IBM Redbooks

Jon Tate

Andrew Bernoth

Ivo Gomilsek

Peter Mescher

Steven Tong

As organizations drive to transform and virtualize their IT infrastructures to reduce costs, and manage risk, networking is pivotal to success. Optimizing network performance, availability, adaptability, security, and cost is essential to achieving the maximum benefit from your infrastructure. In this IBM® Redbooks® publication, we address the requirements: Expertise to plan and design networks with holistic consideration of servers, storage, application performance and manageability Networking solutions that enable investment protection with performance and cost options that match your environment Technology and expertise to design and implement and manage network security and resiliency Robust network management software for integrated, simplified management that lowers operating costs of complex networks IBM and Brocade have entered into an agreement to provide expanded network technology choices with the new IBM b-type Ethernet Switches and Routers, to provide an integrated end-to-end resiliency and security framework. Combined with the IBM vast data center design experience and the Brocade networking expertise, this portfolio represents the ideal convergence of strength and intelligence. For organizations striving to transform and virtualize their IT infrastructure, such a combination can help you reduce costs, manage risks, and prepare for the future. This book is meant to be used along with "IBM b-type Data Center Networking: Design and Best Practices Introduction," SG24-7786.

IBM b-type Data Center Networking: Product Introduction and Initial Setup

Alexander Watson

Jon Herd

Stephen Solewin

Corne Lottering

Leandro Torolho

Andrew Greenfield

Tony Pacheco

Jagadeesh Papaiah

Thomas Ploski

IBM® FlashSystem 9100 combines the performance of flash and Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) with the reliability and innovation of IBM FlashCore® technology and the rich features of IBM SpectrumTM Virtualize — all in a powerful 2U storage system. Providing intensive data driven multi-cloud storage capacity, FlashSystem 9100 is deeply integrated with the software-defined capabilities of IBM Spectrum StorageTM, which allows you to easily add the multi-cloud solutions that best support your business. In this IBM Redbooks® publication, we discuss the product's features and planning steps, architecture, installation, configuration, and hints and tips.

IBM FlashSystem 9100 Architecture, Performance, and Implementation

Andrew Beattie

Christian Burns

Libor Miklas

Torben Jensen

Data is the new currency of business, the most critical asset of the modern organization. In fact, enterprises that can gain business insights from their data are twice as likely to outperform their competitors; yet, 72 percent of them have not started or are only planning big data activities. In addition, organizations often spend too much money and time managing where their data is stored. The average firm purchases 24% more storage every year, but uses less than half of the capacity it already has. A member of the IBM® Storwize® family, IBM SAN Volume Controller (SVC) Data Platform is a storage virtualization system that enables a single point of control for storage resources to help support improved business application availability and greater resource utilization. The objective is to manage storage resources in your IT infrastructure and to make sure they are used to the advantage of your business, and do it quickly, efficiently, and in real time, while avoiding increases in administrative costs. Virtualizing storage with SVC Data Platform helps make new and existing storage more effective. SVC Data Platform includes many functions traditionally deployed separately in disk systems. By including these in a virtualization system, SVC Data Platform standardizes functions across virtualized storage for greater flexibility and potentially lower costs. SVC Data Platform functions benefit all virtualized storage. For example, IBM Easy Tier® optimizes use of flash storage. And IBM Real-time CompressionTM enhances efficiency even further by enabling the storage of up to five times as much active primary data in the same physical disk space. Finally, high-performance thin provisioning helps automate provisioning. These benefits can help extend the useful life of existing storage assets, reducing costs. Integrating these functions into SVC Data Platform also means that they are designed to operate smoothly together, reducing management effort. In this IBM Redbooks® publication, we discuss the latest features and functions of the SVC 2145-DH8 and software version 7.3, implementation, architectural improvements, and Easy Tier.

IBM SAN Volume Controller 2145-DH8 Introduction and Implementation

Paulo Neto

Kameswara Bhaskarabhatla

Bruno Garcia Galle

IBM® System Storage® Gen 5 fabric backbones are among the industry's most powerful Fibre Channel switching infrastructure offerings. They provide reliable, scalable, and high-performance foundations for mission-critical storage. These fabric backbones also deliver enterprise connectivity options to add support for IBM FICON® connectivity, offering a high-performing and reliable FICON infrastructure with fast and scalable IBM System z® servers. Designed to increase business agility while providing nonstop access to information and reducing infrastructure and administrative costs, Gen 5 Fibre Channel fabric backbones deliver a new level of scalability and advanced capabilities to this robust, reliable, and high-performance technology. Although every network type has unique management requirements, most organizations face similar challenges managing their network environments. These challenges can include minimizing network downtime, reducing operational expenses, managing application service level agreements (SLAs), and providing robust security. Until now, no single tool could address these needs across different network types. To address this issue, the IBM Network Advisor management tool provides comprehensive management for data, storage, and converged networks. This single application can deliver end-to-end visibility and insight across different network types by integrating with Fabric Vision technology; it supports Fibre Channel SANs, including Gen 5 Fibre Channel platforms, IBM FICON, and IBM b-type SAN FCoE networks. In addition, this tool supports comprehensive lifecycle management capabilities across different networks through a simple, seamless user experience. This IBM Redbooks® publication introduces the concepts, architecture, and basic implementation of Gen 5 and IBM Network Advisor. It is aimed at system administrators, and pre- and post-sales support staff.

IBM b-type Gen 5 16 Gbps Switches and Network Advisor

Joe Robinson

Pall Beck

Peter Clemens

Santiago Freitas

Jeff Gatz

Michele Girola

Jason Gmitter

Holger Mueller

Ray O'Hanlon

Veerendra Para

Andy Sholomon

Jason Walker

This IBM® Redbooks® publication is an IBM and Cisco collaboration that articulates how IBM and Cisco can bring the benefits of their respective companies to the modern data center. It documents the architectures, solutions, and benefits that can be achieved by implementing a data center based on IBM server, storage, and integrated systems, with the broader Cisco network. We describe how to design a state-of-the art data center and networking infrastructure combining Cisco and IBM solutions. The objective is to provide a reference guide for customers looking to build an infrastructure that is optimized for virtualization, is highly available, is interoperable, and is efficient in terms of power and space consumption. It will explain the technologies used to build the infrastructure, provide use cases, and give guidance on deployments.

IBM and Cisco: Together for a World Class Data Center

John Cronin

Brian Cartwright

Christian Dapprich

As we all know, large ocean going ships never collide with icebergs. However, occasionally life deals out some unexpected pleasures for us to cope with. Surviving any disaster in life is usually a lot easier if you have prepared adequately by taking into account the likely problems, solutions, and their implementation. In this IBM Redbooks publication, we limit ourselves to those situations in which it is likely that a SAN will be deployed. We present the IBM SAN portfolio of products, going a little under the surface to show the fault tolerant features that they utilize, and then describe solutions with all these features taken into account. Each of these solutions was built on practical experience, in some cases with cost in mind, in some cases with no cost in mind. Any well-thought-out SAN design will have taken every single one of these concerns into account, and either formulated a solution for it, or ignored it, but nonetheless understanding the potential exposure. With these points in mind, in this book we have two objectives: to position the IBM SAN products that are currently in our portfolio; and to show how those products can be configured together to build a SAN that not only allows you to survive most forms of disaster, but also provides performance benefits. So, make sure that you know what to do if you hit an iceberg!

IBM SAN Survival Guide

Michael Engelbrecht

Jacek Koman

"Do everything that is necessary and absolutely nothing that is not." In this IBM® Redbooks® publication, which is an update and major revision of the previous version, we have consolidated as much of the critical information as possible while discussing procedures and tasks that are likely to be encountered on a daily basis. Each of the products described has much more functionality than we could cover in just one book. The IBM SAN portfolio is rich in quality products that bring a vast amount of technicality and vitality to the SAN world. Their inclusion and selection is based on a thorough understanding of the storage networking environment that positions IBM, and therefore its customers and partners, in an ideal position to take advantage by their deployment. We discuss the latest additions to the IBM/Cisco SAN family and we show how they can be implemented in an open systems environment, focusing on the Fibre Channel protocol (FCP) environment. We address some of the key concepts that they bring to the market, and in each case, we give an overview of those functions that are essential to building a robust SAN environment.

Implementing an IBM/Cisco SAN

This IBM® Redbooks® publication introduces the products, concepts, and technology in the IBM System StorageTM SAN Routing portfolio, which is based on Cisco products and technology. It also discusses the features of each product, and offers examples of how you can deploy and use them. The book targets storage network administrators, system designers, architects, and IT professionals who sell, design, or administer SANs. The rapid spread and adoption of production storage area networks (SANs) has fueled the need for multiprotocol routers. The routers provide improved scalability, security, and manageability by enabling devices in separate SAN fabrics to communicate without merging fabrics into a single, large SAN fabric. This capability enables clients to initially deploy separate SAN solutions at the departmental and data center levels. Then, clients can consolidate these separate solutions into large enterprise SAN solutions as their experience and requirements grow and change. Alternatively, multiprotocol routers can help to connect existing enterprise SANs for a variety of reasons. For example, the introduction of Small Computer System Interface over IP (iSCSI) provides for the connection of low-end, low-cost hosts to enterprise SANs. The use of an Internet Protocol (IP) in the Fibre Channel (FC) environment provides for resource consolidation and disaster recovery planning over long distances. And the use of FC-FC routing services provides connectivity between two or more fabrics without having to merge them into a single SAN. To derive the maximum benefit from this book, you should already be familiar with SANs. Otherwise, we recommend that you first read the following IBM Redbooks publications: IBM TotalStorage: SAN Product, Design, and Optimization Guide, SG24-6384 Introduction to Storage Area Networks, SG24-5470 Implementing an IBM/Cisco SAN, SG24-7545

IBM/Cisco Multiprotocol Routing: An Introduction and Implementation

Peter Eicher

Kamlesh Lad

Prashant Jagannathan

Data is the currency of the new economy, and organizations are increasingly tasked with finding better ways to protect, recover, access, share, and use data. Traditional storage technologies are being stretched to the breaking point. This challenge is not because of storage hardware performance, but because management tools and techniques have not kept pace with new requirements. Primary data growth rates of 35% to 50% annually only amplify the problem. Organizations of all sizes find themselves needing to modernize their IT processes to enable critical new use cases such as storage self-service, Development and Operations (DevOps), and integration of data centers with the Cloud. They are equally challenged with improving management efficiencies for long established IT processes such as data protection, disaster recovery, reporting, and business analytics. Access to copies of data is the one common feature of all these use cases. However, the slow, manual processes common to IT organizations, including a heavy reliance on labor-intensive scripting and disparate tool sets, are no longer able to deliver the speed and agility required in today's fast-paced world. Copy Data Management (CDM) is an IT modernization technology that focuses on using existing data in a manner that is efficient, automated, scalable, and easy to use, delivering the data access that is urgently needed to meet the new use cases. Catalogic ECX, with IBM® storage, provides in-place copy data management that modernizes IT processes, enables key use cases, and does it all within existing infrastructure. This IBM Redbooks® publication shows how Catalogic Software and IBM have partnered together to create an integrated solution that addresses today's IT environment.

IT Modernization using Catalogic ECX Copy Data Management and IBM Spectrum Storage

Jana Jamsek

Falk Schneider

IBM® Storwize® HyperSwap® is a response to increasing demand for continuous application availability, minimizing downtime in the event of an outage, and non disruptive migrations. IT centers with IBM i can take full advantage of the HyperSwap solution. In this IBM RedpaperTM publication, we provide instructions to implement Storwize HyperSwap with IBM i. We also describe some business continuity scenarios in this area, including solutions with HyperSwap and IBM i Live Partition Mobility, and a solution with HyperSwap and IBM PowerHA® for IBM i.

Storwize HyperSwap with IBM i

Hector Hugo Ibarra

Shanmuganathan Kumaravel

The superabundance of data that is created by today's businesses is making storage a strategic investment priority for companies of all sizes. As storage takes precedence, the following major initiatives emerge: Flatten and converge your network: IBM® takes an open, standards-based approach to implement the latest advances in the flat, converged data center network designs of today. IBM Storage solutions enable clients to deploy a high-speed, low-latency Unified Fabric Architecture. Optimize and automate virtualization: Advanced virtualization awareness reduces the cost and complexity of deploying physical and virtual data center infrastructure. Simplify management: IBM data center networks are easy to deploy, maintain, scale, and virtualize, delivering the foundation of consolidated operations for dynamic infrastructure management. Storage is no longer an afterthought. Too much is at stake. Companies are searching for more ways to efficiently manage expanding volumes of data, and to make that data accessible throughout the enterprise. This demand is propelling the move of storage into the network. Also, the increasing complexity of managing large numbers of storage devices and vast amounts of data is driving greater business value into software and services. With current estimates of the amount of data to be managed and made available increasing at 60% each year, this outlook is where a storage area network (SAN) enters the arena. SANs are the leading storage infrastructure for the global economy of today. SANs offer simplified storage management, scalability, flexibility, and availability; and improved data access, movement, and backup. Welcome to the cognitive era. The smarter data center with the improved economics of IT can be achieved by connecting servers and storage with a high-speed and intelligent network fabric. A smarter data center that hosts IBM Storage solutions can provide an environment that is smarter, faster, greener, open, and easy to manage. This IBM® Redbooks® publication provides an introduction to SAN and Ethernet networking, and how these networks help to achieve a smarter data center. This book is intended for people who are not very familiar with IT, or who are just starting out in the IT world.

Introduction to Storage Area Networks

Jure Arzensek

Steve Fodor

This IBM Redbooks publication supersedes both: IBM TotalStorage: Introduction to SAN Routing, SG24-7119-00 Implementing the IBM TotalStorage Multiprotocol Routers, SG24-7246-00 The rapid spread and adoption of production storage area networks (SANs) has fuelled the need for multiprotocol routers. The routers provide improved scalability, security, and manageability by enabling devices in separate SAN fabrics to communicate without merging fabrics into a single, large SAN fabric. This capability enables clients to initially deploy separate SAN solutions at the departmental and data center levels. Then, clients can consolidate these separate solutions into large enterprise SAN solutions as their experience and requirements grow and change. Alternatively, multiprotocol routers can help to connect existing enterprise SANs for a variety of reasons. For instance, the introduction of Small Computer System Interface over IP (iSCSI) provides for the connection of low-end, low-cost hosts to enterprise SANs. The use of an Internet Protocol (IP) in the Fibre Channel (FC) environment provides for resource consolidation and disaster recovery planning over long distances. And the use of FC-FC routing services provides connectivity between two or more fabrics without having to merge them into a single SAN. This book targets storage network administrators, system designers, architects, and IT professionals who sell, design, or administer SANs. It introduces you to the products, concepts, and technology in the IBM System Storage SAN Routing portfolio. This book shows the features of each product and examples of how you can deploy and use them.

SAN Multiprotocol Routing: An Introduction and Implementation

Jack Armstrong

Tiago Bastos

Pawel Brodacki

Markus Döllinger

Sergey Kubin

Carsten Larsen

Hartmut Lonzer

Organizations of all sizes face the challenge of managing massive volumes of increasingly valuable data. But storing this data can be costly, and extracting value from the data is becoming more difficult. IT organizations have limited resources, but must stay responsive to dynamic environments and act quickly to consolidate, simplify, and optimize their IT infrastructures. IBM® FlashSystem 5010 and FlashSystem 5030 systems provide a smarter solution that is affordable, easy to use, and self-optimizing, which enables organizations to overcome these storage challenges. The IBM FlashSystem® 5010 and FlashSystem 5030 deliver efficient, entry-level configurations that are designed to meet the needs of small and midsize businesses. Designed to provide organizations with the ability to consolidate and share data at an affordable price, the system offers advanced software capabilities that are found in more expensive systems. This IBM Redbooks® publication is intended for pre-sales and post-sales technical support professionals and storage administrators. It applies to the IBM FlashSystem 5010 and FlashSystem 5030 and IBM Spectrum® Virtualize V8.3.1. This edition applies to IBM Spectrum Virtualize V8.3.1 and the associated hardware and software detailed within. Screen captures that are included within this book might differ from the generally available (GA) version because parts of this book were written with pre-GA code. On February 11, 2020, IBM announced that it was simplifying its portfolio. This book was written by using previous models of the product line before the simplification; however, most of the general principles apply. If you are in any doubt as to their applicability, work with your local IBM representative.

Implementing the IBM FlashSystem 5010 and FlashSystem 5030 with IBM Spectrum Virtualize V8.3.1

Denis Senin

Stefan Neff

Glen Routley

In this IBM® Redbooks® publication, we describe how these products can be combined to provide an encryption and virtualization solution: IBM System Storage® SAN32B-E4 Encryption Switch IBM Storwize® V7000 IBM Tivoli® Key Lifecycle Manager We describe the terminology that is used in an encrypted and virtualized environment, and we show how to implement these products to take advantage of their strengths. This book is intended for anyone who needs to understand and implement the IBM System Storage SAN32B-E4 Encryption Switch, IBM Storwize V7000, IBM Tivoli Key Lifecycle Manager, and encryption.

Implementing the Storwize V7000 and the IBM System Storage SAN32B-E4 Encryption Switch

Uwe Dubberke

This IBM® Redbooks® publication covers the IBM System Storage® SAN32B-E4 Encryption Switch, which is a high-performance stand-alone device designed to protect data-at-rest in mission-critical environments. In addition to helping IT organizations achieve compliance with regulatory mandates and meeting industry standards for data confidentiality, the SAN32B-E4 Encryption Switch also protects them against potential litigation and liability following a reported breach. Data is one of the most highly valued resources in a competitive business environment. Protecting that data, controlling access to it, and verifying its authenticity while maintaining its availability are priorities in our security-conscious world. Increasing regulatory requirements also drive the need for adequate data security. Encryption is a powerful and widely used technology that helps protect data from loss and inadvertent or deliberate compromise. In the context of data center fabric security, IBM provides advanced encryption services for Storage Area Networks (SANs) with the IBM System Storage SAN32B-E4 Encryption Switch. The switch is a high-speed, highly reliable hardware device that delivers fabric-based encryption services to protect data assets either selectively or on a comprehensive basis. The 8 Gbps SAN32B-E4 Fibre Channel Encryption Switch scales nondisruptively, providing from 48 up to 96 Gbps of encryption processing power to meet the needs of the most demanding environments with flexible, on-demand performance. It also provides compression services at speeds up to 48 Gbps for tape storage systems. Moreover, it is tightly integrated with one of the industry-leading, enterprise-class key management systems, the IBM Tivoli® Key Lifecycle Manager (TKLM), which can scale to support key life-cycle services across distributed environments.

Implementing the IBM System Storage SAN32B-E4 Encryption Switch

Dharmesh Kamdar

Dong Hai Yu

Randy Watson

Dynamic organizations want to accelerate growth while reducing costs. To do so, they must speed the deployment of business applications and adapt quickly to any changes in priorities. Organizations today require an IT infrastructure that is easy, efficient, and versatile. The VersaStack solution by Cisco and IBM® can help you accelerate the deployment of your data centers. It reduces costs by more efficiently managing information and resources while maintaining your ability to adapt to business change. The VersaStack solution combines the innovation of Cisco UCS Integrated Infrastructure with the efficiency of the IBM Storwize® storage system. The Cisco UCS Integrated Infrastructure includes the Cisco Unified Computing System (Cisco UCS), Cisco Nexus and Cisco MDS switches, and Cisco UCS Director. The IBM FlashSystem® V9000 enhances virtual environments with its Data Virtualization, IBM Real-time CompressionTM, and IBM Easy Tier® features. These features deliver extraordinary levels of performance and efficiency. The VersaStack solution is Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) ready. Your IT team can build, deploy, secure, and maintain applications through a more agile framework. Cisco Intercloud Fabric capabilities help enable the creation of open and highly secure solutions for the hybrid cloud. These solutions accelerate your IT transformation while delivering dramatic improvements in operational efficiency and simplicity. Cisco and IBM are global leaders in the IT industry. The VersaStack solution gives you the opportunity to take advantage of integrated infrastructure solutions that are targeted at enterprise applications, analytics, and cloud solutions. The VersaStack solution is backed by Cisco Validated Designs (CVD) to provide faster delivery of applications, greater IT efficiency, and less risk. This IBM Redbooks® publication is aimed at experienced storage administrators who are tasked with deploying a VersaStack solution with Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) and IBM SpectrumTM Protect.

VersaStack Solution by Cisco and IBM with Oracle RAC, IBM FlashSystem V9000, and IBM Spectrum Protect

Nancy Kinney

Jorge Quintal

Daniel Owen

This IBM® Redbooks® publication introduces the IBM Storwize® V7000 Unified Disk System, a virtualized storage system that consolidates block and file workloads into a single storage system. Advantages include simplicity of management, reduced cost, highly scalable capacity, performance, and high availability. It also offers improved efficiency and flexibility through built-in solid-state drive optimization, thin provisioning, IBM Real-time CompressionTM, and nondisruptive migration of data from existing storage. The system can virtualize and reuse existing disk systems, which offers a greater potential return on investment. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the following Redbooks publications to get the most from this book: Implementing the IBM Storwize V7000 V6.3, SG24-7938 Implementing the IBM System Storage SAN Volume Controller V6.3, SG24-7933 Real-time Compression in SAN Volume Controller and Storwize V7000, REDP-4859 SONAS Implementation and Best Practices Guide, SG24-7962 SONAS Concepts, Architecture, and Planning Guide, SG24-7963

Implementing the IBM Storwize V7000 Unified Disk System

Jon Tate

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