internal technical support systems.

In all, the IBM Storage Host Attachment Kit is a nifty small-footprint program, indispensable for fast and smart storage deployment. Provided free of charge, it’s available for download from the IBM Fix Central.

For information about the latest version, check IBM Knowledge Center.

It would be quite accurate to state that virtualization technology today is gaining momentum, allowing companies to lower their total cost of ownership (TCO), reduce their datacenter footprint, ensure faster server provisioning, and more. However, implementing server virtualization without accounting for the storage element could cause problems, such as uneven resource sharing, as well as degradation in performance and data integrity.

Various IBM storage systems provide virtual enterprise storage for virtual servers. Specifically, the IBM storage systems work in concert with the following VMware virtualization platforms, standards, and environments:

• VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi)
• VMware vSphere Web Client (vWC)
• VMware vSphere APIs for Storage Awareness (VASA)
• VMware vSphere Virtual Volumes (VVols)
• VMware vRealize Orchestrator (vRO)
• VMware vRealize Operations Manager (vROPs)

To leverage, manage, and centralize this entire connectivity from a single interface, the IBM Spectrum Control Base Edition (SCBE) software package enables a simplified deployment and more efficient integration of different IBM storage systems (also referred to as storage arrays) and the VMware vCloud suite.

IBM Storage with VMware vSphere Web Client (vWC)

Without SCBE, when VMware administrators run out of disk space and request more space from the storage administrators, the storage increase provisioning may take quite a long time to implement and complete. This occurs mostly because of miscellaneous enterprise “red tape” procedures and processes. Moreover, before provisioning additional storage, storage administrators must fully understand the specific needs of the VMware administrators, then find available space on the attached storage systems, create and map storage volumes, and so on.

The SCBE solution uses an abstraction layer through a storage service and pre-defined sets of storage resources (pools) and capabilities (compression, encryption, etc). The services are prepared by storage administrators and provided for VMware administrators for fast and easy self-provisioning whenever required.

IBM Storage with VMware VASA and virtual volumes (VVols)

In the traditional data storage implementations, storage administrators manage multiple VMFS-based datastores with up to 7 TB in size and without explicit indication of storage capabilities. In addition, all VM snapshot and replication procedures are performed on the ESXi server side, without leveraging much faster hardware-based storage system capabilities.

The virtual volume (VVol) approach eliminates the VM granularity by introducing a single large VVol-based datastore with dynamic definition of storage policies (services) for provisioning storage resources exactly according to application requirements.

IBM Storage with VMware vRealize Orchestrator (vRO)

With the IBM Storage Plug-in for VMware vRealize Orchestrator, VMware administrators can include storage discovery and provisioning into their workflows. The plug-in allows issuing automated workflows with storage volumes that are attached to the vRealize Orchestrator server, eliminating the need for manual storage provisioning by storage administrators.

IBM Storage with VMware vRealize Operations Manager (vROps)

Monitoring IBM storage systems without VMware vROPs is limited to information about their physical objects. When using the IBM Storage Management Pack for vROPs, the storage systems are integrated into global monitoring network at the network operations center (NOC). The systems appear on vROPs dashboards, presenting in detail all relations between storage system objects (disks, ports, volumes etc) and VMware objects (datastores and VMs).

This somewhat belated blog post is meant to clarify the past, present, and future development of the IBM Storage Driver for OpenStack. For over 4 years, ever since the OpenStack Folsom release (when Cinder was still part of Nova), IBM Storage Driver for OpenStack has been released by IBM to support the integration of IBM XIV and IBM DS8000 storage systems with OpenStack cloud environments. In parallel, the IBM SAN Volume Controller, IBM Storwize Family, and IBM FlashSystem V9000 storage systems were already included in the OpenStack community source code. Throughout this period, the IBM XIV and IBM DS8000 storage driver remained proprietary. However, as community standards called for opening the driver source code, a decision to incorporate the driver into the community code has been made.

We decided to take the dive into the open-source code in version 2.0.0 of IBM Storage Driver for OpenStack, aiming to include IBM FlashSystem A9000 and A9000R, IBM XIV, IBM Spectrum Accelerate (deployable software), and IBM DS8000 Family systems in the community source code for the OpenStack Ocata release.

The journey of opening the code has been a unique one, as most drivers start as open, and do not evolve from a closed source code. But the challenge was met, and, as we are actually nearing the next release of version 2.1.0, we can make a full use of countless benefits of any open source software. Among them are:

• Security, with multiple reviewers scanning the code, testing it, finding and fixing problems.
• Dynamic development environment, offering powerful code collaboration platforms, such as Gerrit and testing tools, such as Tox.
• Flexibility, allowing the users modify the software to fit their needs.
• Interoperability, breaking the boundaries of proprietary data formats.
• Robust support system with passionate communities of users and developers, providing excellent forums, mailing lists, wikis, documentation etc.
• Documentation available on the OpenStack website, rather than on IBM Knowledge Center.

Stay tuned for our next blog post when the community-based version 2.1.0 is released.

If you are looking for the driver’s up-to-date compatibility matrix, you can find it here.

The long and arduous road to HyperSwap is over! We are happy to announce a release of a new software version of our blazingly fast FlashSystem A9000 and A9000R. This is version 12.1, which brings HyperSwap to our storage clients. HyperSwap solution is an ingenious way of providing high availability based on active-active pairing of storage systems per volume or per consistency group. Each volume or consistency group pair uses synchronous replication to keep both systems updated at all times. When certain conditions apply, an automatic and completely transparent failover is performed, so that the applications experience no downtime. As soon as the actual failure is recovered, the pair is automatically resynchronized.

For easier integration with VMware, Linux, AIX and Windows platforms, we've upgraded these Cloud Storage Solution products:

• IBM Spectrum Accelerate Family Storage Replication Adapter, version 3.0.0 for combining VMware SRM failover capabilities with state-of-the-art HyperSwap high-availability solution.
• IBM Storage Host Attachment Kit, version 2.8.0 for hassle-free attachment of Linux, Windows Server or AIX hosts to FlashSystem A9000 and A9000R storage systems in HyperSwap relations.
• IBM Spectrum Accelerate Family Provider for Microsoft Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service, version 2.9.0 for fully automatic creation of snapshots on HyperSwapped FlashSystem A9000 and A9000R storage systems.

Upgrade now to unleash the full power of the HyperSwap disaster recovery!

Yossi Siles, a Senior Offering Manager at IBM, published this article on the new software version for our all-flash IBM FlashSystem A9000 and A9000R storage systems with IBM HyperSwap support.

You may ask: version 3.2.0 is already available so soon? Our answer: yes. Although earlier this month we released IBM Spectrum Control Base Edition version 3.1.1, version 3.2.0 is a genuine breakthrough, bringing support for the Microsoft PowerShell automation tool, in addition to our already well-established VMware cloud integration offerings. The new IBM Storage Automation Plug-in for PowerShell provides 'cmdlets' for automated storage management, including provisioning, host mapping, volume expansion, and other storage-related tasks.

For the first time, you can download the plug-in from the Microsoft PowerShell Gallery website at: https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/SpectrumControlBase-Client. For further details about this new version, including fixes and an experimental Flocker feature (might not be included in future versions), check out the IBM Spectrum Control Base Edition 3.2.0 release notes on IBM Knowledge Center at: https://ibm.biz/Bds7gK.

We are happy to announce that we have released several drivers to support the new version of the OpenStack Cinder project: Ocata. This, however, is not an ordinary release, and here's why: previously, the drivers for IBM SAN Volume Controller, IBM Storwize Family, and IBM FlashSystem V9000 storage systems were the only ones included in the OpenStack community source code. Now, this latest release is a huge step forward aimed to include IBM FlashSystem A9000 and A9000R, IBM XIV, IBM Spectrum Accelerate (deployable software), and IBM DS8000 Family systems in the community source code as well, moving from proprietary code to being fully open-source. So henceforth, the IBM Storage Driver for OpenStack is part of the OpenStack Cinder repository. Accordingly, the driver documentation has also migrated from IBM Knowledge Center to the OpenStack community website: https://docs.openstack.org/ocata/config-reference/block-storage/drivers/ibm-storage-volume-driver.html

This release was developed in accordance with the OpenStack Ocata specifications, emphasizing our continuous commitment for providing IBM storage customers with cutting-edge OpenStack capabilities. In addition to the aforementioned integration in the community source code, this driver version includes enhancements in replication functionality (also known as "cheesecake") of the supported IBM systems, as well as improvements in multipath support, and auto-selection of I/O groups for Storwize storage systems.

As always, we are here to help with deployment and operation of our OpenStack drivers. Your feedback is important to us, and we'll be happy if you let us know what you think about this milestone release.

A new version of Spectrum Control Base Edition software (3.1.1) has been released. It replaces version 3.1.0 and brings support for the IBM FlashSystem A9000 and A9000R (12.0.3) storage capacity feature. In addition, it introduces a full compatibility with the current VMware vSphere Web Client Server requirements. For details about this new version, see the Spectrum Control Base Edition release notes on IBM Knowledge Center at  https://ibm.biz/BdswcP.

Kia ora  everyone.
 
Here you have my newest IBM publication, it is called:
 
Using the IBM Spectrum Accelerate Family in VMware Environments: IBM XIV, IBM FlashSystem A9000 and IBM FlashSystem A9000R, and IBM Spectrum Accelerate

Spectrum Control Base is becoming our main weapon against Nutanix, Nexenta and others SDS vendors.
 
It allows system administrators to have a single point of view of Computing and Storage.
 
This "Receipt book" is a project from Bertrand Dufrasne, from ITSO and my participation was sponsored by my manager and mentor Eric Wong, whom I thank for supporting this initiative.
 
So, want to know more? Give me a call or download the redpaper!
 
It is available at:
https://www.redbooks.ibm.com/Redbooks.nsf/RedbookAbstracts/redp5425.html?Open

I invite you to talk to your Business Partner about Spectrum Control Base, it is NO COST for IBM storage customers, so no excuse on trying it! :P
 
PS: Don't forget to review it please! ;)

Information about supplementary storage integration solutions has been added to IBM Knowledge Center for the IBM Spectrum Accelerate Family products (FlashSystem A9000, FlashSystem A9000R, Spectrum Accelerate and XIV). It details the non-CSS software products available from IBM and independent software vendor (ISV) on the host side for storage provisioning, storage management, disaster recovery etc, and IBM storage systems supported by them.

For example, the information for IBM FlashSystem A9000 storage systems is located here.

The IBM Flash Centers of Competency has posted a very good blog about our latest SCB version

You can read the blog here

In continuation to my previous post about our YouTube channel (see below), we've just created our public list of favorite videos, which can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfTWe2jOFaY-vyXdaL0YpwFvlY3InRn4W

You can also view the official IBM channels to which we are subscribed on YouTube, and we invite you to subscribe to these channels as well:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtBAYe06sIh3jfspciGrfPw/channels?view=56&shelf_id=0

As I noted in my previous post, please feel free let us know which kind of videos you'd like to see produced and posted on our channel. Whether it's how to use Spectrum Control Base Edition, Host Attachment Kit, or any of our Cloud Storage Solutions, you can post a comment to let us know :-)  In the meantime, we're working on an introduction video for Spectrum Control Base Edition, which will focus more on why is it needed, as opposed to how to use it.

On behalf of the CSS team - thanks for your time!

To all our blog followers,

It may have slipped your radar (mostly because we haven't advertised it yet...), so we're happy to let you know about the YouTube channel of the Cloud Storage Solutions developer teams in Tel Aviv and Shanghai:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRIw6cXxi--bHnMWG45VgNw

The content of this YouTube channel is produced and brought directly by the group developers themselves, so just be aware that the videos are provided on "as-is" basis.

At this point, the channel contains videos about IBM Spectrum Accelerate Family Provider for Microsoft Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service (applies to IBM XIV, IBM Spectrum Accelerate, and IBM FlashSystem A9000 and A9000R), and about IBM Storage Support for Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service and Virtual Disk Service (applies to the Spectrum Virtualize family storage systems).

We strive for improvement and enhancement, so please feel to post your comments on any particular video, and if you would like to see videos on solutions that are not yet on the channel, please let us know.

The Cloud Storage Solutions team