How to Solve Server Virtualization Storage Issues

Server Virtualization has revolutionized the original data backup and disaster recovery strategies due to virtual machine sprawl and virtual machine backup and disaster recovery software configuration issues. EMC, HitachiDataSystem, IBM, NetApp, and Dell are all committed to server virtualization storage issues, providing solutions including storage virtualization, deduplication, and automated thin provisioning. In the data center virtualization environments traditional physical storage technology

server virtualization storage problems. Part of the reason for the proliferation of virtual servers is that virtual servers can consume about 30% more disk space than physical servers. There may also be virtual machine "I/O blender" issues: traditional storage architectures cannot effectively manage promiscuous random I/O generated by virtual machines. Virtual storage management in a virtualized environment is far more complex than traditional environments—managing virtual machines means managing storage space.

As an IT manager, you have several options for solving such server virtualization storage problems, and we'll start with some less practical scenarios. One of them is to deploy virtual machines at a slower speed. You can run fewer virtual machines on each host, reducing the likelihood of an "I/O Mixer" problem. Another method is to provide extra storage, but it is expensive.

is a better choice in the procurement of storage devices, select the model and the introduction of more intelligent, such as storage virtualization, data deduplication, thin provisioning and automation technology. Adopting this strategy means applying new technologies and building partnerships with new manufacturers such as Vistar, DataCore and FalconStor.

storage virtualization as a solution

many analysts and recommended storage provider of storage virtualization, server virtualization solution as a storage problem. Even if there are no problems, storage virtualization can reduce data center spending, increase business agility and become one of the key components of any private cloud. On

Conceptually, storage virtualization is similar to server virtualization. Abstract physical storage systems to hide complex physical storage devices. Storage virtualization consolidates resources from multiple network storage devices into resource pools, externally equivalent to a single storage device, along with virtualized disks, blocks, tape systems, and file systems. One of the advantages of storage virtualization is that it helps storage administrators manage storage devices and improve the efficiency of tasks such as backup/restore and archiving.

storage virtualization architecture maintains a virtual disk with other physical storage mapping table. The virtual storage software layer (logical abstraction layer) is between the physical storage system and the running virtual server. When a virtual server needs to access data, the virtual storage abstraction layer provides a mapping between the virtual disk and the physical storage device and transfers data between the host and the physical storage.

Once you understand the server virtualization technology, storage virtualization using only difference is that kind of technology. The main confusion is the different ways that storage providers use to implement storage virtualization, either directly through storage controllers or through SAN applications. Similarly, some deployment storage virtualization places commands and data in-band together while others may separate commands from the data path (out-of-band).

by many storage virtualization technology, which can be software-based, host, application or network-based. Host-based technology provides a layer of virtualization and acts as a separate storage drive partition for applications. Software-based technologies manage hardware infrastructure based on storage networks. Network-based technologies are similar to software-based technologies, but work at the network switching layer.

storage virtualization technology also has some drawbacks. Implementing a host-based storage virtualization tool is actually a volume manager and has been circulating for many years. The volume manager on the server is used to configure multiple disks and manage them as a single resource, which can be split as needed when needed, but such a configuration needs to be configured on each server. This solution is best suited for small systems.

software-based technology, each host application software only need to check whether there are storage units are available, and the software will be redirected to the needs of the host storage unit. Because software-based applications write block data and control information through the same link, there may be potential bottlenecks that affect the speed of host data transfer. To reduce latency, applications often need to maintain caches for read and write operations, which also increases the price of their applications.

server storage virtualization innovation: two innovative automation to streamline configuration

delete duplicate data storage technology and automated thin provisioning and deduplication, server virtualization also reduce the storage capacity of the environment The solution to the demand. These two innovations can be combined with storage virtualization to provide robust and reliable storage capacity control.

Thin provisioning allows storage "go further", can reduce the allocated but unused capacity. Its function is to allocate data blocks on demand, rather than pre-allocating all capacity requirements. This approach can reduce almost all white space and help avoid underutilization. It can usually reduce disk overhead by 10% and avoid the situation of allocating a large amount of storage space to some independent servers, but it has not been used.

in many server deployment requirements, the application of thin provisioning can provide the required storage resources through a common pool of storage space. Under such conditions, thin provisioning can be integrated with storage virtualization.

deduplication detecting and removing a whole repeat located in the data storage medium or a file system. Detecting duplicate data can be done at the file, byte or block level. Deduplication technology replaces duplicate data with a simple copy by identifying the same data segment. For example, there is a copy of the same document in the file system. In 50 folders (files), the original file can be replaced by a separate copy and 49 links.

deduplication can be applied with a server virtualization environment to reduce storage requirements. Each virtual server is contained in one file, and sometimes the file becomes very large. One of the features of a virtual server is that system administrators can stop virtual machines, copy and back up at certain times. It can be restarted later and resumed online. These backup files are stored somewhere on the file server and usually have duplicate data in the file. Without deduplication support, it is easy to make the storage space required for backups grow dramatically.

change the concept of buying storage device

even through storage virtualization, deduplication and thin provisioning can alleviate the number of speed storage capacity growth, organizations may need to change their buying criteria storage solutions . For example, if the storage you purchased supports deduplication, you may no longer need to configure as much storage capacity as you originally planned. Support for automated thin provisioning, storage capacity utilization can be automatically increased and close to 100%, without the need for administrators to operate and maintain. Before

traditional storage purchase, you need to assess the storage capacity required to meet the load at baseline, three years storage potential growth rate, memory expansion capabilities and solve the storage configuration file, as well as the development of related procurement contracts. With the advantages of storage virtualization and cloud computing, it will become increasingly impractical to purchase larger capacity traditional storage, especially if the budget is still the biggest limit for purchasing storage.

Here are some simple storage purchase guide:

- unless explicitly stated in the design, not to buy storage solutions can only solve a single problem. This approach will result in the purchase of a storage architecture that cannot be shared with other systems.

- focus on those multi-protocol support and provide greater flexibility in storage solutions.

- considering storage solution can support application /load range.

- Learn to solve the problem of storage technologies and solutions, such as deduplication and thin provisioning automation.

- understanding can reduce system management costs of storage management software and automation tools.

how many organizations have implemented server virtualization, and to consider how to implement a private cloud on an existing server and storage hardware in the interior environment. It is important that the storage budget is applied to the purchase of the right hardware or software. Don't focus only on low prices. Instead, starting with business issues, providing the most valuable storage solution to solve problems is king.