Nexsan iSeries Exchange and SQL Server Volume Wizard
The Nexsan iSeries Exchange and SQL Server Volume wizard enables easy set-up of correctly optimized storage configurations for SQL Servers and Exchange based on Microsoft best practices for performance optimization.
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Automatically provisions optimally located volumes for the logs and databases (and, when available, positions the volumes on separated spindles and selects the optimal storage type – SAS or SATA) |
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Defines the appropriate QoS settings to enhance performance. |
To open the Exchange and SQL Server Volume wizard:
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From the Quick Launch:
Configure > Exchange/SQL Volume |
Figure 4-46. Starting the Exchange/SQL Wizard
The Exchange and SQL Server Volume wizard opens.
Selecting Storage Resource Group and Volume Types
1. |
Select the Storage Resource Group from the drop down menu. |
Figure 4-47. Selecting Storage Resource Group and Volume Types
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This screen appears only if the user selected to create a log volume for volume type in Figure 4-47. |
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1. |
Enter the Log Volume Name. |
2. |
Check Mirror for high availability. |
3. |
Enter Size for the required log volume or use the slider to indicate what percentage of the available free disk space should be dedicated for the log volume. |
Figure 4-48. Log Volume Settings
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This screen appears only if the user selected to create a db log for volume type in Figure 4-47. |
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1. |
Enter the Database Volume Name. |
2. |
Check Mirror for high availability. |
3. |
Enter Size for the required db volume or use the slider to indicate what percentage of the available free disk space should be dedicated for the db volume. |
Figure 4-49. DB Volume Settings
Reviewing the Wizard Selections
The following screen summarizes the volumes that will be created. If you want to create something different form what the wizard suggests, either use the back buttons to change the settings or create the volumes manually.
Figure 4-50. Wizard Summary
Viewing the New Targets and Volumes
After the wizards completes, you can access the new targets and volumes via the navigation tree.
The new volumes can now be modified and/or deleted as any other volume managed by the Nexsan iSeries Manager.
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QoS setting will only take effect when QoS is enabled for this Nexsan iSeries. |
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Figure 4-51. Viewing the New Volumes
The Nexsan iSeries supports the authentication methods CHAP and SRP for the iSCSI initiator.
Host Groups are collections of iSCSI hosts, i.e. iSCSI initiators. A Host Group can contain several initiators, with each initiator having a unique WWUI. If a host has more than one iSCSI initiator installed, all the initiators can be included in the host group.
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If you are working with an iSNS server, all hosts are able to see the target but only those hosts with access rights are able to connect to the target. |
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If you add or modify access control on a target after its volumes have been exposed, the access rights will take effect only at the next login for each iSCSI initiator. |
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If you want to limit host (iSCSI initiator) access to targets, you must create a host group that will define exactly the allowed initiator(s). For a more detailed explanation refer to
Concept of iSCSI.
When creating host groups, keep in mind that:
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Each host group can contain one or more iSCSI initiators. |
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Each host group can be assigned one or both login authentication methods. |
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Each host group can be attached to more than one target. |
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Each target is not accessible to any initiator by default. |
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1. |
In the Navigation pane, right click on Hosts Groups and select New Host Group… |
Figure 4-52. New Hosts Group
2. |
Enter an Alias and Description for the host group. |
Figure 4-53. New Host group Parameters
Adding Initiators to a Host group
After creating a host group, you can begin adding hosts to the group by their iSCSI initiator WWUIs.
To add initiators to a host group:
1. |
From the Hosts Groups List, select the host group, right click and select Properties. |
Figure 4-54. Host Group Selected
Figure 4-55. Host group Properties Dialog Box
4. |
Enter the Initiator Name (WWUI) of the initiator and click OK. |
5. |
The new initiator appears in the Names tab of the Properties dialog box ( Figure 4-56). |
Figure 4-56. Initiator Added
Assigning Credentials (Initiator Authentication)
You can require initiator authentication before allowing access to a target and its underlying volume(s). The Nexsan iSeries supports CHAP and SRP authentication methods.
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When working with a Microsoft initiator and configuring target authentication: Do not configure initiator passwords with a zero as the final character (since the Nexsan iSeries exchanges the final character in the password with a zero). |
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CHAP passwords must be between twelve to sixteen characters in length. |
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If a host has more than one iSCSI initiator installed, both initiators can be included in the host group and given authentication methods. |
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The user name and password do not need to be the same for different initiators on the same host. |
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To assign authentication to a host group:
1. |
From the Host Group List pane, select the host group, right click and select Properties. |
Figure 4-57. Properties Selected
2. |
Toggle to the Authentication tab. |
3. |
Click Add. Enter the authentication method parameters ( Figure 4-58). |
Figure 4-58. Authentication Method Parameters
4. |
Click OK. The added authentication method appears in the authentication table ( Figure 4-59). |
Figure 4-59. Added Authentication Method
Attaching Host Groups to Targets
Once created, a host group must be attached to a target to provide it with access control. This attachment specifies which access rights the iSCSI initiators within the Host Group have to the target.
If you add or modify Host Group attachment on a target after its volumes have been exposed, the access rights will take effect only at the next login for each iSCSI initiator. |
When a Host Group is attached to a target, it is also given a
position in the target host group list. The position determines its place in the Nexsan iSeries access rights evaluation.
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The first host group in the list is the first host group evaluated when an initiator tries to access a volume. If the initiator meets the profile of the host group, it is granted that host group’s access rights. If not, the Nexsan iSeries continues to the next position. The Nexsan iSeries does not scan all host groups to determine which most specifically fits the host. |
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Host Groups must be positioned in decreasing specificity to function correctly. The Nexsan iSeries scans for the first fit and not the best fit. |
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The default access rights are evaluated last. |
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A host group can be connected to more than one target to provide the same pre-defined list of initiators for each target. |
To attach a Host Group to a target:
1. |
From the Navigation pane, select the target. |
Figure 4-60. Attaching Host Groups to Targets
2. |
Click Attach Host Groups… from the Authorized Host Groups pane ( Figure 4-60). |
The Attach Host Groups to Target window opens (
Figure 4-61). Available Host Groups are listed in the bottom pane.
Figure 4-61. Attach Host Group to Target Window
3. |
Select the host group to attach. |
4. |
Click Attach  . |
The host group is attached to the target.
5. |
Click the access rights for the host group and select the access rights from the list ( Figure 4-62). |
Figure 4-62. Access Rights for an attachment
You can attach/detach host groups, change access rights and position as much as needed. The configuration will be downloaded to the Nexsan iSeries only after clicking on OK. Clicking Restore will restore the screen to reflect the actual configuration in the Nexsan iSeries. |
Data can be replicated both offline and online. Offline replication is faster than online replication but both the source and destination volumes must be taken off-line which can create an interruption of service to the volume host(s).
Offline copy is used to copy any source volume to any destination volume. This is done offline while both the source and destination volumes are unexposed.
To perform an offline volume copy:
1. |
Click on Unexposed Volumes in the Navigation pane. |
2. |
From the Volume Details pane, select the volume and right click. Open the Copy menu and select Copy. |
Figure 4-63. Copy Volume
The Offline Copy window opens with all available resources.
Figure 4-64. Offline Copy Window
3. |
Select a resource the same size or greater than the volume to copy. |
4. |
Click Offline Copy  . The source volume begins being copied to the destination volume. |
5. |
To view the status of the volume copy, from the Quick Launch:
Monitor > Offline Copy |
Figure 4-65. Show Offline Copy
The Offline Copy Operations window opens.
Figure 4-66. Offline Copy Operations Window
After the offline copy has finished (progress indicates 100%), in order to perform any operation on the destination volume, you must delete this line from the table. |
To delete the entry from the offline copy table:
2. |
Right click and select Delete. |
Figure 4-67. Delete Offline Copy Entry
Online data replication allows the source volume to remain online with no interruption of service to the volume host(s).
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Online copy is performed using the mirror synchronization operation. |
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You can perform an online copy to any type of volume. |
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Adding a Child Mirror to a Volume
To add a child mirror to a volume:
1. |
From the Targets/LUs pane, select the volume to add mirror too. |
2. |
From the Volume Details pane, select the volume, right click and select Mirror > Add Mirror. |
Figure 4-68. Add Mirror Menu
The Add Mirror window opens with all available resources.
3. |
Select a resource the same size or bigger than the volume to copy. |
Figure 4-69. Resource Selected in Add Mirror Window
4. |
Click Add Mirror  . |
The Mirror Volume New Children confirmation dialog box opens (
Figure 4-70).
5. |
Check box to automatically synchronize the new child with the source volume or do it at a later time. |
Figure 4-70. Mirror Volume New Children Synch
Viewing Mirror Synchronization Status
You can
view all synchronizing mirror volumes, the exposing Nexsan iSeries, the
source volume and destination volume, the status and the process of the synchronization.
1. |
From the Quick Launch:
Configure > Mirror Syncs |
Figure 4-71. Quick Launch - Migrate Volume
The Mirror Sync Operations
window opens.
Figure 4-72. Mirror Sync Operations Window
Figure 4-73. Mirror Sync Started
When the Mirror Sync Operation is completed a confirmation message appears.
Figure 4-74. Mirror Sync Completed
1. |
In the Navigation pane, click on Target/LUs. |
2. |
Select the volume to break a mirror from. In the Volume Details pane, select the child to break from the mirror ( Figure 4-75). |
3. |
Right click and select Mirror > Break. |
Figure 4-75. Break Mirror Menu
The Break Mirror Confirmation dialog box opens.
Figure 4-76. Break Mirror Confirmation Dialog Box
The child is once again an available resource.
Figure 4-77. Create Volume Window with Mirror Child Resource Available
Data can be migrated (copied) online from one volume to another.
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In order to migrate data online, the volume must be exposed. |
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All types of data can be migrated except transparent & journal volumes. |
1. |
From the Quick Launch:
Configure > Migrate Volume |
Figure 4-78. Quick Launch - Migrate Volume
The Migrate Volume Wizard appears.
Figure 4-79. Migrate Volume Wizard – Select Source Volume
2. |
Select a source volume from the list and click Next. |
Figure 4-80. Migrate Volume Wizard – Select Target Volume
3. |
Select a target volume to migrate the volume to and click Next. |
Figure 4-81. Migrate Volume Wizard – Summary
4. |
Verify that the details of the migration are correct and click Apply. |
5. |
The Migrate Volume process will start. |
6. |
When the automatic mirror synchronization has finished (add reference) you must break the mirror. Make sure to remove the source that you migrated from the mirror. |
Figure 4-82. Break Mirror
The snapshot scheduler allows you to create a schedule for snapshots creation. You can monitor and modify existing schedules.
Creating Snapshot Schedules
To create a new snapshot schedule:
1. |
In the Navigation pane, select the source volume by selecting a target. |
2. |
Select the volume LUN from the LU list. |
3. |
Select the volume to create a snapshot of, right click and select Snapshots > Create snapshot schedule. |
Figure 4-83. Create Snapshot Schedule
The
Snapshot Schedule configuration window appears (
Figure 4-82) enabling you to configure the schedule.
1. |
Allocate the size requirement for the volume snapshots. |
Volume snapshot size is determined as a percentage of the original volume. 100% ensures that the snapshot will always have enough space regardless of the number of changes in the volume. Selecting a size smaller than 100% allows you to save disk space if the snapshot is intended for a short usage time only.
2. |
Select the schedule frequency for how often the snapshot will be created by the system by selecting an option from the drop down menu. |
3. |
Select the number of snapshots the system will keep in the schedule. |
When the number of allocated snapshots has been reached, the oldest snapshot is reset and replaced by a newer snapshot at the next schedule interval. The snapshot scheduler ensures that the total number of snapshots selected is not exceeded.
4. |
Select the time at which the first snapshot will be taken. Choose "Now" to cause the first snapshot to be created immediately upon completing the configuration or select another starting time by choosing "At the following time" and entering a starting time. |
5. |
Click OK to create the schedule. |
Figure 4-84. Create Snapshot Schedule
Monitoring and Editing Snapshot Schedules
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From the Quick Launch:Monitor > Snapshots |
Figure 4-85. Monitor Snapshots
The Monitor Snapshot Volumes window appears and displays all available snapshots in the selected storage resource group.
Figure 4-86. Snapshot Volumes
To modify an existing schedule for a source volume:
1. |
In the Volume Details pane, select the volume, right click and select Snapshots > Edit snapshot schedule. |
The Schedule Edit window appears showing the current snapshot schedule parameters and a list of existing snapshots. Entry fields for the parameters are disabled because the schedule is currently in effect and running. To modify the schedule you must first suspend its operation.
Figure 4-87. Suspend Snapshot Activity
When activity is suspended you can edit the schedule.
3. |
Click Resume once you have finished modifying the schedule parameters. |
To delete a snapshot schedule:
Figure 4-88. Delete Suspend Snapshot Schedule
The delete Snapshot Scheduler warning message appears.
3. |
If you want to delete all associated snapshots with this schedule, check the option to do so. |
Exposing Snapshots from a Schedule
You can expose snapshots directly from the schedule window.
To expose snapshots from the schedule:
2. |
Select snapshot to expose, right click and select Expose. |
The Expose snapshot volume window appears displaying the default values for the target and LUN.
Figure 4-89. Delete Suspend Snapshot Schedule
3. |
Select the options for Auto Target and Auto LUN to let the system configure this automatically. Alternatively you can click New target… and configure the target yourself. |
Snapshot can be
active or
inactive. Additionally, snapshots can be “rolled back” (see
Snapshot Rollback).
A snapshot does not create a full copy of its source volume. A snapshot volume only records the changes to the source volume from the time of the snapshot’s creation. |
Creating Single Point-in-Time Snapshots
You can create a snapshot, a point-in-time copy, of any volume at the top of a hierarchy.
To create a snapshot of a volume:
1. |
In the Targets/LUs or Unexposed Volumes View screen, from the Details pane, select the volume to create a snapshot of, right click and select Snapshot > Take Snapshot Now. |
The Create Snapshot Volume window opens with all available resources.
2. |
Select the snapshot volume size. |
Volume snapshot size is determined as a percentage of the original volume. 100% ensures that the snapshot will always have enough space regardless of the number of changes in the volume. Selecting a size smaller than 100% allows you to save disk space if the snapshot is intended for a short usage time only. Nexsan recommends that a snapshot volume should be at least twenty percent of the size of the source volume, depending on projected write activity to the source volume. |
The snapshot is created and is activated immediately.
Deactivating an active snapshot erases all data contained on the snapshot, but keeps the space allocated for the snapshot for future reactivation. |
To deactivate a snapshot:
1. |
Select the snapshot volume you want to deactivate. |
2. |
Right click and select Deactivate. |
Figure 4-90. Deactivating a Snapshot
The snapshot is now deactivated. All data on the snapshot is erased. The snapshot Date and Time property will change from the date and time that the snapshot was started to not active (N/A).
Figure 4-91. Deactivated Snapshot
If a snapshot has been deactivated, you must activate it again so that data can begin to be written to it. The snapshot will maintain the volume state at the time of the last activation |
1. |
From the Quick Launch:
Monitor > Snapshots |
Figure 4-92. Quick Launch - Create Volume
The Snapshot Volumes window appears.
Figure 4-93. Snapshot Volumes
1. |
Select the snapshot volume you want to activate. |
The Snapshot Volumes window appears. When a snapshot is not active its
Date and Time value will be N/A.
Figure 4-94. Snapshot Volumes
2. |
Right click and select Activate. |
Figure 4-95. Activating a Snapshot
The snapshot is now active. Write operations will begin according to the configured time schedule. The snapshot Date and Time property will change from not active (N/A) to the date and time that the snapshot was started.
Figure 4-96. Activated Snapshot
You can view all created snapshot volumes, the exposing Nexsan iSeries, the time the snapshot was created and the percent capacity utilization. The default load threshold is eighty (80) percent. When the default threshold is exceeded, a resize snapshot alert is sent.
1. |
From the Quick Launch:
Monitor > Snapshots |
Figure 4-97. Quick Launch - Create Volume
The Snapshot Volumes window appears.
Figure 4-98. Snapshot Volumes
Snapshot rollback allows you to rollback to the original state of the volume.
In order to avoid any writes to the volume while snapshot rollback is active, bring down any applications that use the volume. |
1. |
From the snapshot volumes window, right click on desired active snapshot and select Rollback > Start. |
Figure 4-99. Snapshot Volume Window
A warning message appears.
Figure 4-100. Snapshot Volume Window
The rollback starts. Rollback Progress and Rollback Status are indicated in the Snapshot window.
Figure 4-101. Snapshot Rollback Completed
Configuring Nexsan iSeries for VSS
The Nexsan iSeries can be used as the VSS hardware provider for a Windows Application server.
To configure Windows Application server to use the Nexsan iSeries as the VSS hardware provider:
1. |
On the Windows 2003 Application server, double click on the Nexsan iSeries Manager_VSS_Setup.exe file in the Nexsan iSeries Manager folder on the Nexsan CD shipped with the Nexsan iSeries. |
3. |
Open the Nexsan iSeries Manager GUI and configure disks as “ Allocable”. |
To allocate storage for the snapshots:
1. |
Right click the desired storage object and select Properties. |
It is recommended to allocate one physical disk in a disk array (or one single disk on a JBOD) to be used as the storage area for the snapshots. The total size of this disk should be at least 20% of all production volumes size (in total) you are planning to backup using VSS. However, if you can not allocate a dedicated physical disk, you still can use disks that are already in use. The system will take what ever space it can grab from all these disks to create the snapshots. |
Figure 4-102. Disk Properties
The Disk Properties window appears.
Figure 4-103. “Allocable” in the Disk Properties
2. |
Check “ Allocable” and click OK. |
Resizing volumes allows you to add storage easily. Resizing volumes is a two part process. First the volume is resized, second, it is expanded. If for some reason you decide not to expand the volume, you can retract it and remove the added volume(s) used to resize the original volume.
1. |
From the Exposed Volumes pane, select the volume. |
2. |
From the Volume Details pane, right click the child to resize and select Resize. |
Figure 4-104. Volume Selected
The Resize window opens with all available resources.
Figure 4-105. Resource Selected for Resize
3. |
Select a resource for resizing the volume and click Resize  . |
The New Cube Volume dialog box opens
Figure 4-106. New Cube Volume
The resized volume now appears in the Volume Details pane as a cube
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Figure 4-107. Cube Volume
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You must Expand the volume before you can use the new added volume. |
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Resized volumes can be retracted before being expanded. |
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In the Exposed Volumes screen, from the Volume Details pane, right click the volume and select Resize > Expand. |
Figure 4-108. Resize Menu
The expanded volume now appears in the Details pane.
Figure 4-109. Resized Volume
To retract a volume before expanding its hierarchy:
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From the Details pane, right click the child to resize and select Retract. |
Figure 4-110. Retract Menu
The cube volume is dissembled and the volume that was added during the resize is removed.
You can rename disks, subdisks and exposed/unexposed volumes.
1. |
From the list of Available Storage Devices ( Figure 4-108), double click on the name of the disk that you want to rename. |
Figure 4-111. Rename Disk
2. |
Enter the new name in the Alias field. |
The new name appears in the list.
1. |
From the list of Available Storage Devices ( Figure 4-109), double click on the name of the subdisk that you want to rename. |
Figure 4-112. Renaming Subdisk
The new name appears in the list.
1. |
From the Volume Details pane, select the volume to rename. |
2. |
Right click and select Rename. |
Figure 4-113. Rename Volume
The Volume Details window appears.
Figure 4-114. Renaming Volume
3. |
Click on the volume name and enter the new name. |
To delete an exposed volume select the volume or volumes to delete:
You can select multiple volumes by using the CTRL and SHFT keys.
Figure 4-115. Deleting Volumes
1. |
Right click and select Delete. |
For exposed volumes a warning appears asking you to confirm the unexpose operation.
Figure 4-116. Volume Selected to Unexpose
2. |
Check the ' Delete all volume tree' option to delete all volumes from this point downwards in the volume hierarchy. |
3. |
Click Yes to delete the volume(s). |
Unexposing Volumes (Deleting LUNs)
When you unexpose a volume, its LUN is deleted.
5. |
In the Exposed Volumes View screen, from the Exposed Volumes or Volume Details pane, select the volume, right click and select Unexpose. |
Figure 4-117. Volume Selected to Unexpose
The Unexpose confirmation box opens.
Figure 4-118. Delete LU Confirmation Box
The unexposed volume now appears in the Create Volume window.
Deleting Unexposed Volumes
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When deleting the top level on a hierarchy comprised of virtual components, only the top level is deleted and not the underlying volumes hierarchies which can subsequently be removed. |
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To delete unexposed volumes:
1. |
In the Unexposed Volumes View screen, right click the volume and select Delete. |
Figure 4-119. Delete Unexposed Volume
The Delete Volume confirmation box appears.
Figure 4-120. Delete Volume Confirmation
2. |
Click Yes to confirm the delete. |
Deleted component volumes are now available in the Create Volumes window.
1. |
In the Subdisks Details pane ( Figure 4-118), click on the subdisk to delete. |
The selected subdisk is outlined in red.
2. |
Right click and select Delete. |
Figure 4-121. Deleting Subdisks
You can’t delete a subdisk that is part of a volume (exposed or unexposed). |
