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IBM FlashSystem Best Practices and Performance Guidelines

Release Date: 2021/08/01
ISBN: 9780738459707
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This IBM® Redbooks® publication captures several of the preferred practices and describes the performance gains that can be achieved by implementing the IBM FlashSystem products. These practices are based on field experience.

This book highlights configuration guidelines and preferred practices for the storage area network (SAN) topology, clustered system, back-end storage, storage pools and managed disks, volumes, remote copy services, and hosts.

It explains how you can optimize disk performance with the IBM System Storage® Easy Tier® function. It also provides preferred practices for monitoring, maintaining, and troubleshooting.

This book is intended for experienced storage, SAN, IBM FlashSystem, SAN Volume Controller (SVC), and IBM Storwize® administrators and technicians. Understanding this book requires advanced knowledge of these environments.

Table of Contents

  1. Front cover
  2. Figures
  3. Tables
  4. Examples
  5. Notices
    1. Trademarks
  6. Preface
    1. Authors
    2. Now you can become a published author, too!
    3. Comments welcome
    4. Stay connected to IBM Redbooks
  7. Chapter 1. IBM FlashSystem introduction
    1. 1.1 IBM FlashSystem supported product range
    2. 1.1.1 What’s new in V8.4
    3. 1.1.2 Products supported
    4. 1.2 IBM FlashSystem high-level features
    5. 1.3 IBM Storwize and IBM FlashSystem product range
    6. 1.3.1 Clustering rules and upgrades
    7. 1.3.2 Mixed clustering rules and licensing
    8. 1.3.3 IBM FlashSystem 9200R Rack Solution overview
    9. 1.4 Advanced functions for data reduction
    10. 1.4.1 FlashCore Modules (FCM)
    11. 1.4.2 Data reduction pools (DRP)
    12. 1.4.3 Deduplication
    13. 1.4.4 Thin provisioning
    14. 1.4.5 Thin-provisioned FlashCopy snapshots
    15. 1.5 Advanced software features
    16. 1.5.1 Data migration
    17. 1.5.2 Copy services
    18. 1.5.3 Easy Tier
    19. 1.5.4 External virtualization
    20. 1.5.5 IBM HyperSwap
    21. 1.5.6 Licensing
  8. Chapter 2. Storage area network
    1. 2.1 SAN topology general guidelines
    2. 2.1.1 SAN performance and scalability
    3. 2.1.2 ISL considerations
    4. 2.2 SAN topology-specific guidelines
    5. 2.2.1 Single switch SANs
    6. 2.2.2 Basic core-edge topology
    7. 2.2.3 Edge-core-edge topology
    8. 2.2.4 Full MeSH topology
    9. 2.2.5 IBM FlashSystem as a SAN bridge
    10. 2.2.6 Device placement
    11. 2.2.7 SAN partitioning
    12. 2.3 IBM FlashSystem 9200 controller ports
    13. 2.3.1 Slots and ports identification
    14. 2.3.2 Port naming and distribution
    15. 2.4 Zoning
    16. 2.4.1 Types of zoning
    17. 2.4.2 Pre-zoning tips and shortcuts
    18. 2.4.3 IBM FlashSystem 9200 internode communications zones
    19. 2.4.4 IBM FlashSystem 9200 host zones
    20. 2.5 Distance extension for Remote Copy services
    21. 2.5.1 Optical multiplexors
    22. 2.5.2 Long-distance SFPs or XFPs
    23. 2.5.3 Fibre Channel over IP
    24. 2.5.4 SAN extension with Business Continuity configurations
    25. 2.5.5 Native IP replication
    26. 2.6 Tape and disk traffic that share the SAN
    27. 2.7 Switch interoperability
  9. Chapter 3. Storage backend
    1. 3.1 Internal storage types
    2. 3.1.1 NVMe storage
    3. 3.1.2 SAS drives
    4. 3.1.3 Internal storage considerations
    5. 3.2 Arrays
    6. 3.2.1 Supported RAID types
    7. 3.2.2 Array considerations
    8. 3.2.3 Compressed array monitoring
    9. 3.3 General external storage considerations
    10. 3.3.1 Storage controller path selection
    11. 3.3.2 Guidelines for creating optimal backend configuration
    12. 3.3.3 Considerations for compressing and deduplicating back-end
    13. 3.4 Controller-specific considerations
    14. 3.4.1 Considerations for DS8000 series
    15. 3.4.2 Considerations for IBM XIV Storage System
    16. 3.4.3 Considerations for IBM FlashSystem A9000/A9000R
    17. 3.4.4 Considerations for FlashSystem 5000, 5100, 7200, 9100, and 9200
    18. 3.4.5 Considerations for IBM FlashSystem 900
    19. 3.4.6 Path considerations for third-party storage with EMC VMAX and Hitachi Data Systems
    20. 3.5 Quorum disks
  10. Chapter 4. Storage pools
    1. 4.1 Introduction to pools
    2. 4.1.1 Standard pool
    3. 4.1.2 Data reduction pools
    4. 4.1.3 Standard pools versus data reduction pools
    5. 4.1.4 Data reduction estimation tools
    6. 4.1.5 Understanding capacity use in a data reduction pool
    7. 4.2 Storage pool planning considerations
    8. 4.2.1 Planning for availability
    9. 4.2.2 Planning for performance
    10. 4.2.3 Planning for capacity
    11. 4.2.4 Extent size considerations
    12. 4.2.5 External pools
    13. 4.3 Data reduction pools best practices
    14. 4.3.1 Data reduction pools with IBM FlashSystem NVMe attached drives
    15. 4.3.2 DRP and external storage considerations
    16. 4.3.3 Data reduction pools and VMware vVols
    17. 4.3.4 Data reduction pool configuration limits
    18. 4.3.5 DRP provisioning considerations
    19. 4.3.6 Standard and DRP pools coexistence
    20. 4.3.7 Data migration with DRP
    21. 4.4 Operations with storage pools
    22. 4.4.1 Creating data reduction pools
    23. 4.4.2 Adding external MDisks to existing storage pools
    24. 4.4.3 Renaming MDisks
    25. 4.4.4 Removing MDisks from existing storage pools
    26. 4.4.5 Remapping managed MDisks
    27. 4.4.6 Controlling extent allocation order for volume creation
    28. 4.5 Considerations when using encryption
    29. 4.5.1 General considerations
    30. 4.5.2 Hardware and software encryption
    31. 4.5.3 Encryption at rest with USB keys
    32. 4.5.4 Encryption at rest with key servers
    33. 4.6 Easy Tier, tiered and balanced storage pools
    34. 4.6.1 Easy Tier concepts
    35. 4.6.2 Easy Tier definitions
    36. 4.6.3 Easy Tier operating modes
    37. 4.6.4 MDisk tier types
    38. 4.6.5 Changing the tier type of an MDisk
    39. 4.6.6 Easy Tier overload protection
    40. 4.6.7 Removing an MDisk from an Easy Tier pool
    41. 4.6.8 Easy Tier implementation considerations
    42. 4.6.9 Easy Tier settings
    43. 4.6.10 Monitoring Easy Tier using the GUI
  11. Chapter 5. Volumes
    1. 5.1 Overview of volumes
    2. 5.2 Guidance for creating volumes
    3. 5.3 Thin-provisioned volumes
    4. 5.3.1 Compressed volumes
    5. 5.3.2 Deduplicated volumes
    6. 5.3.3 Thin-provisioning considerations
    7. 5.3.4 Limits on virtual capacity of thin-provisioned volumes
    8. 5.4 Mirrored volumes
    9. 5.4.1 Write fast failovers
    10. 5.4.2 Read fast failovers
    11. 5.4.3 Maintaining data integrity of mirrored volumes
    12. 5.5 HyperSwap volumes
    13. 5.6 VMware virtual volumes
    14. 5.7 Cloud volumes
    15. 5.7.1 Transparent cloud tiering configuration limitations and rules
    16. 5.7.2 Restore to the production volume
    17. 5.7.3 Restore to a new volume
    18. 5.8 Volume migration
    19. 5.8.1 Image-type to striped-type volume migration
    20. 5.8.2 Migrating to image-type volume
    21. 5.8.3 Migrating with volume mirroring
    22. 5.8.4 Migration from Standard Pool to Data Reduction Pool
    23. 5.9 Preferred paths to a volume
    24. 5.10 Moving a volume between I/O groups and nodes
    25. 5.10.1 Changing the preferred node of a volume within an I/O group
    26. 5.10.2 Moving a volume between I/O groups
    27. 5.11 Volume throttling
    28. 5.12 Volume cache mode
    29. 5.13 Additional considerations
    30. 5.13.1 Volume protection
    31. 5.13.2 Volume resizing
    32. 5.13.3 Migrating from Fibre Channel connections to RDMA over Ethernet connections between nodes
  12. Chapter 6. Copy services
    1. 6.1 Introduction to copy services
    2. 6.1.1 FlashCopy
    3. 6.1.2 Metro Mirror and Global Mirror
    4. 6.1.3 Volume Mirroring
    5. 6.2 FlashCopy
    6. 6.2.1 FlashCopy use cases
    7. 6.2.2 FlashCopy capabilities overview
    8. 6.2.3 FlashCopy functional overview
    9. 6.2.4 FlashCopy planning considerations
    10. 6.3 Remote Copy services
    11. 6.3.1 Remote Copy use cases
    12. 6.3.2 Remote Copy functional overview
    13. 6.3.3 Remote Copy network planning
    14. 6.3.4 Remote Copy services planning
    15. 6.3.5 Multiple site remote copy
    16. 6.3.6 1920 error
    17. 6.4 Native IP replication
    18. 6.4.1 Native IP replication technology
    19. 6.4.2 IP partnership limitations
    20. 6.4.3 VLAN support
    21. 6.4.4 IP Compression
    22. 6.4.5 Remote Copy groups
    23. 6.4.6 Supported configurations examples
    24. 6.4.7 Native IP replication performance consideration
    25. 6.5 Volume Mirroring
    26. 6.5.1 Read and write operations
    27. 6.5.2 Volume mirroring use cases
    28. 6.5.3 Mirrored volume components
    29. 6.5.4 Volume Mirroring synchronization options
    30. 6.5.5 Volume Mirroring performance considerations
    31. 6.5.6 Bitmap space for out-of-sync volume copies
  13. Chapter 7. Business continuity
    1. 7.1 Business continuity with HyperSwap
    2. 7.2 Third site and IP quorum
    3. 7.2.1 Quorum modes
    4. 7.3 HyperSwap Volumes
    5. 7.4 Other considerations and general recommendations
  14. Chapter 8. Hosts
    1. 8.1 General configuration guidelines
    2. 8.1.1 Number of paths
    3. 8.1.2 Host ports
    4. 8.1.3 Port masking
    5. 8.1.4 N-port ID virtualization (NPIV)
    6. 8.1.5 Host to I/O group mapping
    7. 8.1.6 Volume size as opposed to quantity
    8. 8.1.7 Host volume mapping
    9. 8.1.8 Server adapter layout
    10. 8.1.9 Host status improvements
    11. 8.1.10 Considerations for NVMe over Fibre Channel host attachments
    12. 8.1.11 Considerations for iSER host attachments
    13. 8.2 Host pathing
    14. 8.2.1 Path selection
    15. 8.3 I/O queues
    16. 8.3.1 Queue depths
    17. 8.4 Host clusters
    18. 8.4.1 Persistent reservations
    19. 8.4.2 Clearing reserves
    20. 8.5 AIX hosts
    21. 8.5.1 Multipathing support
    22. 8.5.2 Configuration recommendations for AIX
    23. 8.6 Virtual I/O server hosts
    24. 8.6.1 Multipathing support
    25. 8.6.2 Physical and logical volumes
    26. 8.6.3 Methods to identify a disk for use as a virtual SCSI disk
    27. 8.7 Windows hosts
    28. 8.7.1 Multipathing support
    29. 8.7.2 Windows configuration
    30. 8.8 Linux hosts
    31. 8.9 Oracle Solaris hosts
    32. 8.9.1 Solaris MPxIO
    33. 8.9.2 Symantec Veritas Volume Manager
    34. 8.9.3 DMP multipathing
    35. 8.10 VMware ESXi server hosts
    36. 8.10.1 Configuring VMware
    37. 8.10.2 Multipathing configuration maximums
  15. Chapter 9. Monitoring
    1. 9.1 Generic monitoring
    2. 9.1.1 Monitoring with the GUI
    3. 9.1.2 Monitoring using quotas and alert
    4. 9.2 Performance monitoring
    5. 9.2.1 Performance monitoring with the GUI
    6. 9.2.2 Performance monitoring with IBM Spectrum Control
    7. 9.2.3 Performance monitoring with IBM Storage Insights
    8. 9.3 Capacity metrics for block storage systems
    9. 9.3.1 Storage system capacity metrics
    10. 9.3.2 Pool capacity metrics
    11. 9.3.3 Volume capacity metrics
    12. 9.4 Creating alerts for IBM Spectrum Control and IBM Storage Insights
    13. 9.4.1 Alert examples
    14. 9.4.2 Alert to monitor back-end capacity: Available Physical Space (%)
    15. 9.5 Error condition example with IBM Spectrum Control: FC port
    16. 9.6 Important metrics
    17. 9.7 Performance support package
    18. 9.8 Metro and Global Mirror monitoring with IBM Copy Services Manager and scripts
    19. 9.8.1 Monitoring MM and GM with scripts
    20. 9.9 Monitoring Tier1 SSD
  16. Chapter 10. Maintenance
    1. 10.1 User interfaces
    2. 10.1.1 Management GUI
    3. 10.1.2 Service Assistant Tool GUI
    4. 10.1.3 Command line interface
    5. 10.2 Users and groups
    6. 10.3 Volumes
    7. 10.4 Hosts
    8. 10.5 Software updates
    9. 10.5.1 Deciding the target software level
    10. 10.5.2 Hardware considerations
    11. 10.5.3 Update sequence
    12. 10.5.4 SAN fabrics preparation
    13. 10.5.5 Storage controllers preparation
    14. 10.5.6 Hosts preparation
    15. 10.5.7 Copy services considerations
    16. 10.5.8 Running the Upgrade Test Utility
    17. 10.5.9 Updating the software
    18. 10.6 Drive firmware updates
    19. 10.7 SAN modifications
    20. 10.7.1 Cross-referencing WWPN
    21. 10.7.2 Cross-referencing LUN ID
    22. 10.8 Server HBA replacement
    23. 10.9 Hardware upgrades
    24. 10.9.1 Adding control enclosures
    25. 10.9.2 Upgrading nodes in an existing cluster
    26. 10.9.3 Upgrading NVMe drives
    27. 10.9.4 Moving to a new IBM FlashSystem cluster
    28. 10.9.5 Splitting an IBM FlashSystem cluster
    29. 10.9.6 Adding expansion enclosures
    30. 10.9.7 Removing expansion enclosures
    31. 10.9.8 IBM FlashWatch
    32. 10.10 I/O Throttling
    33. 10.10.1 General information on I/O throttling
    34. 10.10.2 I/O throttling on front-end I/O control
    35. 10.10.3 I/O Throttling on back-end I/O control
    36. 10.10.4 Overall benefits of using I/O throttling
    37. 10.10.5 Considerations for I/O throttling
    38. 10.10.6 Configuring I/O throttling using the CLI
    39. 10.10.7 Configuring I/O throttling using the GUI
    40. 10.10.8 Creating a volume throttle
    41. 10.10.9 Creating a host throttle
    42. 10.10.10 Creating a host cluster throttle
    43. 10.10.11 Creating a storage pool throttle
    44. 10.10.12 Creating an offload throttle
    45. 10.11 Automation
    46. 10.11.1 Red Hat Ansible
    47. 10.11.2 RESTful API
    48. 10.12 Documenting IBM FlashSystem and SAN environment
    49. 10.12.1 Naming conventions
    50. 10.12.2 SAN fabric documentation
    51. 10.12.3 IBM FlashSystem documentation
    52. 10.12.4 Storage documentation
    53. 10.12.5 Technical support information
    54. 10.12.6 Tracking incident and change tickets
    55. 10.12.7 Automated support data collection
    56. 10.12.8 Subscribing to IBM FlashSystem support
  17. Chapter 11. Troubleshooting and diagnostics
    1. 11.1 Starting troubleshooting
    2. 11.1.1 Recommended actions and fix procedure
    3. 11.2 Diagnostic data collection
    4. 11.2.1 IBM FlashSystem data collection
    5. 11.2.2 Host multipath software data collection
    6. 11.2.3 Additional data collection
    7. 11.3 Common problems and isolation techniques
    8. 11.3.1 Host problems
    9. 11.3.2 SAN problems
    10. 11.3.3 Storage subsystem problems
    11. 11.3.4 Native IP replication problems
    12. 11.3.5 Remote Direct Memory Access based clustering
    13. 11.3.6 Advanced Copy services problems
    14. 11.3.7 Health status during upgrade
    15. 11.3.8 Managing physical capacity of over provisioned storage controllers
    16. 11.3.9 Replacing a failed flash drive
    17. 11.3.10 Recovering from common events
    18. 11.4 Remote Support Assistance
    19. 11.5 Call Home Connect Cloud and Health Checker feature
    20. 11.5.1 Health Checker
    21. 11.6 IBM Storage Insights
    22. 11.6.1 Storage Insights Customer Dashboard
    23. 11.6.2 Customized dashboards to monitor your storage
    24. 11.6.3 Creating support tickets
    25. 11.6.4 Updating support tickets
    26. 11.6.5 SI Advisor
  18. Appendix A. IBM i considerations
    1. IBM i Storage management
    2. Single-level storage
    3. IBM i response time
    4. Planning for IBM i storage capacity
    5. Storage connection to IBM i
    6. Setting of attributes in VIOS
    7. Disk drives for IBM i
    8. Defining LUNs for IBM i
    9. Data layout
    10. Fibre Channel adapters in IBM i and VIOS
    11. Zoning SAN switches
    12. IBM i Multipath
    13. Boot from SAN
    14. IBM i mirroring
    15. Copy services considerations
    16. Db2 mirroring for IBM i
  19. Related publications
    1. IBM Redbooks
    2. Online resources
    3. Help from IBM
  20. Back cover
18.116.51.117