Paradigm Virtualization - Storage

 

Virtualized storage allows: adding a storage device without server/network reconfiguration; removing and/or changing storage-volume definitions and assignments from one storage device to another; aggregating hard disk drives of different speeds and sizes and from different vendors, and dynamically reallocating storage space as workload or seasonal conditions warrant.

 

Storage virtualization is an intelligent "layer" or methodology that pools storage from multiple storage devices into a common storage pool. Often part of a storage area network (SAN), virtualized storage appears to be one device to the server-operating systems and can be centrally managed and provisioned from a single view.

 

 

Best Practices for Configuring Virtual Storage

Many of the best practices for physical storage environments also apply to virtual storage environments. It is best to keep in mind the following rules of thumb when configuring your virtual storage infrastructure:

Configure and size storage resources for optimal I/O performance first, then for storage capacity.

This means that you should consider throughput capability and not just capacity. Imagine a very large parking lot with only one lane of traffic for an exit. Regardless of capacity, throughput is affected. It’s critical to take into consideration the size and storage resources necessary to handle your volume of traffic—as well as the total capacity.

 

Aggregate application I/O requirements for the environment and size them accordingly.

As you consolidate multiple workloads onto a set of ESX servers that have a shared pool of storage, don’t exceed the total throughput capacity of that storage resource. Looking at the throughput characterization of physical environment prior to virtualization can help you predict what through-put each workload will generate in the virtual environment.

 

Base your storage choices on your I/O workload.

Use an aggregation of the measured workload to determine what protocol, redundancy protection and array features to use, rather than using an estimate. The best results come from measuring your applications I/O throughput and capacity for a period of several days prior to moving them to a virtualized environment.

 

Remember that pooling storage resources increases utilization and simplifies management, but can lead to contention.

There are significant benefits to pooling storage resources, including increased storage resource utilization and ease of management. However, at times, heavy workloads can have an impact on performance. It’s a good idea to use a shared VMFS volume for most virtual disks, but consider placing heavy I/O virtual disks on a dedicated VMFS volume or an RDM to reduce the effects of contention.

 

 

Real results - reduce cost and complexity while increase efficiency - all with solutions from Paradigm and VMWare.