Adam Granquist

Storage Virtualisation and VMware

What is Storage Virtualisation??• Storage Virtualisation is the pooling of physical

storage from multiple network storage devices into what appears to be a single device.

• Example Technologies• EMC VPLEX• IBM SAN Volume Controller• NetApp Metro Cluster

Why use Storage Virtualisation?• vTeleport - Ever wanted to failover to a completely different location

and data centre with zero downtime?

• Do you have Storage Arrays from different vendors and want to mirror them?

• Active / Active Data centres;

• Do you have multiple Arrays from different vendors but want to manage them all from a single pane of glass?

• Can enhance the performance of some Arrays.

Key Benefits for Transend• Seem-less data centre failover and failback;• Enhanced Disaster Avoidance and Recovery, potentially

automated;• Enables us to meet availability requirements for SCADA

Systems;• Enhanced Performance;• Enables the Active / Active data centre concept

improving ROI;• Reduced Administration costs; and• Improved redundancy at the storage layer.

Current Architecture

What is EMC VPlex• EMC VPLEX is a storage federation solution that can be

stretched across synchronous distances (VPLEX Metro), launched in 2010

• Provides simultaneous access to storage devices at different sites by creating a Distributed Virtual Volume that is available on each side of a Cluster.

• Can be used in front of most brands of storage arrays.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zf-5NNDFKI

 

VPlex – Example Architecture 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKKhrI7A7Og

Pros and Cons of Example 1Pros:• Enables Disaster Avoidance using VMotion over

distance.• Increased Performance• Enables Active / Active Data CentreCons:• No Automated Failover• Still require SRM to perform DR

VPLEX - Example Architecture 2

Pros and Cons of Example 2Pros:• Enables Disaster Avoidance using VMotion over

distance;• SRM is not required;• Enables Automated DR using VMware HA;• Increased Performance;• Enables Active / Active Data Centre;Cons:• Increased Reliance on Network Infrastructure• Potential Split Brain Scenario

Questions