The IBM ProtecTIER(R) offering is a high performance, high capacity, disk-based data storage system. It uses patented data deduplication technology to efficiently store data to disk arrays.
There are several types of hardware solutions that support the IBM ProtecTIER management solution:
The IBM System Storage TS7650 ProtecTIER Deduplication Appliance product is a self-contained virtualization solution that includes disk storage repository. It is a turnkey solution that includes preconfigured LUNs and a preconfigured repository, and ProtecTIER servers, in the same frame.
The IBM System Storage TS7650G ProtecTIER Deduplication Gateway product does not include a disk storage repository, allowing you to choose from a variety of storage options. It is assembled at your site, and the storage is sold, installed, and supported separately.
The IBM System Storage TS7680 ProtecTIER Deduplication Gateway for System z product attaches to storage that is sold, installed, and supported separately, but all the non-storage components are installed in a single, preconfigured frame.
This e-Learning module provides a general overview of the ProtecTIER system and how to begin using the management interface.
In this e-Learning module, you will learn how data flows through the system and how to use the ProtecTIER Manager interface to perform everyday storage administration tasks. First, let us look at the components of a ProtecTIER system.
We begin with a ProtecTIER server, also known as a node. A ProtecTIER cluster can have a one or two nodes. The server that runs a backup application, and a disk array, are connected to one of the nodes over a Fire Channel network. This diagram represents a gateway configuration. Other configurations might include the server and disk array in the same frame or as part of the same unit. The ProtecTIER node is managed by ProtecTIER Manager software, which runs on a management console that is connected over a TCP/IP network to the node.
This software can incorporate ProtecTIER Virtual Tape, which emulates a traditional tape library. The virtual tape library includes virtual tape drives, virtual cartridges and slots, and a virtual robot that moves virtual cartridges between virtual slots and drives. In this way, the backup application perceives that the data is being stored on tape cartridges while the data is actually stored on one or more disk arrays.
As an alternative to emulating a tape library, the ProtecTIER product also supports OpenStorage technology, which can emulate a storage server. An OpenStorage plug-in, installed on a backup server, enables communication between a NetBackup application and the ProtecTIER server. The ProtecTIER Manager application is used to emulate a storage server on the ProtecTIER appliance. The storage server, or STS, contains logical storage units, or LSUs.
A third technology that is supported by ProtecTIER is File System Interface, or FSI. FSI provides shared access to files using a Common Internet File System, or CIFS, and a Network File System, or NFS. A file system and a CIFS or NFS share can be set up using several different types of authentication mechanisms. In a CIFS or NFS share, you can perform file operations such as read, write, create, delete, and rename, except the files are not on the local computer and are actually stored on a remote ProtecTIER storage system.
Let us look at an example of how data flows through a ProtecTIER system. One of your users creates an email and wants to back it up.
The backup application contains a database of user data files and their mappings into LSUs or virtual tape cartridges. This virtual location maps to an actual location within the repository. This repository is a logical entity that stores data on disk arrays. To maximize performance, the data within a single user file is spread across all disk drives in the repository.
For more information, see the other e-Learning modules about the virtual tape library, OpenStorage systems, and the File System Interface.
Now, what happens when the first user forwards that email to someone else, who forwards it on again, and again, and all email recipients want to back up every new email? Instead of storing the duplicate sections of the emails, the ProtecTIER system employs a data-deduplication technology called HyperFactor(R) to detect recurring data at the sub-object level, and merge it into a single instance, saving disk space without sacrificing performance or availability. The duplicate data is stored once, but can easily be accessed by any of the users in this example. Note that if you have more dynamic data, your deduplication ratios will be lower.
The IBM ProtecTIER system also offers replication capabilities, allowing administrators to copy data among one or more local and remote repositories that are part of the same replication grid. And because ProtecTIER deduplicates data before storing it, only the changes to the data are transferred to the remote site. To learn more about replication, see the replication e-Learning modules.
Storage administrators use the ProtecTIER Manager application to manage and monitor data as it flows through the system. You can use this interface to perform such common tasks as: adding nodes, planning and creating a repository, monitoring the system, managing users, replicating, viewing problems, creating a service report, and upgrading system code.
Let us take a quick look at each.
After you have installed and launched the ProtecTIER Manager, your next step is to add a node. Click the Add Node button, and enter the IP address of the node. Then, click Login and enter your user name and password. The information for the node is displayed.
Your next step is to plan for, and then create, a repository. To do this, select Create repository planning and enter information about the backup interface, repository size, factoring ratio, throughput, MD RAID configuration, and disk size. Click OK and the repository requirements are displayed.
Then, select a node and select Create repository. This opens the Create repository wizard. Use this wizard to define the name of the repository, repository size, allocation of storage, and the file systems to be used.
If no repository exists, select Repository > Create repository. The Create repository wizard is displayed. Enter the repository information as instructed.
Now that you have created a repository, you have the option of adding a second node at this time. For more information about how to create a repository, see the Installation Roadmap Guide.
The next step is to launch the Configuration menu and define the parameters for SNMP reporting. Enabling SNMP reporting helps ensure that hardware faults do not go undetected. Complete the registration pane by entering your company information and the system administrator contact information. Navigate to the SNMP Traps pane and enter the SNMP host server IP address and the applicable community setting for each SNMP trap destination. In the Alert Filtering by Severity pane, the check boxes for all levels of severity will be selected by default. Deselect the levels for which you do not want an SNMP trap report generated. Use the next three panes to set alerts so you can be notified when physical space, nominal space, or backlog thresholds have been exceeded. If you are working with file systems, you will see an additional pane that you can use to set alerts for file system usage. Finally, complete the Email Alerts pane to enable email alerts and direct them to the appropriate individuals.
After the system is up and running, you can use the ProtecTIER Manager interface to monitor system status, capacity, and performance.
Select a cluster to view data. You can see the used and available repository capacity for physical and nominal data, a list of the cluster members, and total utilization data. You can also view replication information, including a diagram that displays repository relationships and the direction of data flow for replication. Note that repositories must be assigned to a grid and a replication group before replication can occur.
If you are working with ProtecTIER VT, the cartridge query tool can help generate reports that provide status information for a set of repository cartridges. You can select from predefined queries based on replication, synchronization, or barcode. You can use the query procedure code to run the query using the CLI and you can select a destination for the resulting .csv file. Note that you must have an updated repository to run the cartridge query tool.
Select Statistics for a cluster to view the amount of data in the repository over time, known as nominal data size, and the amount of repository space used over time. The marginal HyperFactor ratio graph displays the amount of data written to the repository, and the physical space it occupies, at each point in time. Comparing these two values shows you the effect of deduplication. You can also view the HyperFactor ratio as it changes over time. For more information about the monitoring capabilities of ProtecTIER, see the User’s Guide.
The ProtecTIER Manager application enables you to create and manage users with different permission levels for accessing and configuring the system. To create a user, select System > Manage users. Then, click Add. Enter a user name and password and select a permission level.
The system supports three permission levels. An administrator has full access to the ProtecTIER system. Only one administrator can be logged in at a time. An operator can perform monitoring tasks, and some virtual tape drive and deduplication tasks. A user can only perform monitoring tasks.
You can manage replication activities using the Grids Management view of ProtecTIER Manager. Repositories must be assigned to a replication grid before replication can occur. You can create a grid, add repositories to a grid, define the direction of data replication, and monitor backup and replication activities. To learn more about replication, see the Enabling Replication e-Learning module.
You can upgrade the system code at any time by selecting Upgrade System Code from the System menu. Note that the system is unavailable during the upgrade and the subsequent system reboot. The code upgrade agent is updated to prepare for the upgrade. You can select a code package available on an install DVD or downloaded from the IBM Support web site.
The nodes in a ProtecTIER system routinely monitor for hardware and software errors. When an error occurs, information is collected and sent to the system console. The Call Home feature of the console is then used to notify IBM Support.
You can monitor ProtecTIER software errors using the interface. If an error occurs, the Alerts button on the bottom-right of the View pane turns red and features a blinking exclamation mark. Click Alerts to view the list of error events, and click Events Log to view all the events.
When there is a problem, IBM Support might request that you generate a service report. To do this, select a node, select Reports > Create service report, enter the appropriate information, and save the file.
You can use the IBM Support website to download updates, receive notifications, search for documentation, and perform other related tasks.
Click Find a Product and search for your ProtecTIER model. Make one or more selections. The selected products are displayed on your customized Support web page.
You can use the Support web page to find downloads and information about troubleshooting, planning, installing, and servicing your product.
You can also subscribe to receive email notifications for selected products.
In this e-Learning module, you learned the key hardware and software components of the ProtecTIER system, how to use the ProtecTIER Manager interface to perform everyday storage administration tasks, and how to access support information. For more information, see the other e-Learning modules and help topics in this information center.