A Rapidly Changing Business Environment is now the Norm
Today’s intensely competitive business environment demands agility. Regardless of the sector—be it retail, manufacturing, media and entertainment, financial services, or healthcare—the speed with which new businesses appear, grow, and challenge the established players is accelerating because they have at their disposal an array of cloud-based IT services to build upon. Rapid change is now the norm.
To respond in ways that assure a competitive edge, established enterprises must develop the same IT agility.
As a result, enterprise IT is currently evolving away from a dependence on manual, labor-intensive processes. Virtualisation and automation characterize the way they now support application delivery. Indeed, enterprise IT has been in the business of automating business operations for decades. Now IT executives are virtualising application delivery platforms and automating IT support services to simplify their operations and give them the agility to respond to the ever changing needs of the business environments as well as business application users.
Fortunately for those IT organizations looking for guidance, an IT services delivery model worth studying already exists. Today the successful public cloud services providers can be seen as models for many if not all of services required to support business agility. These include automated data services. In addition, cloud services providers also exemplify a financial agility that results from leasing infrastructure rather than purchasing. They not only charge for their services on a pay as you go basis, they pay for infrastructure that way as well. This allows them to more closely match the level of income with their monthly expenses.
Defining Storage-based Data Services
Over the last decade, automated services that help IT administrators manage data more efficiently have been implemented two different ways: on the application host or on a storage system. Services that create and manage data copies, deduplicate data, and migrate data to other platforms can be implemented at the level of the application server. However, doing so requires that server processing resources be taken from those that the application depends on. VMware administrators for example have likely become familiar with some of these data services and the fact that running then at the server level can limit the number of VMs one can support on a single server. Virtualised storage now offers a way to implement these services at the level of the data storage system—essentially implementing them as close to the data as possible.
Automated data services built around a virtualised storage system are those which can be deployed at the on a storage system rather than on the application server. These services could include storage tiering whereby the storage system automatically places data on the most appropriate grouping of storage devices within a storage system. High performance SAS or FC disk represents the high performance tier. Adding another tier of high capacity nearline SAS or SATA disk allows IT administrators to create a new class of high-capacity but lower-performance secondary storage. Adding SSD creates an even higher performance tier that augment SAS and FC disk. A tiered storage management service automatically migrates data from high performance/high value to high capacity storage primary to secondary storage. This allows IT administrators to make the most efficient use of high performance storage resources while maintaining less often accessed data in an “online” state.
Service providers have found that IT operational agility and predictability is enhanced when virtualised storage and data management services are applied quickly to new applications. A modular, services-based approach applied to storage allows IT architects to test services modules first, and then bring them online in a controlled fashion. Additionally, the implementation of automated services can ease and simply performing required changes to the production environment.
No doubt, a change to a data services-oriented storage environment will impact more than just the storage environment, and more than just storage administrators within the IT staff domain. This will be particularly true of virtualised server administration. Issues regarding data ownership and governance, management policy, and chargeback for resources and services, will have to be addressed to varying degrees. But automating data services within a virtualized server environment will allow storage to “run” more efficiently and will make the ROI justification for new applications easier to construct and more compelling to business and senior management when approval is required.
HP’s Data Services Delivery Platform—the HP3PAR StoreServ Family
One of the biggest barriers to realising an IT services delivery model is to establish the data services upon which essential business applications are served. HP is leading this effort with the 3PAR StoreServ family of storage platforms that are already foundational to many cloud services providers and with non-disruptive ways—both technical and financial—to migrate data to them.
HP 3PAR StoreServ is an integrated family of modern, modular storage platforms built on a common architectural framework that allows enterprises to implement the same efficient, automated, and multi-tenant storage environments as successful services providers. It scales from departmental and midrange to high-end under the following model groupings:
3PAR StoreServ 7000 – Midrange to enterprise level StoreServ models for virtualised and services-oriented data centers
• 7200 – two controller nodes
• 7400 – two to four controller nodes
3PAR StoreServ 10000 – Enterprise, Tier 1 StoreServ models for virtualised and services-oriented data centers
• 10400 – two to four controller nodes
• 10800 – two to eight controller nodes
All 3PAR StoreServ models are built on a clustered controller-based hardware architecture.
Each 3PAR StoreServ controller runs its own independent copy of the HP 3PAR Operating System software. However, the OS manages the cluster of controllers as a single system and provides all fault tolerance features utilising built in hardware redundancy. The OS, coupled with high speed hardware interconnect, allows up to eight controllers to function as a single storage subsystem.
Of particular interest to VMware users will be the ability to increase VM density on a per server basis as a result of the HP 3PAR StoreServ architecture. Physical disks are divided into logical “chunklets” of 1GB for the HP 3PAR StoreServ 10000 and 7000 from which RAID groups are created, which may then be allocated as a volume or LUN. Data is spread across more physical devices resulting in fewer performance limitations than with the utilisation of RAID groups that are comprised of entire disk drives. It is possible to stripe 8 GB across 64 disk drives on an HP 3PAR StoreServ system.
In addition HP 3PAR StoreServ uses a three-level mapping scheme for virtualisation of disk resources. The first level of mapping virtualises physical disk drives of any sise into a pool of uniform-sized “chunklets” that are each 1GB. When the system is configured using HP 3PAR StoreServ recommended configurations, the system provides dual paths to each chunklet and disk drive. This means that a larger number of VMs per ESX server can be supported vs. more traditional storage systems1.
HP now offers a “Get Virtual Guarantee” for 3PAR when used in a VMware environment. HP guarantees that a customer will be able to support twice the number of VMs per server when replacing a “legacy” array with HP 3PAR. Contact HP for more details.
The HP 3PAR Operating System serves as the software platform for all of HP 3PAR’s StoreServ model groups. The 3PAR OS, along with associated value added software modules support a variety of automated data services. Here we highlight three of these as illustrative of how HP 3PAR StoreServ can automate data services that can also be particularly useful in virtualised server environments.
Thin Provisioning
Thin Provisioning, a storage service that was introduced first by 3PAR, is now copied by other vendors. Thin provisioning de-couples storage reserved for applications—allocated storage—from the amount of storage available to the application. When this is done, storage system software can present a virtual block of available storage from which the IT administrator and even business users can carve-off and add to applications. Thin Provisioning allows IT administrators to say “yes” immediately to capacity requests while delaying the addition of physical capacity until it is actually required.
The manner in which HP 3PAR StoreServ implements Thin Provisioning is similar to the methods now used by other vendors but more granular in comparison. Instead of using entire RAID groups to create the virtual storage pool, HP 3PAR StoreServ uses another level of virtualisation known as logical disks which are distributed among physical disk drives. HP 3PAR StoreServ also implements this feature within the main system ASIC so that it is really hardware assisted Thin Provisioning.
The value of Thin Provisioning becomes obvious when one considers that provisioning storage capacity has traditionally been a costly, time consuming and often contentious process for IT administrators. Business users complain about the lack of responsiveness to their needs. Business group executives become anxious when customer facing applications are impacted by storage capacity shortages—however temporary they may be. What Thin Provisioning enables is a way to add capacity to applications as well as virtual machines in a matter of minutes spent on a provisioning portal. Administrative time is made available for more value-oriented tasks and application users productivity is enhanced.
Adaptive Optimisation
Adaptive Optimisation indentifies active vs. inactive regions within the HP 3PAR StoreServ by continually measuring I/O rate density. Active data is maintained within the higher-performance disk tiers. When it becomes inactive it is migrated to a lower performance storage tier within the system. HP 3PAR implements SSDs as the highest performance tier of storage with other tiers using 15K RPM Fibre Channel disks, and 7.2K RPM SATA disk. The performance of the FC disk is approximately 2.5 times better than the SATA disk while the performance of the SSD tier is roughly 12.5 better than the FC disk tier depending on a number of factors. Tiers can also be defined as different types of RAID protection with the system.
AO supports sub-volume granularity when migrating data as well as supporting thinly-provisioned volumes. Migration is an automated process, performed as a background task and takes place in the array without intervention of software residing anywhere else. IT administrators can designate QoS gradients for certain volumes for quick reaction time and implement other application specific controls mechanisms and migration policies. For VMware environments, this means that differing VM workloads can be supported while quality of service is assured for for the most active VMs.
Because AO is a service that automatically and non-disruptive migrates data between different storage tiers within the system (SSD, high performance SAS and FC disks, and lower cost/higher capacity nearline SAS and SATA disks), IT administrators have a way to implement changes to QoS on demand with minimal IT administration.
Virtual Domains
Secure multi-tenancy (i.e., the ability to support the individual needs of multiple systems and application users using a common storage platform) has been a hallmark of service providers. Secure multi tenancy is embodied in HP 3PAR Virtual Domains. Virtual Domains are logical data containers or partitions (“domains”) that are created within the HP 3PAR StoreServ by the IT administrator. Virtual Domains use policy-based, logical access while distributing data and workloads across all HP 3PAR StoreServ system resources. The characteristics of a Virtual Domain include host mappings based on WWN as well as provisioning policies (RAID and disk type). This is another way for VMware administrators to assure QoS on a per VM basis.
One or more Virtual Domain administrators may create standard volumes or thinly provisioned volumes and export or copy these volumes among Domains. Multiple virtual domains may be created and customised for different applications or user groups. The ability to define a “super administrator” that can assign lower level administrative privileges on a per-domain basis to other types of administrators (DBAs for example) is also available.
Automated 3PAR StoreServ System Management
Automated management of HP 3PAR StoreServ leverages granular instrumentation and tracking of every I/O through the system while returning statistical information to the administrator. This information includes:
• I/O service time
• I/O size
Throughput measured in KB/sec
• IOPS for Volumes, Logical Disks, and Physical Disks
CPU utilisation rates, the number of accesses in a given time period, and cache hit rates for reads and writes are generated for each of the controller nodes in the system. These statistics can be reported to the administrator through the Management Console or through a CLI.
When an administrator-defined threshold is encountered or a component fails, an alert is triggered by the OS and is sent to the CLI, Management Console and the HP 3PAR StoreServ service processor (which either notifies HP Technical Support or records the alert in a log file). These alerts are used by 3PAR StoreServ to trigger automated action and to notify HP service personnel that action has been taken or may need to be scheduled.
The HP 3PAR Management Console
The HP 3PAR Management Console provides automated monitoring of all physical and logical components of HP 3PAR StoreServ as well as Virtual Private Arrays. The management console also acts as a dashboard for managing all HP 3PAR StoreServ tools.
The Management Console supports the following features:
• Quick Filter—filters system data represented in tabular form for quick access to vital system information
• System Configuration Wizards—for automated system configuration
• Virtual Domains Management—complete view and consolidated control of all Virtual Domains
• Charting Function—graphic display of specified system operational parameters measure over time. Parameters can be graphed separately or in aggregate (where data from multiple systems can be graphed on the same chart). Chart settings can be archived for later use
• Data Export—Export of Management Console data in CSV or HTML file formats
• Integration with and management of HP 3PAR Remote Copy software, Thin Provisioning, Virtual Copy, and Dynamic Optimisation
Creating Financial Agility – the Leasing Alternative
As mentioned earlier, cloud services providers exemplify a financial agility that results from leasing infrastructure rather than purchasing. They use equipment leasing instead of purchase to truly exemplify what has become known as the “utility” model. Not only do they charge for their services on a pay as you go basis, they pay for infrastructure that way as well.
We believe that IT agility has two aspects: technological and financial. Ownership of IT infrastructure comes with strings attached—and all of them can hamper IT agility. IT administrators must track a newly acquired storage system for example as a capital asset, meaning that it will appear on the company’s balance sheet at some book value for the next five years. Furthermore, the storage system’s depreciated book value will have to be taken into account if and when it needs to be replaced. Accounting for that book value may make it more difficult for you to replace that array before it is fully depreciated. This in turn creates three problems:
• The storage system may be obsolete or otherwise become a drag on the enterprise’s IT strategy well before it’s fully depreciated.
• Upgrading and/or adding capacity during the useful life of the array forces another capital acquisition.
• The storage system will be well beyond its warranty period by the time it’s fully depreciated which will in turn cause support and maintenance costs to significantly increase
One alternative worth considering for HP 3PAR StoreServ is an operating lease of the storage system. Essentially, an operating lease transfers the risk of ownership to HP Financial Services and allows payment of the system to be accounted for as an operating expense, thus providing the option to pay for use of the system without actually having to account for it as a capital acquisition under ownership models. At the end of term there is the option to either buy the equipment for a predetermined agreed upon price, return the equipment or extend its use.
HP Financial Services offers a number of options that provide total flexibility including an offer of financing HP 3PAR StoreServ that appears to be less than zero percent.
One leasing option available on HP 3PAR StoreServ is the ability to add an additional capacity increment or buffer that equates to 30% of total capacity at no charge during the first half of a typical three to five year lease. Use of this additional capacity will trigger customers to replace the used portion with new capacity which will result in customers paying for only what they actually use. After the midpoint in each contract, the customer will be charged for the buffer capacity
HPFS also offers an option that is sometimes referred to as a “step lease” where the monthly payments gradually increase over time. A step lease structure is commonly used by service providers to offset the cost of the infrastructure to a later date while revenue from services delivered to new customers builds up. This same structure can be used by IT when the enterprise spins-up a new business entity and the revenue from this entity won’t be seen in any appreciable volume until some point in the future.
Finally we note that for HP EVA users wishing to transition their systems to HP 3PAR StoreServ, HPFS will remarket the EVA and share profits from the sale with the customer—profits that could be used to lower the monthly lease rate on the 3PAR StoreServ or offset a book value loss. Given that HP already offers a service that non-disruptively migrates EVA data to 3PAR StoreServ, combining this with a take-out of the EVA by HPFS could eliminate many of the issues commonly associated with the replacement of a first-line production storage system.
Conclusion
To respond to rapid business environmental changes, enterprises are now adopting a more agile and services-oriented model for centralised IT often characterised as “private cloud.” Public cloud services providers have become adept at adding new customers, new applications, and more compute-intensive workloads with minimal delay—often with the swipe of a credit card. We realise that the traditional enterprise IT may not be able to fully emulate this model given the potential difficulty of move legacy applications to the private cloud. Nevertheless, they can use virtualisation—both at the levels of servers and storage—to come as close to the cloud as possible. The implementation of data servers as close to the data as possible ensures that they do not contend with applications trying to use the same processing resources.
We have noted that HP 3PAR StoreServ is virtualised. Rather than using a full disk drive as the basic storage building block, 3PAR StoreServ creates a virtual pool of chunks of storage spread across disks of a similar type. This de-couples RAID groupings from physical disk drives and provides a much higher degree of flexibility in how data is stored. As a result, less high value storage capacity is wasted, performance is increased, and on-line performance tuning and storage tiering may be automated as data services available to the administrator. In addition, the use of storage domains delivers higher levels of functionality and automation that can further reduce the amount of time required to manage HP 3PAR systems.
Finally we note that, for virtualised server administrators, VM density is an important overall measure of storage system performance and availability. The HP 3PAR StoreServ architecture excels in maximizing the number of VMs per server—an important attribute for efficiently implementing a cloud-based IT service delivery model. Therefore, HP 3PAR StoreServ storage platforms can be seen as foundational to and enterprises private cloud in the same way they are essential to many public cloud service providers. And to round-out the utility services model, HPFS offers the acquisition alternatives to couple technical agility with financial agility.