FlashSystem grid

A FlashSystem grid can be used to scale-out a storage system by adding more independent systems to create a federated cluster.

A FlashSystem grid allows for greater scalability than a traditional scale-out system (which uses I/O groups) as it supports up to 32 systems per FlashSystem grid with linear increases in performance, capacity, and number of volumes, hosts, and snapshots. Systems in a FlashSystem grid can be updated independently and systems with different hardware models and generations can be included within a single FlashSystem grid. This capability allows for hardware replacement or tiering within the same FlashSystem grid. The maximum number of systems in a FlashSystem grid depends on the software version running on the coordinator system. If member systems are running an older software version, review the relevant limits page to understand how many FlashSystems will be visible from the member system. If the limits are different, some systems may display authentication errors. To resolve authentication errors, upgrade all systems to a code level that supports the configured number of systems and follow the fix procedure for the error.

You can manage and monitor all connected systems in a FlashSystem grid as a single system from a single interface. Storage partitions can be non-disruptively migrated between systems in a FlashSystem grid. For more information, see Migrating storage partition migration between systems.

Systems in a FlashSystem grid have the following requirements:
  • The system supports a maximum of a single I/O group and the compatibility mode for multiple I/O groups must be disabled.
  • The system topology must be standard.
  • The system layer must be replication.

FlashSystem grid functionality is not supported on some platforms due to hardware limitation. If applicable, the limitations are documented in the Software feature limits page in the relevant Hardware Guide.

All systems in a FlashSystem grid must use one of the following options for the system management IP addresses:
  • IPv4
  • IPv6
  • IPv4 using fully qualified domain names (FQDN) with DNS server configured
  • IPv6 using fully qualified domain names (FQDN) with DNS server configured
  • Combination of IPv4 and FQDN with DNS server configured

If your storage system is running 8.7.2 or an older software version, and is part of a FlashSystem grid, you must update the existing FlashSystem grid configuration before upgrading the system to the current software version. For more information, see https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7181817.

Systems in a FlashSystem grid exchange certificates to enable secure communication between members. System-signed certificates are the default.

A coordinator system is the system on which a user creates and manages the FlashSystem grid. A coordinator system also becomes the first member of the FlashSystem grid.

A member system can be managed by the FlashSystem grid to which it is added as a member.

The FlashSystem grid dashboard shows details about storage systems and storage partitions in a FlashSystem grid that include aggregated physical and logical capacity, health, and reachability.

The Storage systems page of the FlashSystem grid shows a list of storage systems that are part of the FlashSystem grid along with details.

The Storage partitions page of the FlashSystem grid shows a list of storage partitions in the FlashSystem grid along with information about partition location, replication topology, replication status, volume groups, migration status, and placement evaluation status.

Video

The following FlashSystem grid video demonstrates the use case for creating a new FlashSystem grid and adding a member system from the coordinator system by using the management GUI.