Infortrend+Advanced+Storage+Management+SANWatch

Infortrend Advanced Storage Management SANWatch

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Infortrend Advanced Storage Management-SANWatch Page 2

Table of Contents

Executive Summary .................................................................................................... 3 Introduction................................................................................................................. 3 Business Needs ........................................................................................................... 3 Complete Array Management ..................................................................................... 3 Integrated Data Services ............................................................................................. 5 Modular Software Platform ........................................................................................ 6


Executive Summary

This paper explores the current data manipulation requirements for business and shows how SANWatch, Infortrends proprietary integrated storage management software designed exclusively for its EonStor RAID arrays, can solve many companies storage dilemmas.

Introduction IT infrastructures are complex and difficult to manage. Enterprises invest much time and many resources to keep critical services available and performing efficiently. Infortrends storage management software helps manage demanding applications, and offers integrated services and related storage applications so that IT managers can focus on issues other than storage maintenance. SANWatch is Infortrends proprietary software for configuring and managing EonStor arrays. It includes a major graphic user interface (GUI), command line interface (CLl), and all necessary drivers/agents running at the host side to enable online storage configuration, expansion, and maintenance. Its powerful functionalities are easy to use across all operating systems, allowing Infortrend arrays to be managed or monitored from any place via the network. In addition to array management, SANWatch also includes the Data Service software module which integrates with data protection applications such as backup/restore, data replication, and migration. Data Service offers useful and flexible capabilities with minor host intervention, helps IT maintain business continuity, and reduces operational costs by increasing staff efficiency and application availability.

Business Needs With enterprise data growing rapidly, greater utilization is needed to improve data management, protection, and availability. IT managers are challenged to: Improve service for users by enhancing application availability Reduce IT overhead by controlling growing storage needs Ensure continuity of operations by increasing data protection

The main technology challenges are to: Implement failover and improve storage reliability to improve availability of key

applications Simplify and streamline storage management in a multiplatform environment Decrease the backup window via annual data growth

Storage solutions that address these challenges must also meet the particular needs of an organization; enable complete protection, high availability, reliability, and, most importantly, low total cost of ownership. An integrated solution can fulfill the requirements of storage management and data protection.

Complete Array Management Java-based SANWatch array management software supports all RAID configurations and provides unprecedented levels of performance, availability, and flexibility. Product highlights include: An intuitive, user-friendly view of the enclosure, components, and related configurations Array initialization, configuration, partitioning, and host LUN mapping Online array expansion


Flexible configuration tuning and optimization settings Enclosure component monitoring Real-time array status via centralized management with event monitoring and status

notification Management of multiple arrays through secure IP sessions

Figure 1: Intuitive View for Enclosure, Components, and Configuration

Figure 2: Easy-to-Use Interface for Capacity Planning and Array Management


Integrated Data Services Data protection is another critical IT issue. There are many similar solutions on the market to help keep data safe and available, e.g., additional host-side software or hardware to implement jobs such as backup/restore, remote replication, and data migration. However, these solutions increase the total cost and management complexity, and may also impact host performance and array efficiency. SANWatch combines storage management with data-related applications and services to provide a more integrated solution for user data. Called Data Service, these applications include snapshot, volume copy, remote replication, and other advanced features for data protection in the future. Data Service is an embedded, expandable software module in SANWatch. Each service is independent yet integrated with management functions under the SANWatch platform to provide native support for Infortrends array-based data protection implementations. Its functionalities can be configured to meet user requirements by enabling or disabling specific functions using a dedicated license key before installing the software. One of the applications in Data Service is Snapshot. Snapshot files look and behave like complete backups and can be mounted as real volumes, read without affecting the original volume or system performance, easily recovered when necessary, and deleted to free disk space. Infortrends Snapshot acts with native hardware support to incur the least host intervention and deliver the best performance. System administrators will appreciate the ease and flexibility of these operations, including the schedule and policy configurations that automate backup and can customize the backup window to provide an instant, economic, and convenient solution for data protection. For information on the Snapshot function, please refer to Infortrends technical white paper Snapshot Technology: Improving Data Availability and Redundancy. (http://www.infortrend.com/main/3_support/technicalmenu.asp

Figure 3: Snapshot Functions in the Data Service Module Offer Data Protection


With SANWatch and Infortrends feature-rich arrays, users do not have to install several, separate software applications in order to manage their storage systems and handle data operations. This integrated solution provides better efficiency with minor system impact to meet the challenge of data manipulation, and allows businesses to reduce administration cost and complexity.

Modular Software Platform SANWatch is a modular software platform, which includes the SANWatch GUI, CLI, drivers/agents and license control mechanism. The license control module directly communicates with the array firmware to determine how many Data Service functions should be enabled with the user's license key. Then the GUI, CLI and other assistant utilities gain access to those functions. Each software module works independently while being integrated under the management platform.

Figure 4: SANWatch Modular Software Architecture

The Next Generation of Storage Management

Downtime is not acceptable in todays global economy where customers expect 24x7 operations and can readily take their business elsewhere. Effective storage management and robust data protection are essential to ensuring that business-critical data is always available. Companies need a powerful, consolidated management solution for storage device configuration and advanced data protection. Infortrends SANWatch successfully combines a modular software platform, equipped with

SANWatch

License Control

SANWatch GUI

Data Service

Snapshot

Host agents

Volume CopyOthers

Host drivers

Host

Infortrend Array

Array Management

CLI


complete array management and integrated data services that satisfies current business needs for data. A flexible license fee model allows customers to choose dedicated functionalities tailored to their own requirements and cost considerations, thereby simplifying management and meeting any budget limitations. Infortrend's solution is arguably one of the best implementations in the industry and enables the next generation of storage management requirements.

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