IBM Storwize V5020 User Manual

Chapter 9. Advanced features for storage efficiency 443
9.2.3 Easy Tier process
Easy Tier is based on an algorithm with a threshold to evaluate if an extent is cold, warm, or
hot. Easy Tier consists of four main processes. These processes ensure that the extent
allocation in multi-tiered storage pools is optimized for the best performance, based on your
workload in the last 24 hours. The processes are listed:
򐂰 I/O Monitoring
򐂰 Data Placement Advisor
򐂰 Data Migration Planner
򐂰 Data Migrator
Figure 9-4 shows the flow between these processes.
Figure 9-4 Easy Tier process flow
The four main processes and the flow between them are described in the following sections.
9.2.4 I/O Monitoring
The I/O Monitoring (IOM) process operates continuously and monitors host volumes for I/O
activity. It collects performance statistics for each extent at 5-minute intervals and derives
averages for a rolling 24-hour period of I/O activity.
Easy Tier permits large block I/Os and considers only I/Os up to 64 KB as migration
candidates.
IOM is an efficient process and adds negligible processing impact to the IBM Storwize V5000
Gen2 node canisters.
9.2.5 Data Placement Advisor
The Data Placement Advisor (DPA) uses workload statistics to make a cost benefit decision
about the extents that need to be candidates for migration to a higher-performance tier.
This process also identifies extents that must be migrated back to a lower tier.
9.2.6 Data Migration Planner
By using the previously identified extents, the Data Migration Planner (DMP) process builds
the extent migration plan for the storage pool.

IBM Storwize V5020 Specifications

General

Model	Storwize V5020
Category	Storage
Maximum Number of Drives	240
Form Factor	2U
Supported Protocols	iSCSI
Drive Types Supported	SSD, SAS, NL-SAS
Expansion Units	Up to 9
RAID Levels Supported	0, 1, 5, 6, 10
Host Interface	16 Gb FC, 10 Gb iSCSI
Interface Types	Fibre Channel, Ethernet, SAS
Power Supply	Dual redundant power supplies

Summary

Overview of the IBM Storwize V5000 Gen2 system

IBM Storwize V5000 Gen2 overview

Provides an overview of the Gen2 system, its models, and benefits.

IBM Storwize V5000 Gen2 models

Compares the features and specifications of different Storwize V5000 Gen2 models.

IBM Storwize V5000 Gen2 hardware

Describes the hardware components of the Storwize V5000 Gen2 solution.

Initial configuration

Hardware installation planning

Outlines requirements and checklist for planning hardware installation.

SAN configuration planning

Discusses planning for Fibre Channel SAN connectivity.

First-time setup

Guides through the initial setup process for a first-time IBM Storwize V5000 Gen2 service.

Initial configuration

Details how to complete the initial configuration, including component verification.

Storage pools

Working with internal drives

Describes configuring internal storage disk drives and actions on them.

Working with storage pools

Explains how storage pools are managed and created.

Working with managed disks

Details how to manage MDisks, including their modes and assignments.

Host configuration

Preparing the host operating system

Details steps to prepare Windows and VMware ESXi hosts for attachment.

Creating hosts by using the GUI

Guides on creating Fibre Channel, iSCSI, and SAS hosts.

Volume configuration

Creating volumes using the Volume Creation

Details creating basic, mirrored, custom, and HyperSwap volumes.

Mapping a volume to the host

Guides on mapping created volumes to hosts.

Storage migration

Storage migration wizard overview

Storage migration wizard

Details the steps involved in the storage migration wizard.

Advanced host and volume administration

Advanced host administration

Covers host modification, mappings, and deletion.

Advanced volume administration

Details volume modification and copy creation.

Advanced features for storage efficiency

Easy Tier

Describes the Easy Tier disk performance optimization function.

Thin provisioning

Real-time Compression software

Details the Real-time Compression software for storage efficiency.

Copy services

IBM FlashCopy

Describes the FlashCopy function for point-in-time copies.

Implementing FlashCopy

Remote Copy

Troubleshooting remote copy

HyperSwap

Explains HyperSwap functionality for high availability.

External storage virtualization

Planning for external storage virtualization

Describes planning steps for virtualizing external storage.

Working with external storage

RAS, monitoring, and troubleshooting

Reliability, availability, and serviceability features

Describes RAS features and monitoring.

Configuration backup

Explains how to back up system configuration.

System update

Describes updating node canister software and drive firmware.

Support Assistance

Describes local and remote support assistance.

Collecting support information

Details how to collect support data using GUI and CLI.

Powering off the system and shutting down the infrastructure

Encryption

Planning for encryption

Discusses planning for data-at-rest encryption.

Defining encryption of data at-rest

Activating encryption

Guides on activating encryption licenses.

Enabling encryption

Details enabling encryption using key servers or USB flash drives.

Rekeying an encryption-enabled system

CLI setup and SAN Boot

Command-line interface