VERITAS Business Solutions for DB2 V E R I T A S W H I T E P A P E R
Table of Contents............................................................. 1 VERITAS Database Edition for DB2............................................................ 1 Optimizing DB2 Database Servers............................................................... 1 VERITAS Cluster Server and Agent for DB2...................................................... 2 Highly Available DB2 Solutions................................................................. 2 VERITAS NetBackup for DB2................................................................. 3 Online Backup/Restore Management for DB2 Environments............................................ 3 VERITAS Cluster Server, VERITAS Volume Replicator and VERITAS Global Cluster Manager............... 4 Multi-site, Automated Disaster Recovery for DB2 Environments.......................................... 4 The Cooperative Support Agreement............................................................ 5 Streamlined Support For Joint VERITAS/DB2 Customers................................................ 5 Summary.................................................................................. 5
Data drives today s business operations, and much of that data is stored in relational databases. Data growth has reached unprecedented levels, and increasing globalization has placed stringent uptime requirements on many database environments. In this climate, managing databases for optimal performance, availability and manageability is a real challenge for database administrators. VERITAS Software and IBM Data Management Systems (DMS) have collaborated to produce a range of business solutions, built around IBM s DB2 Universal Database (UDB) for SPARC/Solaris. These solutions simplify the management of database environments that must scale to meet business needs while delivering optimal performance and 24x7 availability. These solutions include: Performance and manageability solutions for standalone DB2 database servers Highly Available DB2 solutions Online backup and restore management for DB2 Multi-site disaster recovery solutions for DB2 environments Joint development efforts by VERITAS and IBM are ongoing to broaden the scope of business solutions to additional platforms. The VERITAS and IBM Cooperative Support Agreement (CSA) ensures enterprise-class support is provided to meet the requirements of mission-critical production environments. VERITAS Database Edition for DB2 Optimizing DB2 Database Servers The function of a database is to store, update and retrieve information in structured ways. The measure of a good database solution is the degree to which it can perform these tasks with high performance, ease-of-use and data integrity. VERITAS Database Edition for DB2 provides an underlying storage infrastructure that offers performance and manageability characteristics not available in other DB2 configurations. Today, DB2 customers have a choice between running DB2 on top of raw devices or running DB2 on file systems. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages. Running DB2 on raw devices provides consistently high levels of performance and data integrity, but is very difficult to manage, particularly in large or dynamic DB2 environments. This is due to the lack of administrative tools for raw device management. On the other hand, running DB2 on file systems significantly improves manageability, but can present problems in the areas of performance and data integrity. Database Edition for DB2 provides a DB2 environment with performance and data integrity equal to or better than raw devices, with the manageability of file system-based configurations. IBM DB2 Universal Database IBM DB2 Universal Database DB2 Agent VERITAS Cluster Server Quick I/O/Cached Quick I/O Quick I/O/Cached Quick I/O VERITAS File System VERITAS File System VERITAS Volume Manager VERITAS Volume Manager SPARC/Solaris SPARC/Solaris VERITAS Database Edition for DB2 optimized management environment version VERITAS Database Edition for DB2 High Availability version Page 1
Database Edition for DB2 is an integrated solution that includes VERITAS Volume Manager, VERITAS File System and Quick I/O. Volume Manager is a logical volume manager that removes the limitations of physical devices, supporting online volume management, RAID and dynamic multipathing. File System complements Volume Manager and provides journaling for data integrity and fast recovery, online management of file systems and extent-based block allocation for high performance. Quick I/O, a unique database accelerator technology available only from VERITAS, allows DB2 administrators to build DB2 database environments on File System files for improved manageability without sacrificing performance, data integrity or availability. Database Edition for DB2 provides some important business benefits for DB2 environments. By enabling easier manageability of the underlying storage, it increases the administrative span of control per operator, increasing productivity and allowing the customer to manage business growth with fewer administrative resources. These manageability improvements do not come with the traditional issues such as performance and data integrity associated with using file systems in database environments. The Quick I/O interface provides raw device performance, and Cached Quick I/O (a feature of Quick I/O) can provide significantly greater performance compared to raw devices in some environments. The Database Edition for DB2 performance white paper provides a detailed performance comparison of raw device, traditional file system and Quick I/O based environments. Database Edition for DB2 was designed to minimize overhead when used in DB2 environments. DB2 databases use their own buffer pools to manage page allocation more efficiently compared to a conventional file system cache manager. When DB2 is run on a conventional file system, double buffering of data occurs, resulting in data being copied twice once between the database buffer and the system buffer, and then later between the system buffer and disk. This additional buffering imposed by the file system inefficiently uses memory, effectively cutting usable memory in half. DB2 databases built on raw devices bypass the system buffer cache, resulting in increased performance on every read and write. Through the use of Quick I/O, VERITAS has a unique capability to turn file system buffering off, allowing writes to go straight to disk as they are committed from DB2. This not only speeds performance, but also removes a potential source of data corruption. Conventional file systems use an exclusive write lock at the file system level. As a result, all write operations to a single file system are serialized. DB2 supports the processing of read and write requests in parallel for performance. But this file system-imposed write serialization effectively blocks DB2 from performing any parallel processing at the file system level. As the size of a database grows, more users often attempt to access the same segment (and hence the same database devices) simultaneously, and this performance degradation becomes more pronounced. Again through the use of Quick I/O, VERITAS has a unique capability to remove file locking, allowing DB2 to manage all file locks and leverage its parallel read/write capability for higher performance. VERITAS Cluster Server and Agent for DB2 Highly Available DB2 Solutions With end users increasingly demanding higher levels of availability, information technology (IT) management is forced to proactively measure and manage the availability of key application environments. Mission-critical DB2 databases are clearly one of these environments. When measuring and managing DB2 availability, planned and unplanned downtime must be taken into account. Planned downtime is typically a result of two administrative tasks. One is to manage database growth to achieve optimum performance over time. The other is to protect the data in the database through backup and restore management. Unplanned downtime typically occurs in response to a hardware/software failure, operator error or the improper application of change management procedures. Regardless of the cause of downtime, the impact on end users is the same access to information necessary to run the business is cut off, negatively impacting revenue flow and customer satisfaction. The ability to perform online management is an important factor in minimizing database downtime. This is particularly true in dynamic DB2 environments, where high growth requires frequent tuning to maintain performance as the database grows, or in large DB2 environments, where the impact of downtime is widely felt across the enterprise. Database Edition for DB2 provides a number of features that address the planned downtime issue. Database Edition for DB2 minimizes downtime by Page 2
allowing administrative tasks such as tuning the underlying storage infrastructure to occur without shutting down the database. Complementing Database Edition for DB2, the RAID capabilities of Volume Manager ensure that disk failures do not impact data availability and allow failed disks to be replaced online. In addition, Volume Manager s dynamic multipathing feature can also make disruptions in the I/O path transparent, keeping the data flowing despite controller failures. VERITAS Cluster Server manages the availability of application services in clusters up to 32 nodes. An application agent for DB2 monitors and manages one or more DB2 databases running in a clustered environment. Cluster Server monitors all the hardware and software components associated with the DB2 server, ensuring automatic detection and recovery for all types of node failures that impact the availability of DB2. Database Edition for DB2 supports a manual failover mechanism to enable server maintenance or upgrades that only result in a momentary disruption in the data service as opposed to timeconsuming disruption. If a server must be brought down for maintenance, DB2 can be failed-over to run on another node in the cluster so that the maintenance can proceed without impacting the availability of DB2. The High Availability (HA) version of Database Edition for DB2 includes Cluster Server. IBM provides the DB2 Agent for DB2 DB2 DB2 DB2 DB2 is running on node 1 Node 1 Fails Cluster Server detects failure and moves DB2 to node 2 DB2 is running on node 2 Cluster Server on the DB2 media. The Cluster Server Java-based management graphical user interface (GUI) provides a single point of management for up to sixteen 2-node clusters, or may be used to manage a single 32-node cluster. Cluster Server can simultaneously monitor multiple application types, and supports a variety of cluster configurations such as hot standby, mutual takeover and N+1. This allows administrators to consolidate highly available application environments onto a centrally managed platform, lessening administrative overhead and costs. VERITAS NetBackup for DB2 Online Backup/Restore Management for DB2 Environments To ensure the recoverability of data across a variety of potential scenarios, backup has become an integral part of database administration. Historically, backup has required database downtime. But, DB2 includes a backup application-programming interface (API) that allows the online backup of DB2. Through this API, called sqluv, the backup of DB2 databases, table spaces and recoverable logs can be integrated into an automated, enterprise wide backup strategy. NetBackup for DB2 is a backup/restore management solution that interfaces with DB2 through the sqluv API and delivers comprehensive data protection for DB2. With NetBackup, organizations can centrally manage all aspects of backup and recovery for database and non-database files from an intuitive GUI. By managing centrally, the administrator can establish consistent backup policies across the enterprise. NetBackup for DB2 offers a broad range of media management support for heterogeneous devices; from standalone tape drives to large, multi-drive libraries. Tape library sharing through Shared Storage Option also is supported so that storage area network (SAN) environments may be protected under NetBackup s centralized management approach. Page 3
VERITAS ensures that all VERITAS products work together, providing a complete storage solution. For example, NetBackup integrates with multiple VERITAS products including VERITAS Global Data Manager and VERITAS Vault Extension. Through Global Data Manager, NetBackup can be extended to support centralized backup/restore management across multiple, geographically distributed sites around the world. Features such as multiple streams and parallel backup and recovery support scalable, high-speed data transfer that can be well matched to an organization s capabilities. Through Vault Extension, NetBackup customers can add extensive off-site media management capabilities to help simplify tape media rotation tasks. VERITAS Cluster Server, VERITAS Volume Replicator and VERITAS Global Cluster Manager Multi-site, Automated Disaster Recovery for DB2 Environments VERITAS Cluster Server provides a comprehensive solution for local availability management due to failures in hardware and software components, but does not address site disasters. Cluster Server interacts with data replication and wide area failover management products. Through this integration, customers can automate and speed the recovery of DB2 data services from catastrophic site failures. Replication ensures that wherever recovery occurs, local access to the most up-to-date data is available, while wide area failover management provides a proven, automated approach to migrating critical application services from one site to another. VERITAS Volume Replicator is a host-based product that leverages VERITAS Volume Manager. It can be used to copy data to remote locations over any IP-based network. Volume Replicator supports both synchronous and asynchronous replication modes, as well as enterprise-class fault management. Also, Volume Replicator can be flexibly configured to keep data states synchronized across 32 sites. Volume Replicator can be used with commercial database systems, such as DB2 and provides broad heterogeneous device support. This allows administrators to leverage existing storage subsystem investments, regardless of the storage hardware type, as well as integrate future technologies. This storage hardware independence is achieved because Volume Replicator focuses on volumes, regardless of the storage hardware type that is housing the data. Global Cluster Manager DB2 Universal Database VERITAS Volume Replicator Database Edition/HA for DB2 SPARC/Solaris Platform This example shows a solution with centralized management out of London. The four company sites have implemented a disaster recovery software stack using VERITAS Volume Replicator for site synchronization and VERITAS Global Cluster Manager for site failover management. VERITAS Global Cluster Manager is a web-based, multi-site cluster management solution. It allows IT staff to manage data and application availability worldwide. Administrators can view and manage multiple geographically dispersed VERITAS Cluster Server products and direct data replication to remote sites, all from a single location. Integrated, configurable events and policies allow coordinated application level, cluster or site migration, providing the capabilities to minimize the downtime associated with everything from data center moves to unexpected disasters. Page 4
The combination of Cluster Server, Volume Replicator and Global Cluster Manager can be used to establish geographically distributed business continuity solutions with extremely rapid and proven recovery. It may alternatively be used to establish follow-the-sun support strategies that keep your applications and data close to your active customers to speed response in problem situations. The Cooperative Support Agreement Streamlined Support For Joint VERITAS/DB2 Customers In 2001, VERITAS and IBM signed a Cooperative Support Agreement (CSA) to ensure that, as our joint customer base grew, our joint support model will meet enterprise requirements. The CSA includes the Support Implementation Plan (SIP) that specifically defines escalation paths with named contacts between the two companies. Other aspects of the agreement include engineering and technical support cross-training, dedicated test beds at our respective technical support sites for problem investigation and resolution, and 24x7 support options available on a worldwide basis. The CSA is an additional indicator of the strong relationship between VERITAS and IBM, complementing our joint development and certification. So far, the joint development includes VERITAS Database Edition for DB2 and VERITAS Cluster Server Agent for DB2, while the joint certification efforts include VERITAS NetBackup for DB2 and VERITAS Volume Replicator for DB2. VERITAS and IBM also each have strong relationships with Sun Microsystems. VERITAS has been a Sun Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for intelligent storage software solutions since 1994, and the two companies have a strong ongoing relationship. VERITAS and Sun are currently developing new storage software solutions for the Sun market. The companies also continually certify VERITAS solutions on new Sun hardware and software components as those become available. In parallel, IBM has been selling DB2 solutions on Sun since 1996, and currently is the fastest-growing database on Sun. Cooperative Support Agreements are in place between VERITAS and Sun as well as between IBM and Sun. Summary VERITAS and IBM have a strong relationship and commitment to provide enterprise solutions for DB2 environments. Our joint development, certification and support efforts allow us to provide enterprise solutions for DB2 in four areas: Performance and manageability solutions for standalone DB2 database servers Highly Available DB2 solutions Online backup and restore management for DB2 Multi-site disaster recovery solutions for DB2 environments All of these solutions focus on providing customers with proven interoperability across a wide variety of heterogeneous storage devices in SPARC/Solaris configurations. As partners, our combined focus is to deliver solutions that improve the performance, availability and manageability of DB2 environments, whether those environments are limited to a single site, or geographically dispersed across multiple sites throughout the world. Page 5
VERITAS Software Corporation Corporate Headquarters 350 Ellis Street Mountain View, CA 94043 650-527-8000 or 800-327-2232 For additional information about VERITAS Software, its products, or the location of an office near you, please call our corporate headquarters or visit our Web site at V E R I T A S W H I T E P A P E R Copyright 2001 VERITAS Software Corporation. All Rights Reserved. VERITAS, VERITAS SOFTWARE, the VERITAS logo, and all other VERITAS product names and slogans are trademarks or registered trademarks of VERITAS Software Corporation in the US and/or other countries. Other product names and/or slogans mentioned herein may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Specifications and product offerings subject to change without notice. Printed in USA. September 2001. 90-01427-399