Storage and Server Virtualization at Seton Hall Matt Stevenson IT Architect Seton Hall University Copyright Matt Stevenson This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

Overview Storage Virtualization Storage Virtualization –Heterogeneous virtualization (in-band) –Array based virtualization (code on controller) Server Virtualization Server Virtualization –VMWare ESX/Infrastructure

History 2004/ (1) In 2004 SHU had stand alone servers and various disk islands In 2004 SHU had stand alone servers and various disk islands Most storage was direct attached Most storage was direct attached Standard “1U” rack servers, one per application Standard “1U” rack servers, one per application

History 2004/ (2) IBM ESS “Shark” IBM ESS “Shark” –Direct attached via SCSI Several stand alone IBM disk units Several stand alone IBM disk units –Direct attached via SCSI Each server had local disk Each server had local disk –Different controllers, RAID replacement procedures

Architecture Changes (1) Implement SAN Implement SAN –Reduce dependency on direct attached disk –Provide more centralized management of disk Reduce server sprawl Reduce server sprawl –Research Virtual Machine technology Focus on Blade technology Focus on Blade technology –Smaller size, power, and cabling requirements

Systems (Blades) IBM Blade Center Technology IBM Blade Center Technology –Modular design –Includes Network, Storage Switch, and Management in single chassis –Lower power requirements for servers –70 Servers per rack –Boot from SAN for no moving parts on blades

Architecture Changes (2) Implement SAN Implement SAN Reduce server sprawl Reduce server sprawl Focus on Blade technology Focus on Blade technology - Storage Virtualization -

Storage (SAN) SAN Storage SAN Storage –IBM Shark –IBM DS8000 –StorageTek Flex380 –Infortrend SAN Switch/Infra SAN Switch/Infra –qLogic SANBox 9000 (Blades) Up to 256 Ports Up to 256 Ports Ability to expand SAN to other buildings/long distance (DR, etc) Ability to expand SAN to other buildings/long distance (DR, etc)

Blade 1Blade 4Blade 2Blade 3 SAN Switch 1SAN Switch 2 IPStor 1IPStor 2 DS8000Flex380 Storage Virtualization (1)

Storage Virtualization – (2) FalconStor IPStor software FalconStor IPStor software –“Virtualizes” all storage, allows resize, assign/remove on the fly –Allows mirroring/physical disk moves with no downtime (between multiple physical storage units) –Single “pane of glass” management for all storage –Freedom from vendor limitations (LUNs, sizes, etc) –Snapshots of live data possible

Storage Virtualization – (3) FalconStor IPStor software (v5.1) FalconStor IPStor software (v5.1) –In-band solution –Active/Active cluster –Single software interface for all management (Linux/Windows) –Clients available for snapshots for Oracle, Notes/Exchange, SQL Server, etc

Storage Virtualization – (4) Tasks for administrators: Tasks for administrators: –Mirror data (Upgrades, backups) –Move data –Add additional storage from selected tier –Add new servers to storage pool

Storage Virtualization – (5) Mirror Command Mirror Command –Move data –“Swap” mirrors –“Promote” mirror to primary storage Moving storage from one array to another Moving storage from one array to another

System Performance Applications currently utilizing storage virtualization – 70+ server clients Applications currently utilizing storage virtualization – 70+ server clients –Lotus Domino (campus wide) –Sungard Banner (Approx 12 instances with multiple add-ons) –File/Print services (campus wide) –Content management system –Luminis Portal –VMWare ESX Server

Additional Features Replication Replication “Hot Zone” “Hot Zone” Snapshots Snapshots Reports Reports

Storage Virtualization - Future Fully integrate Dynapath/Multipath Fully integrate Dynapath/Multipath Full 4Gbps SAN connections Full 4Gbps SAN connections –Overcomes 2Gbps queue depth issues Increase number of targets to hosts Increase number of targets to hosts

Storage Virtualization - Review Single pane of glass for administration Single pane of glass for administration Migration between physical disk arrays is a non-issue Migration between physical disk arrays is a non-issue Simplification means no full time storage administrator necessary Simplification means no full time storage administrator necessary Avoid Single Point of Failure Avoid Single Point of Failure

Server Virtualization

Server Virtualization - History Single standalone servers Single standalone servers One server per application One server per application Development environment for each production environment Development environment for each production environment

Server Virtualization (1) VMWare Infrastructure Enterprise v3 VMWare Infrastructure Enterprise v3 –Single pane of glass to monitor, configure, and provision new servers (VirtualCenter) –“VMotion” technology to move virtual machines between VMWare servers –Virtual machines will be “SMP” capable –Cluster aware filesystem (VMFS) –High Availability (VirtualCenter)

Server Virtualization (2) Seton Hall Environment (4) VMWare ESX Servers (4) VMWare ESX Servers –IBM x3850 –“Virtual Infrastructure Enterprise 3” –32GB RAM each VirtualCenter Management Server VirtualCenter Management Server –Win2k3 Blade

Server Virtualization (3) VMWare 1 VMWare 3VMWare 4 VMWare 2 VirtualCenter Mgmt

Server Virtualization – Virtual Center Virtual Center Virtual Center –Single management console to view all VMWare servers –Can be single point of failure (won’t bring down VMs) –Required for Vmotion, HA/DR –Accounts can be from Active Directory

Server Virtualization - Vmotion Vmotion Vmotion –“Live” migration of virtual machines between VMWare servers –Requires dedicated GigE connection –Requires shared SAN disks (VMFS) –Requires “like” CPUs on VMWare servers Review VMWare documentation closely Review VMWare documentation closely –VirtualCenter can dynamically move VMs based on system load

Seton Hall Server Virtualization (1) How Seton Hall is utilizing Server Virtualization How Seton Hall is utilizing Server Virtualization –55+ Virtual Machines –Production and Development systems –VMotion implemented to avoid VMware system downtime

Seton Hall Server Virtualization (2) –Remote access to development systems From user’s desktop From user’s desktop Remote media mount (CD, Floppy, etc) Remote media mount (CD, Floppy, etc) –Storage flexibility (adding virtual disks on the fly) –“Virtual Appliances”

Seton Hall Server Virtualization (3) –Migration of old hardware/servers Out of date/out of warrantee physical hardware Out of date/out of warrantee physical hardware –Schedule restarts/power on-off/relocation of VMs

Server Virtualization - Performance Sample Seton Hall Applications Sample Seton Hall Applications –Oracle Identity Manager (Development) –Cacti SNMP statistics (Production) –ezProxy reverse proxy server (Production) –R25 Scheduling (Development) –Active Directory (Development) –Sungard Banner (Development) –Lecture123 (Production)

Server Virtualization - Performance VMWare ESX Server and VirtualCenter provide performance graphs VMWare ESX Server and VirtualCenter provide performance graphs –Exportable to Excel

Seton Hall Server Virtualization (4) Future Items Future Items –Migration to VMWare Infrastructure Enterprise 3.5 –VMware Converter Enterprise Edition Live migration of physical server to virtual machines Live migration of physical server to virtual machines Clone of physical machines for DR Clone of physical machines for DR

Seton Hall Server Virtualization (5) Future Items for Seton Hall Future Items for Seton Hall –Review and implement VMWare Update Manager Automated patching for ESX Server and VMs Automated patching for ESX Server and VMs –Lab replacement using VI3/VDI Virtual Desktop Infrastructure for lab machines Virtual Desktop Infrastructure for lab machines

How it all works for SHU.. Storage Virtualization Storage Virtualization –Dynamic allocation of virtual disks –Single pane of glass storage management –Sidestep vendor restrictions Server Virtualization Server Virtualization –Relies on Storage Virtualization for all storage –Physical server consolidation –Single pane of glass server management –Live movement of VMs for high availability –Remote access built in

Questions? Matt Stevenson IT Architect Seton Hall University