2. Leveraging Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Storage Technologies
Michael Ivanov Director of Product Management Windows Solutions

3. Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Storage Goals
Make Windows the best possible platform for storage-based systems
Help facilitate the creation of applications and services on Windows that rely heavily on the underlying storage systems.
Storage system and application vendors that sit on top of the operating system (OS) have a critical role in everything Microsoft is trying to accomplish in storage management
The OS provides the glue between the storage system and the applications
Looking at how Microsoft can add more value over time
Help move Windows Servers into the Enterprise Market
With the release of Windows 2003, there has been a lot of attention given to the new storage technologies that Microsoft introduced in the Windows Server 2003 release. Microsoft’s goal is not to eliminate the need for ISV’s/IHV’s with these new storage technologies, but rather to make Windows the best possible platform for storage based systems.
They are doing this by facilitating the creation of applications and services on Windows that rely heavily on the underlying storage systems. Storage vendors that sit on top of the Operating System have a critical role in everything Microsoft is trying to accomplish in storage management.
The OS itself doesn’t provide complete storage solutions, but rather provides the glue between the storage systems and the applications.
As the Windows Server OS continues to evolve, Microsoft will continue to look at more value they can provide to storage vendors like VERITAS.
As Microsoft moves further into the enterprise market, the need for integrated storage solutions is a must have requirement.

4. VERITAS Technologies In the OS…
2003
Microsoft Releasing Windows Server 2003
4 Key Components based on VERITAS technology:
Backup, RSS, LDM, Automated System Recovery
Release of Windows 2000, 3 OS components delivered by VERITAS:
Backup Applet, Remote Storage Services (RSS), Logical Disk Manager(LDM)
Backup Exec v8 for Windows NT/2000 releases concurrently
1st certified data protection for Windows 2000
1st to support Exchange 2000, SQL Server 2000 and SharePoint Portal Server
Release of Windows NT 4, Backup Applet written by VERITAS
1st Disaster Recovery Solution for Windows platforms
1st SAN Solution for Windows
Backup Exec v6.11 and v7
Since the inception of Windows NT in 1991, VERITAS has worked closely with Microsoft to provide storage management solutions for this operating system.
When NT first shipped in 1993, VERITAS was the provider of the backup applet inside of the operating system. The tape format used by that applet was also developed by VERITAS. From that first release of NT (version 3.1), through all subsequent releases including: 3.5, 3.51, 4.0, 2000, 2003, the backup applet has remained in the OS.
When NT first shipped, VERITAS also released the first commercially available backup application, Backup Exec for Windows NT, concurrently. From that day and with every Windows Server release since then, Backup Exec has been released concurrently with the OS. With the 2003 release, VERITAS has now aligned the NetBackup product to release concurrently with the OS as well.
VERITAS was also the first to be certified on all the various version of NT releases from day 1.
Throughout the years, there have been many other firsts for data protection, that VERITAS has introduced on the Windows Server platform. These include solutions for Storage Area Networks (SAN), disaster recovery, support for Exchange 2000, SQL 2000, and SharePoint Portal Server to mention a few.
But, not only has VERITAS been instrumental in data protection for Windows Servers, other storage technologies have been leveraged in the OS as well. In Windows 2000, the Logical Disk Manager (LDM) was provided by VERITAS and is offered commercially as VERITAS Volume Manager. Also, the Remote Storage Services (RSS) applet, which is a Hierarchical Storage Management (HSM) technology, is offered as VERITAS NetBackup Storage Migrator.
During the development of Windows 2000, VERITAS also worked on the technology for the Automated System Recovery (ASR). This was targeted to be released with Windows 2000, but did not make the final feature set. Microsoft continued development of ASR and has now released it in the Windows Server 2003 release.
As you can see by all of this, Microsoft and VERITAS have worked together for over a decade in developing key storage technologies for the Windows Server platform.
Microsoft Releases Windows NT 3.1 and 3.5
Backup Applet & Microsoft Tape Format co-developed with VERITAS
Backup Exec v4, v5, and v6, 1st Certified for Windows NT

5. Does Windows Certification Matter?
Provides highest levels of assurance
Certification standards apply equally to Microsoft and ISVs
All tests performed by VeriTest, a 3rd party
Three levels of certification, one for each Windows 2003 server level
Windows 2003 Server
Windows 2003 Enterprise Server
Windows 2003 Datacenter Server
With the new release of Windows Server 2003, Microsoft has updated the “Certified for Windows” program. Being certified by Microsoft ensures customers that these products were specifically built for and tested on the new OS platforms. These stringent requirements are the same requirements that Microsoft applications themselves have to meet!
The certification is done by a 3rd party company called VeriTest.
For Windows Server 2003, there are 3 levels of certification: Server, Enterprise Server, and Datacenter Server.

6. Windows 2003 Certification Levels
Key Requirements
Standard
Enterprise
Datacenter
No unplanned downtime X
Driver verification
Correct installation
No restarts
Secure desktop & network communication
No cluster vulnerabilities
Compatibility with virus scanning
Test for crash recovery
Appropriate resource use
Runs on 8-proc or 32-proc systems
Test stability & crash recovery under stress
Round-the-clock support availability
This is not a comprehensive list of certification requirements. It is intended solely as a guide to understand the general differences between the three levels of Windows 2003 certification.

7. VERITAS is Windows 2003 Certified
Backup Exec 9.0
Server
Enterprise Server
Datacenter Server
NetBackup 4.5 FP4
On April 24, concurrent with Microsoft’s launch of Windows Server 2003, VERITAS announced that both of its industry leading backup products: Backup Exec and NetBackup, achieved Windows Server 2003 certification! These products were certified on all levels of certification: Server, Enterprise Server, and Datacenter Server! This shows the importance and commitment VERITAS has to the Windows Server platform!

8. Microsoft Windows Server 2003 New Storage Services
Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS)
Infrastructure for Snapshot Backup, leverages array-based snapshot capability
Shadow Copies for Shared Folders
Multipath I/O (MPIO)
DDK for array vendors to create path failover (functions as VM-DMP)
Virtual Disk Service (VDS)
Array integration capability
Automated System Recovery (ASR)
Enables bare metal restore capabilities
With the release of Windows Server 2003, Microsoft introduced 4 new storage technologies that we will be addressing with the rest of this presentation. These technologies are:
Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS)
Multipath I/O (MPIO)
Virtual Disk Service (VDS)
Automated System Recovery (ASR)
VSS is an infrastructure that Microsoft created that allows for the coordination of snapshot backups. This allows customers to leverage array-based snapshot capabilities.
MPIO is an Software Development Kit (SDK) for array vendors to create path failover capabilities. This is similar to what VERITAS Volume Manager does today with Dynamic Multi Pathing (DMP).
VDS enables the management of multivendor storage devices. VDS gives Windows its first native Logical Unit Number (LUN) masking capability, which allows certain portions of a storage device to be reserved for use by specified hosts.
ASR allows for bare metal restore capabilities.

9. Windows Server 2003 Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS)

10. Microsoft VSS Goals Make Windows a great platform for snapshots:
Provide a common infrastructure to manage point-in-time snapshots
Easy hardware support
Allow providers of Snapshot hardware to easily integrate with applications and backup applications
Provide standard backup paradigm
Prior to Windows Server 2003, there was no easy, coordinated way to take snapshots of applications for activities such as off-host processing or backup. Products like VERITAS’ Edition for Microsoft Exchange 2000 have developed ways to do snapshotting of Exchange 2000, but it uses more of a “brute force” method to do this since VSS didn’t exist for Windows 2000 and Exchange What the Edition has to do today is wait for a period of inactivity, then take a snapshot, then run utilities against the snapshot to verify it is in a consistent state for use. If it isn’t, the snapshot is discarded and the process begins again. In most cases, the snapshot is consistent with the first attempt, but it is still a trial and error method.
With VSS, Microsoft provides a framework to coordinate all these processes and guarantee clean snapshots the first time. This allows for ISV’s and IHV’s to work to plug into Microsoft’s framework and by doing so, provides interoperability across products.
The following slides will go into more detail on how this works.

11. Volume Shadow Copy Service
VSS Terminology
Backup Application
Requestors
Backup Applications
VSS Requesters
SQL 2000
VSS Writers
Exchange 2003
Volume Shadow Copy Service
Providers
Copy-on-Write
SW & HW
VSS Providers
Provided by:
First, lets review the terminology used within VSS. There are 3 main components to VSS: Requesters, Providers, and Writers.
Requesters – These are the applications, such as backup, that are going to ask for snapshots to be taken. These are typically 3rd party ISV applications like backup.
Providers – These are the components that actually do the snapshots and expose them. In the Windows Sever 2003 release, Microsoft provides a Copy-on-Write (COW) provider that can take snapshots of the Windows Server 2003 OS. Other ISV’s and IHV’s also will create providers to take snapshots.
Writers – These are the components that work with the databases/applications to quiesce, freeze, thaw during the snapshot process. Microsoft classifies Writers into 3 categories: System State Writers, Service State Writers, and User Data. With the Windows Server 2003 release, the following writers are available from Microsoft:
System State Writers – Registry, System Files, COM+ Registration Database, SYSVOL, Active Directory, Cluster Services, Certificate Services, IIS
Service State Writers – Removable Storage Manager (RSM), Windows Internet Name Service (WINS), Terminal Licensing, Event Log, Remote Storage Services (RSS), Dynamic Host Configuration (DHCP)
User Data – SQL Server 2000, Exchange 2003 (when released)
Microsoft
ISV/IHV’s

12. Volume Shadow Copy Service
2. VSS calls the Exchange VSS Writer to find out which logical volumes/LUNs contain the databases
1. Backup application (VSS Requester) calls VSS and tells it that it needs to do an Exchange split-mirror backup
VSS & VERITAS
VSS Requesters
4. VSS calls the Exchange VSS Writer and tells it quiesce and freeze itself and prepare for a backup. The Exchange Writer does this and tells VSS to proceed.
SQL 2000
VSS Writers
NetBackup
Backup Exec
Exchange 2003
Volume Shadow Copy Service
6. VSS then notifies Exchange that it can thaw. VSS also tells the backup application that it can backup up the snapshot.
5. VSS then calls the snapshot provider (VSS Provider) and tells it to do a snapshot (split a mirror). When the provider is done it notifies VSS.
Copy-on-Write
VSS Providers
Provided by:
Let’s see how VERITAS’ products fit into this framework.
For VSS Requesters, we have our backup applications NetBackup and Backup Exec. <<Click through for automation>>
For VSS Providers, we have our FlashSnap option for our VERITAS Volume Manger. <<Click through for automation>>
Let’s walk through the steps in an example of how VSS would coordinate a snapshot of Exchange 2003 for backup. <<Click through for automation>>
Step 1 – Let’s say a VSS Requester like VERITAS’ Backup Exec is scheduled to do a snapshot backup of Exchange. It would make a call to VSS and tell it that it needs to do this.
Step 2 – VSS acknowledges the Requester and communicates with the Exchange Writer. It calls the Exchange Writer to find out which logical volumes/LUNs contain the databases needed for snapshot.
Step 3 – VSS calls the VSS Provider and determines which ones can snapshot the needed logical volumes/LUNs.
Step 4 – VSS calls the Exchange VSS Writer and tells it to quiesce and freeze itself and prepare for backup. When the Writer is finished doing this (in seconds) it lets VSS know it’s ready.
Step 5 – VSS then calls the VSS Provider and tells it to take the snapshot (split the mirror). When the Provider is finished, it notifies VSS.
Step 6 – VSS notifies the Exchange Writer that it can now thaw itself. VSS then also notifies the backup application that the snapshot is ready for backup.
Microsoft
ISV/IHV’s
3. VSS calls the VSS Providers and determines which ones can snapshot the needed logical volumes/LUNs
VERITAS
FlashSnap
VERITAS

13. NetBackup Backup Exec Volume Shadow Copy Service
VERITAS Windows Editions will use VSS
Writer interface to Quiesce Application
prior to creating quick recovery
split-mirror snapshots
VSS & VERITAS
VSS Requesters
SQL 2000
VSS Writers
NetBackup
Backup Exec
VERITAS Windows Editions
Exchange 2003
Volume Shadow Copy Service
Copy-on-Write
VSS Providers
Provided by:
In addition to our backup products and Volume Manager leveraging VSS, our Edition for Exchange will leverage VSS as well. As mentioned earlier, the Edition for Exchange already has mechanisms to do snapshots of Exchange. However, with the introduction of VSS, the Edition will now leverage VSS to coordinate the snapshots and providing a clean snapshot for the Edition to use, rather than the “brute force” method mentioned earlier.
Microsoft
ISV/IHV’s
VERITAS
FlashSnap
VERITAS

14. Microsoft VSS Copy-on-Write (COW) Provider – How it works
Virtual
Volume
Step 1: Begin Snapshot - virtual volume Created (~10% overhead, 150MB min.)
Presentation
v1.ppt
Step 2: Change File
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v1.ppt
Step 3a: Shadow Volume Grows
Presentation
v2.ppt
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v1.ppt
Step 3b: Original file moved to virtual Volume
Step 3c: Changes written to original volume
Step 4: Process continues for every change to volume C: until the next scheduled snapshot occurs.
Let’s take look at how the Copy-on-Write Provider, that Microsoft is providing in Windows Server 2003, operates.
First, when a snapshot starts, a virtual volume is created. This typically takes ~10% overhead and requires at a minimum 150MB of disk space.
Next, a user changes a file.
Before the change is committed to the original volume a couple of things happen.
The virtual volume grows as necessary.
The original file is moved to the virtual volume.
The changes are then made to the original volume.
As each additional change occurs, the original data is moved to the virtual volume, before the change occurs on the original volume. This results in a performance hit every time you want to make changes to data.
The virtual volume stays around until the next scheduled instance of that snapshot occurs. For example, if a schedule is set to snapshot once a day at 11pm, the Monday snapshot continues to grow and stay online until 11pm the next Monday.
If you run out of disk space, the oldest snapshots get discarded automatically.

15. Microsoft VSS Copy-on-Write (COW) Provider
Advantages
Less storage needed for the snapshot copies
Disadvantages
Windows Server 2003 Support Only
Limited Off-Host Capabilities
COW Snapshot Volume kept locally impacts the host performance
Off-host capabilities thru network shares slow down the application host, and slow backup access thru the network
Dependent Snapshot Volume
The snapshot volume is not redundant. If something happens to the original volume, the COW Snapshot volumes are also affected
Slower Write performance (original data has to be moved first)
I/O is slower (I/O is redirected from original volume to COW volume for updated data)
Let’s take a closer look at the Copy-on-Write Provider that Microsoft is providing in Windows Server There are both advantages and disadvantages to using this provider.
Advantages – Since this does copy-on-write snapshots versus a split mirror snapshot, the amount of disk space needed is less. Since a split mirror is a true mirror of the original volume, it requires equivalent disk space for each copy of a mirror. For COW, the guideline is 10% overhead, which takes a minimum of 105MB, plus any changed data on the original volume.
Disadvantages – Since this is a new technology for Windows Server 2003, you cannot take snapshots of previous versions of the Windows Server OS. COW snapshots are kept locally so, if you want to do any type of data analysis or backup of the snapshot, you still have an impact to the host server. The only way to do processing off-host is via a network share which then impacts both the host server and the network performance. Since COW is not a mirror of the data, but rather, just capturing changes, it is dependent on the original volume. If something happens to the original volume the snapshots are also affected. Since COW is continually writing the changes to the snapshot volume, there is overhead associated (~5%) with this ongoing activity. You’ll see this impact both write performance and I/O performance.

16. VERITAS FlashSnap VSS Provider – How it worksC:
Mirrored
Volumes
Step 1: Create Mirrored Volumes (same space as original volume)
Step 2: Synch Mirrors
Step 3: Create File
Presentation
v1.ppt
Presentation
v2.ppt
Presentation
v2.ppt
Presentation
v1.ppt
Presentation
v1.ppt
Step 4: File is mirrored
Step 5: Split Mirror
Step 6: Changes written to original volume
Step 7: Split mirror can be moved off-host for processing
Now let’s look at how the VERITAS FlashSnap Option works.
First, a mirror is created. Creating a 3-way mirror is ideal so that even when you want to split a mirror for processing, you still have a 2-way mirror for redundancy for the original volume.
Next, you synch the data across all the mirrors.
A new file gets created. It automatically gets replicated to the other mirrors.
Then, you split the mirror, which takes a matter of seconds to perform.
Once the mirror is split, users can continue to write to the original 2-way mirror.
The 3rd, split-mirror, can now be taken off-host for data analysis, testing, or backup.

17. VERITAS FlashSnap VSS Provider
Advantages
Heterogeneous Solution
Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003
Windows, Linux, Solaris, HP-UX and AIX
Integrated into Windows Server 2003 as a VSS Provider
Independent Snapshot Volume
Loss of Original Volume does not effect Snapshot
Sync back from the snapshot volume if the original volume is corrupted
Faster Performance On-host than COW Provider
Can be Moved Off-host for Processing
VERITAS Volume Manager has an option today called the FlashSnap Option. This option provides some benefits over the COW provider in Windows Server Here are some of them:
VERITAS’ goal is to support any hardware on any OS. With the FlashSnap Option, we support Windows 2000 today and will have a future release that will support Windows Server 2003 as a VSS provider as well. This allows for mixed Windows Server environments to have snapshotting capabilities versus the COW that only supports Windows Server This is key if a Windows Server 2003 migration is not going to happen all at once. VERITAS also offers the FlashSnap Option on other platforms such as Linux, Solaris, HP-UX, and AIX. Since a typical data center environment is heterogeneous, VERITAS can offer solutions for multiple platforms.
The FlashSnap Option is a split-mirror technology rather than a COW technology. The benefits of splitting mirrors is that if you lose the original volume, you still have a full copy of a volume to utilize.
If the original volume gets corrupted, you can leverage the synch back capabilities of the FlashSnap Option to roll back the original volume to the point of a snapshot.
Doing a snap shot with the FlashSnap Option entails splitting a mirror. This is a very quick process compared to the ongoing overheard associated with catching changes with a COW provider.
A split-mirror snapshot can easily be mounted on a separate host, for true off-host processing.

18. VERITAS FlashSnap VSS Provider
Advantages
Off-Host Capabilities
No Performance Load on Application Server
Backup Server can backup at FC Speeds (Local Volume)
No LAN Performance Impact (No Backup Agents Needed)
Snapshot volume is read/writeable
Requirement for some data mining/decision planning applications
Tight Integration with other VERITAS Solutions: Backup Exec, NetBackup, Volume Replicator...
Disadvantages
Full data copy requires more storage
There are several benefits you can leverage by mounting a split mirror snapshot onto another host. Being off-host results in no load on the original host server when doing things such as data analysis or backup of the snapshot. Backups are faster as they’re happening at Fibre Channel speeds with the data residing locally to the backup server rather than having to be pulled across the LAN. This results in no load performance impact on the LAN during backup.
The split-mirror snapshot is readable and writeable allowing for off-host processing to occur without impacting your original data.
The VERITAS FlashSnap Option is also tightly integrated with the VERITAS backup products (Backup Exec and NetBackup) to do the off-host processing, as well as with Volume Replicator for disaster recovery purposes.
The down-side for splitting mirrors is that you’ll need as much space for each mirror as the original volume required.

19. Windows Server 2003 Multipath I/O (MPIO)

20. Windows Server 2003 MPIO Microsoft MPIO Microsoft MPIO Goals
Windows Server 2003 Multipath I/O (MPIO) is a high availability function that provides multiple paths from the host to the external storage device.
Up to 32 paths are supported
Load balancing improves performance.
Microsoft MPIO Goals
To define a common interface for multipathing solutions so that they can coexist together on a Windows Server 2003 server.
Reduces multi-pathing hardware and support issues using common Windows API
Mutipath I/O (MPIO) is another new technology for Windows Server It allows for high availability by providing multiple paths from the host to external storage devices. It allows 32 paths to data, and if a path fails, the data movement is load-balanced between the other paths.
The goal for Microsoft is to define a common interface for multipathing solutions so they can coexist together on a Windows Server 2003 server. By using common API’s, supportability is improved across vendors that support it.

21. Array Vendor Application Device Specific Modules (DSM)
MPIO Terminology
Array Vendor Application
Server
MPIO
Provided by:
MPIO Driver
Microsoft
Device Specific Modules (DSM)
Array Vendor
Providers
In the MPIO architecture, Microsoft provides the MPIO interface and the MPIO driver. It is up to the array vendors to create the Device Specific Modules that will plug into MPIO. It is also up to the array vendor to update their application to utilize MPIO.
Array
Arrays
**VDS is Evolution of LVM

22. Windows Server 2003 MPIO MPIO is not a feature of the operating system
Microsoft Provides
MPIO API Interface for Windows Server 2003
MPIO Driver Development Kit (DDK) allows storage vendors to create interoperable multipathing solutions.
MPIO Self-Certification Kit for HW/SW Partners
Microsoft Partners Provide
MPIO Array Providers for their own arrays
All Support for MPIO Array Providers
To be clear, MPIO itself is not a feature, just as VSS is not a feature. Rather, it’s a framework for 3rd party ISV’s and IHV’s to plug into. Microsoft created several tools for vendors to utilize such as:
API interface for Windows Server 2003
A Driver Development Kit (DDK) which allows storage vendors to create interoperable multipathing solutions
A self-certification kit for IHV’s/ISV’s
With these tools, Microsoft’s partners will provide MPIO array providers (the DCM’s mentioned earlier) for their own arrays as well as provide support for these solutions.

23. VERITAS DMP/MPIO Strategy
Enterprise Solution
Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003
Windows, Linux, Solaris, HP-UX and AIX
Extend DMP Capabilities
Provide DMP Satellite Driver and MPIO Driver Co-existence on same server
Integrate array vendor developed MPIO drivers
Provide Value-Add DMP & MPIO Management Capabilities
So what does MPIO mean to VERITAS? Doesn’t this replace the need for Volume Managers Dynamic Multi Pathing (DMP) option? Well no. MPIO only works on Windows Server Volume Manager with DMP supports both Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003 (coming soon) as well as the other major OS platforms of Linux, Solaris, HP-UX, and AIX. So, in the heterogeneous data center we mentioned earlier, you can standardize on one solution to get the DMP functionally on all platforms.
But what if somebody wants to leverage MPIO because their array vendor supports it? VERITAS’ near term strategy is be able to co-exist on a sever with VERITAS Volume Manager and an array vendor that supports MPIO. Longer term, we’ll look to leverage the MPIO drivers and eventually look to expose the MPIO drivers within the Volume Manager user interface giving a single console for management.

24. VERITAS DMP/MPIO Strategy
Server
VERITAS Volume Manager
Array Vendor Application
MPIO
DMP
MPIO Driver
DMP Satellite Driver
Provided by:
Microsoft
VERITAS
ISV/IHV’s
DSM
Providers
In this diagram, you can see how the co-existence will occur. VERITAS’ Volume Manager using DMP, can control any array on our certified device list. If there is an array vendor that has a DSM for MPIO, it too can run on the same server co-existing with VERITAS Volume Manager.
Arrays
Arrays
**VDS is Evolution of LVM

25. VERITAS DMP Array Support
Existing Array Support
EMC Symmetric 3000 Series
EMC Symmetric 8000 Series
Hitachi 9200 Thunder Series
Hitachi 9900 Lightning Series
Hitachi 9900V Lightning II Series
Compaq EMA12000/EMA16000
Compaq RA8000/MA8000
IBM ESS Shark F10/F20
IBM Shark ESS800
HP SureStore XP256/XP512
Hitachi Freedom 5800
Hitachi Freedom 7700E
MTI Vivant 400
Planned Array Support
IBM FasT200/500/700
NEC iStorage 1000/2000/4000
Fujitsu GR Series 7xxx
HP SureStore XP128,XP1024
CLARiiON/Dell CX Series
Hitachi 9500 Series
LSI E2400/4400/4600
HP/Compaq EVA
HP/Compaq MSA1000
StorageTek D17x Series
EMC Symmetrix 9000 Series
Cisco, Rhapsody, Troika…
As you can see from this list, between the arrays we already support with DMP and the ones we have planned with our next release, Volume Manager already supports a majority of the big arrays today. If Volume Manager already supports the array with DMP, then using the MPIO equivalent driver, if it exists, really doesn’t give you additional benefit. In most cases, this could be beneficial for a smaller array vendor who has written an MPIO provider that isn’t supported by VERITAS Volume Manager yet.

26. Windows Server 2003 Virtual Disk Service (VDS)

27. Virtual Disk Service (VDS)
Provides a vendor-neutral and technology-neutral interface for disk and volume management
Software providers manage volumes on disks
Hardware providers manage LUNs on drives
Services
LUN Discovery
LUN Configuration
Pathing
Formatting
Mirroring
Server
Provided by:
Microsoft
Disk Admin.
DISKPART
CLI
DISKRAID
CLI
VERITAS
Array Vendor
The Virtual Disk Service (VDS) is the next technology we will discuss. As mentioned earlier, VDS enables the management of multivendor storage devices and is vendor-neutral and technology-neutral. VDS gives Windows its first native Logical Unit Number (LUN) masking capability, which allows certain portions of a storage device to be reserved for use by specified hosts.
There are multiple services that are provided by VDS:
LUN Discovery
LUN Configuration
Pathing
Formatting
Mirroring
Several utilities provided by Microsoft will use VDS including the Disk Administrator, and new for Windows Server 2003: the DISKPART Command Line Interface, and the DISKRAID Command Line Interface.
Virtual Disk Service
VERITAS Volume Manager
Basic Disk Provider
Dynamic Disk Provider
HW Providers
**VDS is Evolution of LVM

28. Microsoft VDS Goals Standardized Storage Management
Storage management applications can be built, which can manage heterogeneous storage systems
Hardware subsystem and Interconnect neutral
Single interface for managing block storage virtualization whether done by
OS software, or RAID storage hardware, or Other storage virtualization engines
Enable Scripting and Automation
Easier Set-up and Reconfiguration
Focus is virtualization and innovation in hardware for auto-management
Microsoft’s goals for VDS is to allow storage management applications the ability to manage heterogeneous storage systems and to be hardware subsystem and interconnect neutral. It provides a single interface for managing block storage virtualization whether done by the operating system, RAID storage hardware, or other storage virtualization engines.
It also enables the ability for scripting and automation, easier set-up and reconfiguration with the focus on virtualization and innovation in hardware for auto-management.

29. VDS Providers Microsoft Supplied In-box Providers New CLI Utilities
Basic disk (partitions, volumes)
Dynamic disk (partitions, volumes, spanning, mirror, RAID-5, Stripes)
New CLI Utilities
DISKPART
DISKRAID
Partner VDS Providers
External RAID
Internal (PCI) RAID
External Storage
Virtualization Engines
VxVM for Windows
In the Windows Server 2003 Operating System, Microsoft supplies several providers:
The Basic Disk provider which allows for the management of partitions and volumes.
The Dynamic Disk provider which allows for partions, volumes, spanning, mirroring, RAID-5, and Striping.
As mentioned earlier, there are 2 new CLI’s introduced: DISKPART and DISKRAID.
ISV’s and IHV’s will provide their own providers such as:
External RAID
Internal (PCI) RAID
External Storage
Virtualization Engines
Volume Manger for Windows

30. VERITAS VDS Strategy Volume Manager VDS Provider VDS to VAIL Bridge
Allows VDS Applications to manage VxVM Volumes
VDS to VAIL Bridge
Enables VERITAS Applications to use VAIL and VDS Providers available on a Windows Server
Integrate VDS Providers into VERITAS Applications
Volume Manager
Windows Editions
SANPoint Control
Future Applications
VERITAS Volume Manager will plug into VDS as a provider allowing VDS applications the ability to manage volumes controlled by Volume Manager.
VERITAS has a technology called the VERITAS Array Integration Layer (VAIL) that also is a mechanism for applications to manage arrays. We will provide a bridge between VAIL and VDS that we will go into further detail on in the next slide. It basically allows VERITAS applications, such as the Edition for Exchange 2000 to use VDS and VAIL providers on Windows Servers.
SAN Point Control is another VERITAS application that will leverage VDS as well.

31. VERITAS Volume Manager
VERITAS VDS Strategy
VERITAS Applications
Server
Disk Admin.
DISKPART
CLI
DISKRAID
CLI
VAIL
Virtual Disk Service
Provided by:
In this diagram, you can see that VERITAS applications such as our Editions can either talk to VAIL or to VDS. This gives the user flexibility in getting support for their hardware. If the disk array vendor has already written and API to VAIL, then the VERITAS application can leverage that. If the disk array vendor has written to VDS, the VAIL/VDS bridge will expose this array to the VERITAS application. In the case of Volume Manager, VERITAS applications will actually leverage VDS as the interface to talk to Volume Manager. By doing so, we’re fully leveraging the technology framework that Microsoft is providing to us.
Microsoft
Disk Array API
VERITAS Volume Manager
Basic Disk Provider
Dynamic Disk Provider
Disk Array API
VERITAS
Array Vendor

32. VERITAS Enterprise Administrator VERITAS Volume Manager
VERITAS VDS Strategy
Server
VERITAS Enterprise Administrator
VAIL Mediator
VAIL HI Command Agent
VAIL CIM
Bridge Agent
VAIL/VDS
Bridge Agent
Virtual Disk Service
CIMOM
Provided by:
Disk Array API
Disk Array API
VERITAS Volume Manager
CIM Provider
Looking at a higher level view, you can see the longer term vision of any VERITAS application being developed, leveraging the VERITAS Enterprise Administrator (VEA) user interface. VEA will have the ability to expose arrays through VAIL or VDS. VAIL has a number of interfaces already being developed that support agents from array vendors like Hitachi’s HI Command for example, as well as support for CIM providers. CIM (Common Information Model) is a model that the Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) has defined that describes overall management information in a network/enterprise environment. Providing support for both VAIL and VDS allows us to provide our customers the ability to support almost any array solution out there supporting any of the key standards. This truly reflects our desire to support any hardware solution available.
Microsoft
VERITAS
Array Vendor

33. Windows Server 2003 Automated System Recovery (ASR)

34. Automated System Recovery (ASR)
Bare metal restore capabilities for Windows Server 2003
Disaster:
Physical destruction of the computer system (fire, earthquakes, etc)
Catastrophic hardware failure (especially storage devices)
Recovery:
Restore hardware configuration, base OS
Restore user data as a separate process
Automated System Recovery (ASR) is the final storage technology we will discuss as part of the Windows Server 2003 release. As previously mentioned, VERITAS originally developed this for Microsoft as part of the Windows 2000 release. Since it didn’t make the final version of the operating system, the technologies were removed from Windows They have since been updated and modified by Microsoft and introduced in Windows Server ASR allows for the ability to do a bare metal restore of a server in the event of a disaster. In this case a disaster could be anything from physical destruction of the system due to acts of nature such as fire, earthquake etc. Or, it could be catastrophic hardware failure due to things such as hard disk crashes.
The key to ASR is the recovery. It automates the process of restoring an operating system and hardware configuration which then allows a user to do a restore of their data from a good backup.

35. What is ASR? Backup App Install Media Optional Data backup Media
On-Line
OS CD
ASR B/U Media
Before we discuss how ASR works, let’s review how a user would do a disaster recovery today. Let’s say their hard drive crashed. First they’d fix/replace the failed hardware. Then, they would fully install the OS, which means answering ALL those prompts. Next, they would install their backup application. They then would have to catalog their last good backup tapes. They then could finally start doing a restore. The entire process prior to restore is very time consuming and gets overwritten once the data is restored from tape!
What ASR does is minimize the time you spend installing the OS. You boot from the ASR floppy. It prompts you for your OS CD and then it automates the OS install for you. It installs the bare bones minimum, enough to get your machine up and running so you can do a restore from your backup media. Once the restore is done, you’re up and running.
ASR Floppy

36. Microsoft ASR Goals
To bring a non-bootable system to a state from which a backup-and-restore application can be executed
To re-configure physical storage to its original state
To restore the operating system, applications and all settings
To provide a mechanism for third-party vendors to incorporate ASR-related features
So you can see the goal for Microsoft is to get a non-bootable system to a state that allows a backup application to get up and running so that you can do a restore as quickly as possible. During this process, the physical storage can be re-configured as well.
Microsoft also wanted partners to be able to leverage ASR as well.

37. VERITAS ASR Strategy
Backup Exec Intelligent Disaster Recovery Option (IDR)
ASR is local only, IDR can do remote systems too.
ASR is Windows 2003 only, IDR can do Windows NT and Windows 2000 too.
IDR utilizes ASR for Windows 2003 to reduce the amount of time used in restoring the OS
Volume Manager Integration into ASR
Volume Manager will work with ASR to create volumes in a disaster recovery mode.
Volume Manager Binaries
Dynamic Disk Groups
Dynamic Disk Private Region Information
Prior to Windows Server 2003, we mentioned that there was no mechanisms in the OS to do a disaster recovery. They got pulled out of Windows 2000 and are only available in Windows Server 2003.
VERITAS with our Intelligent Disaster Recovery (IDR) Option for both Backup Exec and NetBackup have had the ability to do disaster recovery of both Windows NT and Windows 2000 by allowing for a similar process to ASR to occur.
IDR gives users the flexibility to do bare metal recoveries in various ways.
IDR can be performed by using custom boot floppies, the OS CD, and last backup set. The steps are similar to ASR and the boot floppies actually contain a run time version of the backup application, reducing the need to install Backup Exec or NetBackup prior to a recovery.
IDR also allows users to create a bootable CD that comprises of the OS and bootable floppy data. This minimizes the steps of swapping floppies during recovery.
IDR also allows for bootable tapes (see certified device list of which drives are supported) to be used which contain the boot floppy data and the OS CD data. This streamlines the DR process dramatically.
With ASR, VERITAS’ IDR will now leverage it to perform disaster recovery more efficiently than was possible in the past. Since ASR wasn’t available in prior versions of Windows, VERITAS was limited to how much it could automate during the OS install. Now that ASR is available, the OS install is greatly reduced ensuring that you can get up and running in the shortest amount of time. IDR also allows for the ability to do remote disaster recoveries, where as ASR natively can only do local recoveries.
If Volume Manager is installed on a system that is leveraging ASR, ASR will be intelligent enough to detect this and automate the creation of the Volume Manager volumes (rather than volumes controlled by the Logical Disk Manager). This includes the Volume Manager binaries, Dynamic Disk Groups, and Dynamic Disk Private Region information.

38. Microsoft Storage Technologies:
Summary
Microsoft Storage Technologies:
Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS)
Multipath I/O (MPIO)
Virtual Disk Service (VDS)
Automated System Recovery (ASR)
VERITAS Products leveraging them:
Backup Exec
NetBackup
Volume Manager / FlashSnap
Editions
In summary, we’ve discussed 4 key storage technologies that Microsoft has introduced with the release of Windows Sever They are Volume Shadow Copy Service, Multipath I/O, Virtual Disk Service, and Automated System Recovery.
As we’ve discussed, these are all great new technologies that vendors, such as VERITAS, can leverage to make our products better, easier, faster to use for our customers. VERITAS products such as Backup Exec, NetBackup, Volume Manager and the FlashSnap Option, as well as the Window Editions already support some of these technologies today and will provide further support in the near future. For up to date information on supporting Windows Server 2003 storage technologies, be sure to visit

39. &
QUESTIONS
ANSWERS