Introduction to the AX150 Storage System

Transcription

1 A Detailed Review Abstract This white paper introduces the reader to the hardware architecture and software features of the EMC CLARiiON AX Series storage systems. Comparisons are also made between the AX150 and the CX Series models. October 2006

2 Copyright 2006 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved. EMC believes the information in this publication is accurate as of its publication date. The information is subject to change without notice. THE INFORMATION IN THIS PUBLICATION IS PROVIDED AS IS. EMC CORPORATION MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PUBLICATION, AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Use, copying, and distribution of any EMC software described in this publication requires an applicable software license. For the most up-to-date listing of EMC product names, see EMC Corporation Trademarks on EMC.com. All other trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners. Part number H A Detailed Review 2

3 Table of Contents Executive summary...4 Intended audience...4 Terminology...4 Introduction...5 Where the AX150 fits in the EMC storage line... 6 The AX Series hardware architecture and specifications...7 The AX150 enclosure... 7 Storage processor assembly details... 8 Cabling the AX Customer replaceable components AX Series software...12 Base software: the FLARE operating environment Navisphere Express management software AX Server Support CD Navisphere Express SnapView snapshots SAN Copy/E Software upgrades PowerPath Supported configurations...21 Direct attach SAN (switch) attached Solution packages Conclusion...24 A Detailed Review 3

4 Executive summary The EMC CLARiiON AX150 provides small to medium-sized businesses with a new, affordable, easyto-use storage platform. This platform offers improved connectivity and availability, expanded easy-to-use software to manage the storage systems, and improved I/O performance featuring command queuing, faster interfaces, and increased storage capacity. The AX150SC, which has a single controller, is almost identical to the AX150, which has two controllers. In this paper, descriptions of the AX150 apply to the AX150SC, except where noted. The purpose of this white paper is to outline the features and functionality of the AX150 and AXS150SC storage systems. The following sections describe: The hardware architecture. High-availability components. Customer-replaceable units. Software features, including snapshots for backup and EMC Navisphere Express for management. Connectivity and configuration options. Comparisons between the AX Series and the EMC CLARiiON CX Series storage systems are made where appropriate. Intended audience This paper is intended for customers or internal EMC personnel who desire a brief technical description of the AX150 storage system and its features and functions. Terminology The following terminology appears in this white paper: Cache high-speed memory within the storage system that stores most-recently-accessed data. To yield faster response times, all host writes are written directly to cache and are acknowledged, rather than being written to disk. Cluster two or more computers managed by software that allows the computers to access the same data and be presented as one host for the purpose of parallel processing, fault tolerance, or load balancing. Disk pool in AX150 terminology, disk pool is interchangeable with the term RAID group. It is a collection of fault-tolerant disks that are carved into virtual disks. Fibre Channel a high-bandwidth data-transfer mechanism that uses optical cables to connect devices and is designed for high-performance storage systems. Host bus adapter (HBA) A card resides on the server to manage the transfer of I/O, and to act as the interface between the computer s internal bus and the Fibre Channel connection. Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) a collection of disk drives that are presented to the host as one entity. Data is distributed across these disks to increase fault tolerance and performance. The AX150 supports RAID level 5, which provides striping of the data and error-checking information across a minimum of three disks. It also supports RAID 1/0 groups with a minimum two-disk configuration. Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) an enhancement that uses thinner cables and provides better performance over parallel drive technology. Server a computer on the network dedicated to performing a specific task, such as running a particular database or mail application. The storage necessary to run these applications often resides on a storage system within the SAN. The server is sometimes called the host. Storage area network (SAN) a high-speed Fibre Channel subnetwork that makes all storage devices visible to servers. A Detailed Review 4

5 Storage processor (SP) an integral component of the storage system that controls the transfer of data from the server to the disk drives. Storage system an array of disk drives external to application servers used to store and retrieve large amounts of data. These drives are often accessible over the network or fabric. Virtual disk devices that are bound to a particular disk pool, which are then presented to the server for data access. Each virtual disk is given a unique identifier. Also known as a logical unit (LUN). Introduction The CLARiiON AX150 is a new hardware design from EMC, targeted to small and mid-sized businesses. The AX150SC is identical to the AX150, except that it has a single controller instead of two controllers. The functionality of the AX150 and the AX150SC is the same, except in a few cases. Hereinafter, the term AX150 describes both the AX150 and the AX150SC, except where noted. The AX150 introduces the SATA II drive, which allows native command queuing (NCQ). NCQ allows multiple commands to be outstanding on a drive at the same time. In other words, a host can issue new I/O commands while the drive is still implementing previous IO commands. The drive stores these commands and performs them in the order in which they were received. The AX150 system houses up to 12 serial ATAII (SATAII) drives in a 2U (3.5-inch) rack-mountable enclosure. An AX150 storage system housing twelve 500 GB drives provides 6 TB (terabytes) of storage. The functionality required to install, configure, and manage the CLARiiON AX150 and server environments is preinstalled and is included with the storage system at no additional cost. The AX150 includes a wizard-driven management interface for user-friendly storage-system setup and monitoring, and snapshot capabilities to enable point-in-time images that can be used for backup and automated path management across server and network connections. The AX150 storage system is available in two models: CLARiiON AX150SC The single controller AX150SC provides a low-cost RAID solution that includes key data integrity features, such as RAID data protection and battery-backed cache. This storage system is ideally suited for customers beginning to implement network storage. CLARiiON AX150 The dual-controller AX150 addresses true high-availability needs to protect business-critical applications, with mirrored write cache and redundant power supplies, and an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to prevent against loss of data in the event of a power failure. Additional features of the AX Series include the following: Supports both direct-attach and shared-storage (SAN) environments via two 2 Gb/s front-end ports per controller. RAID 5 and RAID 1/0 support with global hot sparing to protect data in the case of a drive failure. Software upgrade capabilities on the AX150. The AX150SC allows a configuration of three to twelve 500 GB or 250 GB drives. The AX150 allows a configuration of four to twelve 500 GB or 250 GB drives. Support for hot-swappable 160 GB or 250 GB, 7200 rpm, serial ATA drives. 512 MB of system memory per storage controller. Customer-replaceable hardware components. Support for Windows, NetWare, Solaris, Linux, and VMware operating system attaches. notification of events logged to the storage system. The AX150 comes fully loaded with the following EMC software packages: Base (FLARE ) code Navisphere Express Management Suite (includes Access Logix technology) SnapView snapshots for point-in-time copies of data PowerPath for load-balancing and path-failover capabilities across configured paths from the servers to the storage system A Detailed Review 5

6 Where the AX150 fits in the EMC storage line The AX150 is a member of the CLARiiON family that builds on CLARiiON storage system s unique advantages: its proven architecture, continuous availability/data integrity, array-based replication capabilities, powerful management, and affordability. The AX150 establishes a new entry price point for CLARiiON storage platforms. Innovative packaging, coupled with cost-effective serial ATA II (SATA II) disk drives, enables customers who previously could not afford networked storage to take advantage of the ease of use and advanced functionality of the AX150 Series. The AX150 is for price-sensitive customers who require shared storage for SAN, NAS, or direct-attach environments where high availability of data is required, but scheduled system shutdowns during nonbusiness hours for repair is possible. Key AX150 target customers include: Small to medium-sized businesses who require cost-effective, high-availability storage capacity and resources. Customers that have been reluctant to implement networked storage due to the difficulty in justifying the expense of the entire solution. Environments that prefer or require customer installation and maintenance. Refer to Table 1 for configuration details of the AX150. A Detailed Review 6

7 Table 1. Comparison of AX Series and CX Series storage systems AX150SC AX150 CX300 Storage controllers Single Dual Dual Enclosure 2U rack 2U rack 4U rack Cache memory (per controller) 512 MB 512 MB 1 GB Cache configuration Battery backed Mirrored Mirrored Minimum drive count Maximum drive count 12 SATA II 12 SATA II 60 FC or ATA Front-end host ports 2 x 2 Gb Fibre Channel 4 x 2 Gb Fibre Channel 4 x 2 Gb Fibre Channel Maximum virtual disks (LUNs) Maximum disk pools (RAID groups) Maximum initiators (host ports) Maximum HA hosts Snapshot sources per storage system Snapshots per source MirrorView N/A N/A CX3-20/CX3-40 SnapView clones N/A N/A Yes SAN Copy Yes* Yes* Yes* Navisphere Manager Supported as an upgrade feature Supported as an upgrade feature Yes * Adding SAN Copy/E software to the AX150 provides the ability to replicate data from the AX150 with Navisphere. The AX Series hardware architecture and specifications The AX150 architecture is designed for redundancy, and the dual-controller model for high availability. The next sections describe the architecture main components of the AX150 storage system. The AX150 enclosure The AX150 is 3.4 inches (8.68 cm) high by 17.7 inches (45 cm) wide by 24.5 inches (62.3 cm) deep. The AX150 SATA II drives and storage processors (SPs) are both contained within this 2U enclosure. Up to twelve drives can be inserted behind the bezel into the front of the storage system and are configured in three parallel rows of four drives each. Drives 0-3 are used for system-specific code and database information, but contain user space as well. The minimum configuration for the single-controller AX150SC is three drives (slots 0-2 must be full). For a dual-controller system, drive slots 0-3 must contain drives. Slot 0 is in the upper left of the storage system and numbering proceeds left to right. Drive fillers must be inserted in unused drive slots to ensure proper cooling of the storage system. Up to five fans are located directly behind the drives and pull air from the front of the storage system and across the drives. One fan per SP is also provided to maintain an appropriate operating temperature. Figure 1 on page 8 shows the front view of the drives and system LEDs in the AX150. A Detailed Review 7

8 Enclosure Fault LED (Amber) Enclosure Power LED (Blue) Disk Slot 0 Disk Slot 3 Disk Slot 8 Disk Status LED (Blue = Activity Amber = Fault) Disk Slot 11 Figure 1. AX150 Enclosure front view Storage processor assembly details The SPs intercept and manage I/O from servers to the drives in the storage system. The AX150SC contains a single SP. The AX150 is a dual-controller model that provides full redundancy and true high availability at the component level. There is no distinction between the single SP used in the AX150SC and those included in the AX150. The back half of the AX150 enclosure contains the SP assembly, or suitcase. This removable component houses the controllers, system fans, power supplies, memory cards, and Fibre Channel personality cards for the storage system. Each controller has one power supply associated with it. In the case of a single power supply failure, the remaining power supply provides power to both SPs in the system. The single controller AX150SC has the option of having a second power supply to provide redundancy. The whole assembly may be removed from the unit by unlocking the latches at either side of the assembly and sliding the suitcase out of the enclosure. The AX150 can be rack-mounted in any 19-inch NEMA-standard 40U cabinets. Figure 2 on page 9 and Figure 3 on page 10 show detailed views of the back of the AX150 enclosures. Each SP is powered by an Intel Socket 370 Celeron processor and has 512 MB of cache available on a dual inline-memory module (DIMM). The AX150SC supports mirroring this write cache to a 256 MB, 33 MHz PCI-based battery-backed cache module (BBCM), whose three indicator LEDs are visible in Figure 2 on page 9 on the left side of the enclosure. This BBCM can hold live data for up to 96 hours, allowing a user to replace a failed SP or to reapply power to the storage system. In the dual-sp configuration, the BBCM module is replaced by a second SP with an identical DIMM card to provide for mirroring of its peer SP s cache. The remaining SP memory is allocated as 136 MB of write cache and 36 MB of read cache. Each SP contains two small form-factor, 2 Gb/s optical front-end ports for server connectivity. All Fibre Channel I/O traverses a 64-bit, 100-MHz PCI bus to the two available SATA drive controllers. Each SP has access over its own bus to the SATA drives in the array, providing redundant back-end loops for disk connectivity. The assembly components also include two RJ45 connectors. One connector is a serial port for service purposes, and the other a 10/100/1000 Ethernet port for storage system management. An integrated UPS (purchased with the AX150i) provides battery-backed power to the storage system should power fail to both power supplies. The UPS allows the storage system to remain up and running by dumping cache to the vault drives, disabling write caching and maintaining power to SP A. A Detailed Review 8

9 To summarize, each SP assembly contains: One CPU fan One serial port (RJ45 connector) One 10/100/1000 Ethernet LAN port (RJ45 connector) One serial port (RJ45 connector) for UPS (AX150 systems only) One power supply per processor (a second power supply is optional for the AX150SC) One front-end (FE) card per processor, each with two 2 Gb/s Fibre Channel server ports A battery-backed cache card (AX150SC systems only) One 512 MB memory card per processor Four (AX150SC) or five (AX150) system fans Figure 2. AX150SC enclosure rear view A Detailed Review 9

10 Figure 3. AX150 enclosure rear view Cabling the AX150 Cabling the AX150 is a simple, customer-friendly procedure. Three types of cables are necessary to configure the AX150 environment: A 10/100/1000 Ethernet cable for each SP, allowing for storage system management A power cable to each SP and the UPS (provided) An SFF optical cable up to 300 m long for server I/O A serial cable to connect the RJ45 port on the storage system to the UPS, which allows the AX150 to detect the presence of the UPS Each SP has a power supply as well as a management port. Use the cable appropriate for your power source to connect to either a rack power strip or directly to standard AC power outlets. When attaching the UPS to the storage system, run the provided sense cable between the UPS serial port and the RJ45 port on SP A. Run a power cable from SP A to the UPS, another from the UPS to the AC power strip, and a third from SP B to a power strip. Figure 4 on page 11 shows cabling. A Detailed Review 10

11 Figure 4. Cabling the AX150 power You must then decide whether the servers will be directly connected to the storage system or to a SAN. If directly connected, optical cables run from a port on a supported host bus adapter (HBA) directly to a port on the SP. The alternative is to run optical cables from the HBA to a port on a Fibre Channel switch, and then from the Fibre Channel switch to a port on the SP. The section Supported configurations on page 21 provides further information. For complete details on installing and connecting your servers to an AX150, refer to the installation documents on the AX150 website: Customer replaceable components The AX150 is designed to be customer installable and maintainable. To that end, most components of the AX150 storage system are customer replaceable. These components include the following: All fans (both SP and system fans) Single SP suitcase (without the BBCM and without the power supply) Dual SP suitcase (without power supplies) Power supplies SATA II drives (both the 500 GB and 250 GB models) Battery-backed cache module (BBCM) UPS battery UPS chassis DIMMs To upgrade from a single-controller storage system to a dual-controller system requires a complete suitcase swap. You can also increase the capacity of the storage system by simply inserting new drives into available slots. You are notified of failed components in several ways. The AX150 supports notification of events to a specified administrator. In addition, the management interface Navisphere Express has both an Events page that details all recorded events within the storage system that merit attention, and a Components page, which lists all hardware components within the system and their current state (for example, Normal, Empty, or Failed). A Detailed Review 11

12 AX Series software The AX Series storage systems come with all software fully loaded. Software is bundled, so that upgrading in the future involves only applying the latest supplied bundle. PowerPath, a server-based path management application, is also included with the storage system for installation on all servers attached to the AX150. Also included is an AX server support CD that contains two utilities required for configuring the storage system: Navisphere Storage System Initialization Utility Navisphere Server Utility Base software: the FLARE operating environment Each storage system comes preconfigured with the system software required for its operation. The system software supports the many software features of the AX150 and maintains the configuration information (number of virtual disks, disk pool configurations, software installed, and so forth). A portion of the usable capacity of each drive in the system is allocated to maintain this configuration information. This private space includes a vault area to which cached data is destaged in the event of certain hardware component failures. It also holds software images, as well as boot partitions that are allocated on the first three (AX150SC) or four (AX150) drives of the storage system. Due to this space allocation, user space begins at approximately 13 GB on drives 0-3, and at about 131 MB on the remaining disks in the storage system. Navisphere Express management software The Navisphere Management Suite for the AX150 consists of Navisphere Express, which is used to manage the storage system, as well as two support utilities: Storage System Initialization Utility Provided to configure the management ports and security credentials of the storage system. Server Utility Available to register server HBAs to the storage system so that virtual disks can be assigned to registered servers. AX Server Support CD The storage system ships with a server-support CD containing two utilities that make storage system configuration and setup an easy task. These two utilities are discussed next. Navisphere Storage System Initialization Utility Initializing a storage system consists of assigning network parameters for each SP and assigning user credentials for the storage system so that it may be accessed and managed over the LAN. The Storage System Initialization Utility must be run once the storage system is powered on and cabled appropriately. This utility need only be run one time to initialize new storage systems and must run from a server located on the same subnet as the storage system. The utility may be installed on the server or run directly from the CD. The Windows version offers a wizard interface to easily step through the required initialization steps. A text-based utility is also available for all supported attaches. To begin use of this utility, ensure that the storage system is powered on and that an Ethernet cable is plugged into the management port on each SP of the unconfigured systems. When you run the initialization utility, it initiates a broadcast to the subnet and displays all AX storage systems that are discovered, as Figure 5 on page 13 shows. A Detailed Review 12

13 Figure 5. Discovering the AX150 systems on the subnet Uninitialized systems appear in the Uninitialized Systems field on the left. Each of these systems must be assigned a static IP address and logon credentials. Systems that are already initialized are also discovered and appear in the Initialized Systems field on the right. You may select any initialized system and view its network parameters. Select an uninitialized system and click Next to proceed to the next dialog box, shown in Figure 6 on page 13. Figure 6. Entering network parameters for an uninitialized system A Detailed Review 13

14 Enter a static IP address for each SP. Note that only the SP A field is available for data entry on the AX150SC. Enter the subnet mask and default gateway; then click Next to advance to the security dialog box, as shown in Figure 7 on page 14. Figure 7. Entering network parameters for an uninitialized system In the security dialog box, enter a descriptive storage-system name, a username, and a password that will be used to log in to the Navisphere Express management software. Usernames and passwords are casesensitive and may be no more than 32 characters (letters or numbers). Click Next to open the confirmation dialog box and proceed with initialization. The storage system reboots at the completion of the wizard in order to set the network parameters. Navisphere Server Utility The Server Utility is the second AX utility required to configure the storage system. The Server Utility should be installed on all servers that are connected to an AX150 and will be assigned disks. The Server Utility performs these functions: Registers host HBAs to the storage system to which they are attached. Propagates file-system information from the server to the storage system so that the relationship between file systems and virtual disks can be seen through Navisphere Express. The utility can be installed to run at server boot time to update this information. Initiates SnapView snapshot functions on Windows platforms. For initial storage-system configuration, the utility is used to register the server HBAs. Each HBA must be registered to its attached storage system so that virtual disks may be assigned for access exclusively by that server or cluster. Registration of the host HBAs is done in band, or over the optical cables that connect the HBA to the storage-system SP port. Ensure that the appropriate HBA driver is installed and that a connection exists between the HBA and the SP port. When the Server Utility is launched on Windows, the Navisphere Server Utility dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 8 on page 15. A Detailed Review 14

15 Figure 8. Server Utility introduction dialog box You must select View/Update HBA to SP Port Connections and click Next. In the next dialog box (Figure 9 on page 16), verify that all installed HBAs are discovered, and then click Update. A confirmation screen appears stating that the information was successfully pushed to the storage system. A Detailed Review 15

16 Figure 9. Updating HBA information At this point, the storage system is initialized and set up for server access. You should now launch Navisphere Express to begin managing your storage system and assigning virtual disks to registered hosts. Navisphere Express Navisphere Express is the interface into the storage system and allows for easy and intuitive management. Launch the Navisphere Express application by pointing a supported browser to the IP address assigned during storage-system initialization. All requests are translated to HTTPs using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption. All communication between the server and the storage system is encrypted, including the logon credentials. You must choose to accept the Security Certificate and the logon dialog box will appear. At the logon dialog box, you enter the username and password pair created during initialization, as shown in Figure 10 on page 17. A Detailed Review 16

17 IP Address selected during initialization Login Credentials as created during initialization Figure 10. Logging in to Navisphere Express The Attention Required dialog box is the first page that appears after you successfully log in. Any events that have occurred on the storage system that need user intervention appear with a Details button next to them. Clicking Details displays a page that provides the additional information necessary to resolve the condition. If no events have been logged that require user intervention, the Disk Pools screen appears. The Attention Required dialog box is also accessible via a link in the upper right of the Navisphere Express interface any time user intervention is necessary. A Detailed Review 17

18 Figure 11. Attention Required dialog box Navisphere Express lets you create disk pools and virtual disks. These virtual disks are then assigned to registered servers for data access. Navisphere Express also lets you create one hot spare, which is available to replace any drive within the system that fails. The hot spare should be as big as the largest drive in the system. A Detailed Review 18

19 Figure 12. The Navisphere Express user interface The Navisphere Express user interface (UI) includes other features, such as monitoring and upgrade capabilities. A components page (shown in Figure 13 on page 20) details all hardware components within the storage system and their status. A Detailed Review 19

20 Figure 13. The Navisphere Express components page You can also use Navisphere Express to set up event notification or enable SNMP. SnapView snapshots The AX150 comes bundled with software to take point-in-time copies of data. These copies, or snapshots, may then be presented to a second host for backup or testing purposes. Up to eight snapshots one for each of eight distinct virtual disks are supported within the AX150. The AX150 transparently configures all resources necessary to manage the snapshots and point-in-time data consistency. SAN Copy/E SAN Copy/E is available as an enabler package for customers managing their Fibre Channel AX systems with Navisphere Manager. SAN Copy/E is not supported by Navisphere Express. The SAN Copy/E driver is installed on the AX storage system and can be used to push data from the AX to other CX systems running the full SAN Copy driver software. The AX150 can be always be used as a target for SAN Copy data. Data may be copied from a CX Series array running the full SAN Copy driver to an AX150 Series storage system regardless of whether or not it has the SAN Copy/E enabler installed. Software upgrades With the AX150, software can be upgraded as necessary. All software is delivered as bundles. These bundles are then applied using Navisphere Express. Figure 14 on page 21 shows the Upgrade Software page. A Detailed Review 20

21 Figure 14. Software upgrades within Navisphere Express PowerPath EMC PowerPath is host-resident software that works with various storage systems to deliver intelligent I/O path management. Using PowerPath, administrators can improve the server s ability to manage heavy storage loads through continuous and intelligent I/O balancing. PowerPath automatically configures multiple paths and dynamically tunes for performance as workloads change. PowerPath adds to the highavailability capabilities of the AX150 storage systems by automatically detecting and recovering from server-to-storage path failures. PowerPath for the AX150 ships with all storage systems and must be installed on all attached hosts. PowerPath management is accomplished by using the provided command line interface (CLI) or the graphical user interface available on any supported Windows platform. Supported configurations The AX150 supports multiple connections from each host to enable load balancing and high availability. Always refer to the AX150 Support Matrix for the latest supported attaches, switches, and configurations. Currently, Linux, Windows, and NetWare hosts are supported for either direct or SAN-attached connectivity to the AX150 storage systems. Up to eight host initiators are supported to each SP. For high availability, each host should have visibility to both SPs. Direct attach Up to four servers are supported in a direct-attach configuration, depending on the storage-system type. If each host contains a single HBA, each may attach to a dedicated port on a SP. As there are two ports per SP, the AX150 with two SPs supports up to four simultaneous direct attaches. For high availability (HA), each server in a direct-attach configuration should contain two HBAs, each with a path to a port on distinct A Detailed Review 21

22 SPs. The Direct Attach example in Figure 15 on page 22 provides data access, but there is no protection in the event of a host HBA-to-SP-port failure. All access to data is lost. In the High-Availability Direct Attach illustration in Figure 15, redundancy is introduced. If this is an AX150, each host has two discrete paths to each SP and is protected in the event of an HBA, cable, SP port, or SP failure. Direct Attach High-Availability Direct Attach Figure 15. Direct-attach deployment SAN (switch) attached SANs introduce the concept of switches and fabrics. Switches expand the number of connections allowed beyond the restrictions of direct-attach configurations. With a switch, up to ten servers can connect to each SP, compared to the direct-connect limitation of two. Hosts can be configured with only one connection to the storage system. Alternately, a server may be configured for high availability, with redundant connections to the storage system. Figure 16 on page 23 illustrates eight attached servers for HA. Each server may have up to ten paths to each SP, although this configuration would limit the number of hosts that can attach to the storage system. There is a limit of ten host initiators supported per SP. A Detailed Review 22

23 SAN Attach (Up to 16 Host Initiators) Figure 16. Entry-level SAN deployment HA SAN Attach (Up to 10 HA Servers) Figure 17. High-availability SAN deployment A Detailed Review 23

24 Solution packages The CLARiiON AX150 forms the basis for either a direct-attached or SAN-based storage solution that can scale to meet changing application needs and requirements. Working with key Fibre Channel connectivity partners, including HBA and switch suppliers, EMC is making the consolidation, automation, and advanced-protection advantages of networked storage a compelling and cost-effective alternative to direct attach. Solution packages are available through channel partners to provide complete, integrated turnkey solutions, including an entry-level SAN solution, a dual-san solution, and a high-availability SAN package. Conclusion The AX150 leverages the functionality and data protection of the CLARiiON family s industry-leading RAID array architecture and technology, combined with SATA disk drives to deliver a cost-effective, highly functional storage system at extremely attractive prices. The AX150 is a Fibre Channel-attach storage system and supports Windows, Linux, and NetWare server platforms via SAN and direct-attach connections. All aspects of the CLARiiON AX150 are designed for simplified installation, ease of use, and improved maintainability. All functionality is preloaded, and a Quick Setup Guide directs users through the installation and setup process. All major storage system components including disk drives, power supplies, cooling fans, and processor modules are designed as customer-replaceable units (CRUs). The AX150 provides new levels of easy-to-use and simplified management. Server registration, virtual disk creation, and server-access (LUN masking) operations are managed easily with the aid of setup wizards. Integrated snapshot capability enables users to simplify backup operations. The web-based interface enables management from a web browser to be easily conducted anywhere on the network. A Detailed Review 24