VMworld 2013 Suzy Visvanathan, VMware Learn more about VMworld and register at http://www.vmworld.com/index.jspa?src=socmed-vmworld-slideshare

1. Tech Preview: Accelerating Data Operations
Using VMware VVols and
Storage Profile Based Management
Suzy Visvanathan, VMware
STO7449
#STO7449

2. 22
Software-Defined
Data Center
SDDC | SDS
All infrastructure is virtualized
and delivered as a service, and
the control of this data center is
entirely automated by software.
Software-Defined
Storage
SDS is the abstraction and
pooling of heterogeneous storage
resources to deliver applications
storage resources through a
software-driven framework.

3. 33
Storage - Keeping pace with SDDC
vSphere
vSphere
Compute
Storage has been slower
to evolve, despite some
crucial growth factors
As a piece of the SDDC
puzzle, Storage must
• Adapt to an “as-a-
service” model of
operations.
• Scale to newer apps.
• Be highly performant
• Be Resilient
• Be easy to manage
Network StorageSoftware Defined
Infrastructure Services
Layer

4. 44
Several Pain Points with Storage
Three Main Pain Point Areas
 “Setting up storage requires too much time”
 “Data operations are LUN centric, whereas we want VM
focused operations”
 “We overprovision storage”
 “Our Storage budget keeps going up”
 “Cannot ensure predictable performance”
 “Troubleshooting is very hard”

5. 55
The Storage Management Challenge
Setting up storage requires:
1. Spreadsheet black-magic
to determine right configs
2. Several additional steps:
• Build disk pools
• Assign RAID levels
• Create LUN/volumes
• Zone and map LUNs
• Format LUN/Volumes
• Assign data services
(Replication, etc.)
Which LUNs
have the right
performance and
availability for
each VM?
Here are
your LUNs.
vSphere
Admin
Storage
Admin
I need more
storage for
my VMs.
Exactly what
performance do
you need?
Day 1 Day N Day N++
It should just
be fast.
Who needs
more LUNs?
How do we simplify the management
for the storage admin?
At the same time, how do we give the vSphere
admin what she wants?

6. 66
Achieving the “Per VM” Management Requirement
1. Data operations need to be done at a VM/VMDK level rather than on
the entire LUN/datastore
2. Visibility of VM/VMDK must be provided at all levels – at the
application, vSphere and underlying array level
3. Provisioning decisions must be automatically made by matching up
requirements given by the vSphere admin with the compliant storage
Datastore

7. 77
Agenda
 Introducing a new Storage paradigm
 How are the roles in a datacenter affected
- Array Vendors
- Storage Administrator
- vSphere Administrator
 Enhancing Storage Profiles for VVols
 Summary

8. 88
Introducing a New Storage Paradigm
Snapshot VMDK
Replicate VMDK
Snapshot Datastore
Replicate Datastore
Snapshot VMDK
Replicate VMDK
1. No LUNs
2. Expose
VMDK to
the array
3. Offload data
operations
to the array

9. 99
What Does It Mean to Your Array Vendor?
 Create distinct entities, called Virtual Volumes (VVols). A single
Virtual Volume will represent a single VMDK.
 Enable data services on VVols
 Integrate with vSphere, through an established set of APIs (VASA),
to handle offloaded operations on the VVols
 Can control the efficient execution of operations
 Publish a VASA provider plug-in to customers, that is VVol-ready
Broad Industry Support
And many more…

10. 1010
What Does It Mean to the Storage Administrator?
FC HBA iSCSI HBA
Ethernet
NIC
LAN/SAN
PE
1
No need to configure LUNs
or NFS shares
2
Set up a single IO access called
Protocol Endpoint, PE, to setup
a data path from VMs to VVols
3
Set up a logical entity, called
Storage Container, SC, to group
together multiple VVols, for
easy management.

11. 1111
Properties of a Protocol Endpoint (PE)
 Setup by the Storage administrator
 PE is part of the physical storage fabric,
so is treated “like a LUN”
 Typical SCSI and NFS commands are
supported by a PE
 PE establishes a data path between
VMs and VVols
 PE will be discovered by ESX during
a rescan
 VVols are “bound” and “unbound”
to a PE. ESX/VC initiates the “bind”,
“unbind” operation
 Existing multi-path policies and NFS
topology requirements can be applied
to the PE
FC HBA iSCSI HBA
Ethernet
NIC
LAN/SAN
PE

12. 1212
Setting Up a PE

13. 1313
Properties of a Storage Container (SC)
 Setup by the Storage administrator
 SC is part of the logical storage
fabric and is a logical unit of the
underlying hardware
 Must set up at least on SC
per storage system
 SCs may span storage systems
within or across datacenters
FC HBA iSCSI HBA
Ethernet
NIC
LAN/SAN
PE

14. 1414
Setting Up a Storage Container

15. 1515
SC Discovery Process
Vendor Provider Plugin
Storage Admin
vSphere
vCenter
• Choose max space for Storage Container
• Create Storage Container
• Discover Storage Container
• Report Storage Container to vCenter
• Creates as many VVols as fits within the
Storage Container

16. 1616
Achieving the “Per VM” Management Requirement
1. Data operations need to be done at a VM/VMDK level rather than on
the entire LUN/datastore
2. Visibility of VM/VMDK must be provided at all levels – at the
application, vSphere and underlying array level
3. Provisioning decisions must be automatically made by matching up
requirements given by the vSphere admin with the compliant storage
Datastore

17. 1717
Enhancing Storage Profiles for VVols
vSphere
Storage Policy Based Management
Vendor Provider Plugin
Exportcapabilitiesto
SPBM
Setup SC, assign capabilities
Sets VM requirements
vSphere
admin
Storage
admin
Matches VM
requirements with
SC capabilities
and suggests
provisioning choices

18. 1818
Creating a User Profiles – Entering Requirements

19. 1919
Create VM – SPBM Matching to Datastore

20. 2020
Here is a
Storage
Container
vSphere
Admin
Storage
Admin
I need more
storage for my
VMs and
performance
should be fast.
Day 1
How Storage Management Will Look with VVols
I can configure,
manage storage
efficiently
I can provision
Storage Container
according to my
needs. Profiles
makes my decision
process easier.
Day 1

21. 2121
Overall Benefits to vSphere and Storage Admin
Today With VVols Today With VVols
LUN based Fewer number
of entities
with Storage
Containers
Use Tag
based policies
Use fine
granular policies
Frequent
configuring
of LUNs
Smaller number
of storage
containers
Frequent
interaction with
Storage admin
to manage
app needs
Self sufficient by
filling up Storage
Containers with
VVols
Datastore / LUN-
based
VM/VMDK at the
array level
Per VM,
datastore
Per VM, Storage
Container
Storage Admin vSphere Admin
Provisioning
Management
Monitoring

22. 2222
So… What Is Vvols?
A solution, that:
 Eliminates LUNs
 Allows VMDKs to reside natively on the storage system
for offloading per VM/VMDK operations
 Augmented with Storage Policy Based management facilitates
easy management

23. 2323
What’s recommended for you
 Visit the expo booths.
• Several partners have demos around VVols in their booths.
 Get familiar with the plans your storage array vendor
has for VVol.
 Engage in a 1:1 meeting with VMware and your Array
vendor.
 Participate in Beta when call for nominations are sent

24. 2424
Questions?

25. 2525
FAQ
 ESX will continue to support VAAI APIs
 VVols can be setup in your datacenter along with other type
of datastores
 VMs can be migrated to and from a VVol datastore
 Features, such as DRS, HA, FT would perceive a VVol datastore
as just another datastore
 Storage Profile APIs will be made externally available

26. THANK YOU

28. Tech Preview: Accelerating Data Operations
Using VMware VVols and
Storage Profile Based Management
Suzy Visvanathan, VMware
STO7449
#STO7449