topic Re: Help on understanding disk array concepts in Disk Enclosures

Help on understanding disk array concepts

Ninad_1 — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 04:26:51 GMT

Hi,

Please can anyone point me to some document which can help me the concepts for the storage arrays like XP1024 - to understand what is CHIP, ACP, CU, LDEV , Target etc etc.

Thanks a lot,
Ninad

Re: Help on understanding disk array concepts

Patrick Terlisten — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 04:35:08 GMT

Hi Ninad,

take a look at the attached document.

Regards,
Patrick

Re: Help on understanding disk array concepts

Ninad_1 — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 05:40:31 GMT

Patrick,

Thanks a lot.
Went through the doc - seems good - but still am getting the concepts clear. Will go through the document in detail and update if I need any other help.

Thanks again.
Ninad

Re: Help on understanding disk array concepts

Chan 007 — Fri, 31 Mar 2006 04:42:55 GMT

Ninad,

It will be impossible for both to give instruction and take from remote place.

Also I recon you need to sit infront of the WEB based commandview atleast a week to get your concepts clear.

Do one thing if you have access to command view, take this Chapter given by Pat, and view all once and familiarize with that. Then if you have a test bed, create LDEVs/LUSE and have fun. All you need don't play with existing /etc/horcm.confs. create a new one if possible use a new system

Chan

Re: Help on understanding disk array concepts

Alzhy — Fri, 31 Mar 2006 09:11:51 GMT

Ninad -- if you will be architecting storage OR administering one that is XP or Hitachi array based -- then I suggest you take a basic course or training. If not, then there should be plenty of information at the HItachi web site -- www.hds.com. HP's XP arrays are rebadged.OEM'd Hitachi Data Systems arrays. XP1024 = HDS 9980V, XP12000 is the HDS Tagnastore, etc.

Generally though, the concept is like this:

Individual Disks (4 or 8) are formed into RAID or Array Groups which are either RAID-5(3+1,7+1,6+2P) or MIrrored (2D+2D,4D+4D). Each set array group is controlled by an ACP (Array Controller Pair). Up to 4 ACPs can exist in an XP system. Each Array group is carved up into chunks called LDEVs (which when presented to the host via the CHiP - front end, becomes a LUN on the host). Number CHiPs (Client Host Interface Processors/Ports) are of different types and can vary in the number of FC ports that hook up to the server HBA's, the SAN switch fabric or to another supported Array for encapsulation/virtualization. - SO in itself - XP's are self contained SANs.

What is the best practice to get the most out of and scale your XP/HDS array? Simple - spread the preentation of LDEVs amongst the ACPs, amongst the CHiP ports and on the host level - you will always need to use a volume manager to stripe or structure your storage volumes/filesystems so it engages as many LDEVs, paths and array groups inside your array.

Hope this is clear enough.. and again if you're the type that needs a classroom setting to understand concepts - get Training. Otherwise, the GUI should be intuitive enough and the manuals/documents fairly easy enough to understand.

Re: Help on understanding disk array concepts

Ravi_Shankar — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 09:16:43 GMT

Is there any website from where we can download a demo video . Do we have any simulator available for AE like CV EVA ?

Re: Help on understanding disk array concepts

Torsten. — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:06:46 GMT

Apropos video:

http://h30431.www3.hp.com/?fr_story=c77ec5a0b0b69c6fa7e0c28ce78b7dd367f42997&rf=bm

=:-)

Re: Help on understanding disk array concepts

Ravi_Shankar — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:09:05 GMT

Thanks for the link .

is there any simulator available ?