StorageLink - Citrix Essentials for Microsoft Hyper-V Barry Flanagan Peter Benoit Barry Flanagan Peter Benoit

StorageLink - Citrix Essentials for Microsoft Hyper-VStorageLink - Citrix Essentials for Microsoft Hyper-V

Barry Flanagan

Peter Benoit

Barry Flanagan

Peter Benoit

Citrix Essentials for Hyper-VProduct OverviewCitrix Essentials for Hyper-VProduct Overview

3© 2009 Citrix Systems, Inc. — All rights reserved

Citrix Essentials for Hyper-VAdvanced automation and management for the virtual datacenter

3


Customer Benefits

Get the most out of your storage• Example: Configure storage in minutes, provision storage for VMs instantly• Example: Snap, clone and deduplicate directly from a common virtualization interface

Roll out new server workloads with ease• Example: Roll out web servers in minutes during peak demand, then discard when not

needed• Example: Eliminate hundreds of needless server images; cut storage and maintenance

costs

Streamline test & dev environments• Example: Centrally manage and share multi-server test images across any

development group• Example: Speed up testing with automated procedures, improve development

Automate complex and script intensive operations• Example: Automate otherwise manual operations (E.g. disaster recovery, server

provisioning) • Example: Eliminate manual, error prone tasks using familiar tools (Microsoft

Powershell)


Citrix Essentials for Microsoft Hyper-V

Advanced storage

integration

Automated lab

management

Dynamic provisioning

services

Citrix Essentials for Hyper-V

Workflow orchestration

Advanced virtualization management for the virtual datacenter


Essentials for Hyper-V Editions

Key Features Enterprise EditionPlatinum

Edition

Advanced Storage Integration with StorageLink

Dynamic Provisioning Services

Workflow Orchestration

Microsoft Management Support

Automated Lab Management

Price, Per Physical Server $ 1,500 $ 3,000


Microsoft + Citrix Deliver Advanced Virtualization

Comparison Microsoft + Citrix VMware

High performance bare metal hypervisor 64-bit 32-bit

Unlimited servers, VMs, memory P P

Advanced features (high availability, shared storage, etc.) P P

Centralized multi-server management P P

Highly available management architecture P $$$

Advanced storage integration P (with Citrix) P

On-demand provisioning of server workloads P (with Citrix)

Centralized workload images P (with Citrix)

Workflow orchestration P (with Citrix)

Lab management P (with Citrix) $1566 per Socket


StorageLink Contents

Part 2 - Installation and Configuration

Part 1 - Introduction and Overview

Part 3 - Deep Dive


Part 1 - Introduction and Overview

Benefits of StorageLink

What is StorageLink?

Components of StorageLink

High Level Architecture


What is StorageLink?

StorageLink™ delivers deep integration with leading storage platforms to reduce the cost and complexity of managing storage in Hyper-V environments.

StorageLink provides one-click access to native storage devices for simplified management through storage configuration wizards that leverage existing storage array-based services and technologies directly from within its Microsoft® Management Console


Benefits of StorageLink

• Extended Management of Storage Fabric and Arrays

• Tight Integration with native features of Storage Arrays

• Extended VM Lifecycle Management


Components of StorageLink

•StorageLink™ Gateway package

•StorageLink™ Client package


High Level Overview

StorageLinkMMC Snap-In

StorageLinkPowerShell Snap-In

MicrosoftSystem Center Virtual Machine

Manager (SCVMM)

StorageLink

StorageLinkCLI


Part 2 - Installation and Configuration

Installing and Licensing

Installation Requirements

Array Hardware Compatibility List

Before Using StorageLink service for the first time

Configuring the service


Installation Requirements – StorageLink Gateway

The StorageLink Gateway can be installed on a physical or virtual machine

Operating System Microsoft Windows 2008 (recommended)Microsoft Windows 2003Microsoft Vista

RAM 1 GB

Disk Space 100 MB min

Network Part of Windows domain (recommended)

Software SQL Lite or Microsoft SQL Server

Licensing Citrix Licensing Server installed and configured


Installation Requirements – StorageLink Manager

Operating System Microsoft Windows 2008 (recommended)Microsoft Windows 2003Microsoft Vista

RAM 1 GB

Disk Space 100 MB min

Network Part of Windows domain (recommended)

Software Microsoft Management Console 3.0

The StorageLink manager can be installed on a physical or virtual machine


Installation Process

• Install Citrix V6 license for StorageLink on Citrix Licensing Server• Getting Started with Citrix Licensing

http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX109108

• Install StorageLink Gateway • screenshots follow

• Install StorageLink Manager• Screenshots follow

http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX109108


StorageLink Gateway Installation - 1
















StorageLink Manager Installation - 1














StorageLink Manager

Left-handNavigation

Panel

Main ContentArea

Right ActionArea


StorageLink Manager Interface GuideAction Description

Connect allows connection to a StorageLink Gateway service

Refresh requests an update from the StorageLink Gateway service about the state of its objects

Rescan requests a rescan of storage and hypervisor hosts managed by theStorageLink Gateway service to update its cache

Create VM from Template SCVMM can create VM from templates; StorageLink automates the storage configuration and provisioning of all the VM storage.

Create Storage Repository allows you to create a storage repository on an available storage system

About an info box about the current version of the StorageLink Manager

View View allows you to customize the view of the StorageLink Manager interface

Help opens the StorageLink Manager Help at the top level


Main Working Areas


Hypervisor Hosts• Hypervisor Host represents the connection to a host (currently

Hyper-V only) from the StorageLink Manager.

• Use StorageLink Manager to provide storage services• Add/Remove hosts (connect with username/password)• Obtain information (OS type, memory, CPUs)• Scan host initiators• List of VMs resident on that host


Virtual Machines• Virtual Machine represents the currently available Virtual Machines

on the systems being managed

• Use StorageLink Manager to identify VMs that can use StorageLink services :• Create VM from template• Start/Destroy VM• (Cold) migrate VM from one host to the other• Scan VMs running on hosts


Storage Infrastructure• Infrastructure around virtual storage for VMs

• CategoriesStorage Systems - storage arrays like EMC, HP, NetAppFabrics – Brocade SAN switches

• Use StorageLink Manager to managestorage infrastructure:• Storage Systems

• Manage Storage Adapter credentials• Scan storage systems• View storage pools and storage nodes on a storage system

• Fabrics• Set Zoning Options


Storage Repository

• A Storage Repository (SR) is a template with a defined set of capabilities for creating storage volumes (LUNs) from your storage system

• Use StorageLink Manager to managean SR:• Create/Delete/Destroy SR

• Identify the Storage pool for the StorageLink repository• Set the Raid type, Provisioning Type (thick/thin),

Options (dedup etc)• Storage protocol

• SR can be populated with:• Existing LUNs on array• New LUNs dynamically created

• Allocate/Delete Storage Volume• Add/Remove Storage Volumes• Import storage to VM


Virtual Machine Templates• Virtual machine template identifies the resources required by the

VM. VM templates include a storage profile that represent a “Golden Image” from which VM’s can be snapshotted or cloned

• Storage profiles identify additional storage resources (LUNS) required by the VM• Create/Delete Templates• Create/Edit/Delete Storage Profiles• Create/Edit/Delete Hardware Profiles


Jobs• Tasks executing on the system

• Jobs can have sub-jobs. Eg Service initialization can have the following subjobs:• Discovering Storage System• Discovering Fabrics• Discovering Hypervisor Hosts

• Actions on UI – Refresh/Clear Jobs


Administration• General Admin tasks

• Shows list of Storage Adapter credentials


Initial Configuration Steps

• Connect StorageLink Manager to the StorageLink service

• Add Storage systems (Add Storage Adaptor Credentials)

• Configure the service to enable automatic fabric zoning (optional step)

• Add your hypervisor hosts


Troubleshooting using the Job log

• Most operations with StorageLink are done as asynchronously as ‘jobs’

• If a job fails you will see a red X on it and selecting the failed job will show details as to what went wrong.


NetApp - Best Practices & Considerations

• NetApp hardware has a limit of 255 snapshots per flexvolume.

• When you first setup the NetApp hardware you must create one or “aggregates

• Creation of a StorageLink Storage Repository will create a new flex volume in the specified aggregate.

• Destroy Storage Repository will delete the NetApp flex volume associated with the SR.

• StorageLink does notsupport for quotas in this version.

• The 'size' of the Storage Pool (flexvolume) is the size of the flexvolume plus the available freespace in the parent aggregate.


StorageLink SCVMM interplay

StorageLink provide storage services (from a VM

standpoint). In addition, it can perform the tasks that are

storage/fabric related.

SCVMM seamlessly manages the VM, but relies on

StorageLink for storage/fabric operations that are integrated

with partner solutions

Eventually, StorageLink UI will plug-in to System Center and goal is to completely integrate

with SCVMM


StorageLink and XenDesktop interplay (Assigned desktop scenario)

Use StorageLink to• Create golden image

template• Clone golden image

template multiple times to create pool of Assigned Desktops

Use DDC to• Add hypervisor-host

and VMs as desktop groups

Eventual goal is for DDC to be able to call into

StorageLink directly to create templates and pool

of assigned/pooled desktops


Storage vendor benefits

StorageLink as basis forCitrix Essentials

Storage vendor functionalities• Quick provisioning• Snapshots• Quick cloning• Thin-provisioning• Deduplication• Backup and Restore

capabilities


Simplified Storage Integration

• Works with any storage (simple)• Works with all storage architectures to provide seamless

compatibility with a wide range of storage hardware platforms

• One-click access to native storage services• Simplifies management and leverages existing storage array-

based services and technologies

• Works with existing Windows storage management products

Storage API

Leverage the capabilities of enterprise storage systems

Citrix EssentialsSMI-S, iSCSI, SAN, NAS, DAS


Got Questions?

• Contact me ( [email protected] )or Robin Brandl ( [email protected])

mailto:[email protected]



StorageLink Array Hardware Compatibility List

Vendor Models Protocol Support Funtionality Support

EMC CLARiiON CX3 seriesCX4 series Fibre Channel

Fast provisioningThin-provisioningFast CloningSnapshots

HP EVA 4000 series6000 series8000 series

Fibre ChannelFast provisioningThin-provisioningFast CloningSnapshots

HP MSA 2000 series Fibre Channel and iSCSI

Fast provisioningThin-provisioningFast CloningSnapshots

NetApp FAS series

S seriesV series

Fibre Channel and iSCSI

Fast provisioningThin-provisioningFast CloningSnapshotsDeduplication


Fabric Hardware Compatibility List

Vendor SMI-S Agent version Fabric OS version

Brocade 120.7.0 and above v5.5.0 and above

Fibre Channel HBA Hardware Compatibility List

Vendor I/O Data Rate

Emulex 2/4/8-Gbps

Qlogic 2/4/8-Gbps


StorageLink Command Line (CLI)

• Installed by default alongside StorageLink Manager

• Running the CLI• Open a Windows Command Prompt• Change directories to the directory where the file resides

• Typically C:\Program Files\Citrix\StorageLink\Client• C:\Program Files (x86)\Citrix\StorageLink\Client (64-bit installations)

• csl.exe <operation> <argument=value> <argument=value> ... • csl.exe help=<operation>


CLI Command Options

• Interactive mode available

• Abbreviation available for all commands• sr-create and storage-repository-create are the same

• Remote Execution• csl.exe server=HOSTNAME[:PORT][,USERNAME,PASSWORD] <operation>

• XML mode• csl.exe <operation> xml

• Verbose mode• csl.exe <operation> verbose• Verbose mode can be used along with XML mode


StorageLink and PvS interplay

Create vDisksPXE boot VMs

Manage vDisk updates

Create VM templatesCreate and manage write back

caches

Eventual goal is for PvS to utilize StorageLink for vDisk

and write back cache management


Workflow Studio

Use Workflow Studio to:• Write scripts for various

components• Help present a centralized

location for various tasks to be performed

TroubleshootingTroubleshooting


Increase the log levelOn Windows command line:

REG ADD HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Citrix\StorageLink\1.0\Server\Trace /v TraceLevel /t REG_DWORD /d 5

net stop StorageLink

net start StorageLink


Collecting Logs

mkdir c:\forCitrix

copy c:\Program Files (x86)\Citrix\StorageLink\Server\cslsa_smis_vendor_options.cfg c:\forCitrix

copy c: \ProgramData\Citrix\StorageLink\Server\* c:\forCitrix

* Note the value of debug level (0 – 6)


Unable to add hypervisor host in StorageLink Manager/Command Line

Make sure that you are connecting to a Windows 2008 server. Check to make sure that you have enabled the Hyper-V role on your server.

(You will need to reboot the server after enabling the Hyper-V role). Check to ensure that if the server is part of the domain, you are connecting to

it using the appropriate domain credentials.


iSCSI initiators don’t show up in StorageLink Manager/Command Line

This is because the iSCSI initiator is not enabled on the server. You will need to log into your server and explicitly enable the iSCSI initiator.


Unable to add storage credentials for CIMOM See a CIM/SMIS client exception

Check all the cabling to your machines, switches and SAN. Check that there is at least one connection from the host to the switch and

one from the switch to the storage array(s). Check that the IP address and port numbers of the CIMOM are correct.


How do I know that my CIMOM is configured correctly for use with StorageLink

After adding the storage credentials for the CIMOM, go into the “Storage Infrastructure” tab. Under “Fabrics”, you should see entries for the Switch/Fabric. Also go into “Jobs” and look at the job entries with the text “Discovering Fabrics”. These entries should have a green checkbox on them.


Error creating a storage volume on StorageLink Manager/Command Line

This is most likely a space issue on the storage array. Many arrays are set up with periodic snapshots for storage volumes on the array, and space fills up pretty quickly.

The default setting for volume creation is “THICK” provisioning, which means the space for the volume is reserved on the array. Having many such volumes can quickly eat into the available space on the array


When attaching a storage volume to virtual machine, get error “exceeded max retries…”

Check the cabling between the host, switch and storage array. Also check the network connections and routes from the host to the array (if using iSCSI).

Look at the storage volume on the storage array and ensure that the LUN maps and zones are set up correctly. In case of iSCSI you will need to ensure that the storage volume is mapped to the correct host initiator. In case of FC, you will need to look at the FC switch and ensure that the zone is set up correctly.

Make sure that the setting for protocol for the Storage Repository (FC, iSCSI, Auto) matches the protocol setting for the storage volume. By default, Auto will map to FC if the host has a Fibre Channel port available.


Not able to use mouse to install Hyper-V in virtual machine

This is a known problem with the Hyper-V virtual machine console. You’ll need to use the keyboard. This is only a problem during the install process. After installing the Integration Services

disk, the mouse will begin to function normally.

Documents

StorageLink - Citrix Essentials for Microsoft Hyper-V Barry Flanagan Peter Benoit Barry Flanagan Peter Benoit