Cisco Cisco MDS 9000 48-Port 8-Gbps Fibre Channel Switching Module White Paper
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Copyright The TANEJA Group, Inc. 2008. All Rights Reserved
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virtual port technologies, and creating
virtual SANs (VSANs) to aid in resource
assignments
virtual SANs (VSANs) to aid in resource
assignments
and
troubleshooting.
Growing capabilities in this area enable
IT to create multiple virtual ports from
single physical HBAs.
IT to create multiple virtual ports from
single physical HBAs.
•
Storage virtualization. Virtualized
storage enables application data to share
pooled resources. Array-based storage
pools as well as virtual SANs (VSANs) are
well established technologies. However,
the tools to efficiently integrate dense
virtual
storage enables application data to share
pooled resources. Array-based storage
pools as well as virtual SANs (VSANs) are
well established technologies. However,
the tools to efficiently integrate dense
virtual
server
configurations
with
multiple zones of virtualized storage are
new. These next-generation storage and
network management capabilities are
appearing to include new levels of
resource management and security. This
will give virtual storage networking the
same advantages as physical SANs
already enjoy.
new. These next-generation storage and
network management capabilities are
appearing to include new levels of
resource management and security. This
will give virtual storage networking the
same advantages as physical SANs
already enjoy.
The present reality is that virtualization
tends to be segregated in discrete virtual
networks within the data center. Tying VM
migration and management to underlying
storage threatens virtualization expansion,
and confines virtualization to narrowly
defined deployments.
Given the growing popularity of virtualizing
servers, the present state of affairs will result
in filling the data center with hard-to-
manage discrete networks of virtualized
servers and their storage. Even within a
single virtualized network it will remain
difficult to practice the storage management
techniques common to physical networks:
LUN
masking,
multiple
zoning,
thin
provisioning and deduplication for example.
An individual storage array will be capable of
some of these operations, but array-based
storage is specific to the VMs using that
particular storage system. Even then the
storage array cannot solve every problem,
such as using a single zone within the virtual
network – not because the SAN is incapable
of multiple zones, but because single zoning
is the only efficient method of keeping the
logical storage pathway intact during VM
migrations.
some of these operations, but array-based
storage is specific to the VMs using that
particular storage system. Even then the
storage array cannot solve every problem,
such as using a single zone within the virtual
network – not because the SAN is incapable
of multiple zones, but because single zoning
is the only efficient method of keeping the
logical storage pathway intact during VM
migrations.
Next-Generation Virtualization
Forward looking fabric vendors are seeking
to change this state of affairs by supporting
server and storage virtualization in the fabric.
In this scenario, storage utilization tools like
thin provisioning and deduplication run from
a virtualized fabric to support multiple
virtual storage zones created from pooled
storage. Based on automated policies, the
fabric directs storage provisioning for non-
disruptive hardware and virtual additions
and removal, and fulfills application service
levels.
The more successful these virtualization tools
become the wider virtualization networks can
safely expand. Eventually they can include
large swaths of the data center, enabling
administrators to offer integrated data center
resources as a centralized application
delivery framework. Let us look at a few of
the most important drivers for this evolution.
Driver #1: Growing fabric scalability
and performance. High performance
fabric such as 8Gb Fibre Channel scales to
support large, dense VM environments.
However, there are limitations on the
to change this state of affairs by supporting
server and storage virtualization in the fabric.
In this scenario, storage utilization tools like
thin provisioning and deduplication run from
a virtualized fabric to support multiple
virtual storage zones created from pooled
storage. Based on automated policies, the
fabric directs storage provisioning for non-
disruptive hardware and virtual additions
and removal, and fulfills application service
levels.
The more successful these virtualization tools
become the wider virtualization networks can
safely expand. Eventually they can include
large swaths of the data center, enabling
administrators to offer integrated data center
resources as a centralized application
delivery framework. Let us look at a few of
the most important drivers for this evolution.
Driver #1: Growing fabric scalability
and performance. High performance
fabric such as 8Gb Fibre Channel scales to
support large, dense VM environments.
However, there are limitations on the