IBM DS8870 Architecture and Implementation (Release 7.5)

IBM DS8870 Architecture and Implementation (Release 7.5)

by Bertrand Dufrasne, Werner Bauer, Artur Borowicz, Adrian Orben, Robert Tondini, Bob Xiao
Released July 2015
Publisher(s): IBM Redbooks
ISBN: 9780738440828

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Book description

This IBM® Redbooks® publication describes the concepts, architecture, and implementation of the IBM DS8870. The WhitepaperRedpaperbook provides reference information to assist readers who need to plan for, install, and configure the DS8870.

The IBM DS8870 is the most advanced model in the IBM DS8000® series and is equipped with IBM POWER7+™ based controllers. Various configuration options are available that scale from dual 2-core systems up to dual 16-core systems with up to 1 TB of cache.

The DS8870 features an integrated High-Performance Flash Enclosure (HPFE) with flash cards that can deliver up to 250,000 IOPS and up to 3.4 GBps bandwidth. A High-Performance All-Flash configuration is also available.

The DS8870 now features 16 Gbps host adapters. Connectivity options, with up to 128 Fibre Channel/IBM FICON® ports for host connections, make the DS8870 suitable for multiple server environments in open systems and IBM z™ Systems environments.

DS8870 Release 7.5 brings new and enhanced IBM z Systems™ synergy features. These features are covered in detail in IBM DS8870 and IBM z Systems Synergy, REDP-5186.

The DS8870 supports advanced disaster recovery solutions, business continuity solutions, and thin provisioning. All disk drives in the DS8870 storage system have the Full Disk Encryption (FDE) feature. The DS8870 also can be integrated in a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) infrastructure.

The DS8870 can automatically optimize the use of each storage tier, particularly flash drives and flash cards, through the IBM Easy Tier® feature, which is available at no extra charge.

This edition applies the IBM DS8870 Release 7.5.

Table of contents

  1. Front cover
  2. Notices
    1. Trademarks
  3. IBM Redbooks promotions
  4. Preface
    1. Authors
    2. Now you can become a published author, too!
    3. Comments welcome
    4. Stay connected to IBM Redbooks
  5. Summary of changes
    1. July 2015, Sixth Edition
  6. Part 1 Concepts and architecture
  7. Chapter 1. Introduction to the IBM DS8870
    1. 1.1 Introduction to the IBM DS8870
      1. 1.1.1 Features of the DS8870
    2. 1.2 DS8870 controller options and frames
    3. 1.3 DS8870 architecture and functions overview
      1. 1.3.1 Overall architecture and components
      2. 1.3.2 Storage capacity
      3. 1.3.3 Supported environments
      4. 1.3.4 Configuration flexibility
      5. 1.3.5 Copy Services functions
      6. 1.3.6 Service and setup
      7. 1.3.7 IBM Certified Secure Data Overwrite
    4. 1.4 Performance features
      1. 1.4.1 16 Gbps host adapters
      2. 1.4.2 DS8000 Multi-thread Performance Accelerator
      3. 1.4.3 Sophisticated caching algorithms
      4. 1.4.4 Flash storage
      5. 1.4.5 Multipath Subsystem Device Driver
      6. 1.4.6 Performance for z Systems
      7. 1.4.7 Performance enhancements for IBM Power Systems
  8. Chapter 2. IBM DS8870 hardware components and architecture
    1. 2.1 Terminology of the DS8870
    2. 2.2 DS8870 configurations and models
      1. 2.2.1 DS8870 High-Performance All-Flash configuration
      2. 2.2.2 DS8870 Enterprise Class configuration
      3. 2.2.3 DS8870 Business Class configuration
      4. 2.2.4 DS8870 Base Frame (Model 961)
      5. 2.2.5 DS8870 expansion frames (Model 96E)
      6. 2.2.6 Scalable upgrades
      7. 2.2.7 Licensed functions
    3. 2.3 DS8870 architecture overview
      1. 2.3.1 IBM POWER7+ processor-based server
      2. 2.3.2 Processor memory
      3. 2.3.3 Flexible service processor and system power control network
      4. 2.3.4 Peripheral Component Interconnect Express Adapters
    4. 2.4 I/O enclosures and adapters
      1. 2.4.1 Cross-cluster communication
      2. 2.4.2 I/O enclosure adapters
    5. 2.5 Storage enclosures and drives
      1. 2.5.1 Drive enclosures
      2. 2.5.2 Standard drive enclosures
    6. 2.6 Power and cooling
    7. 2.7 Management Console and network
      1. 2.7.1 Ethernet switches
      2. 2.7.2 DS8870 operator panel
    8. 2.8 Hardware features summary for DS8870 configurations
    9. 2.9 Capacity on Demand
  9. Chapter 3. RAS on the IBM DS8870
    1. 3.1 DS8870 processor complex features
      1. 3.1.1 POWER7+ Hypervisor
      2. 3.1.2 POWER7+ processor
      3. 3.1.3 AIX operating system
      4. 3.1.4 Cross-cluster communication
      5. 3.1.5 Environmental monitoring
      6. 3.1.6 Resource deconfiguration
    2. 3.2 CPC failover and failback
      1. 3.2.1 Dual cluster operation and data protection
      2. 3.2.2 Failover
      3. 3.2.3 Failback
      4. 3.2.4 NVS and power outages
    3. 3.3 Data flow in DS8870
      1. 3.3.1 I/O enclosures
      2. 3.3.2 Host connections
      3. 3.3.3 Metadata checks
    4. 3.4 RAS on the Management Console
      1. 3.4.1 Microcode updates
      2. 3.4.2 Call home and remote support
    5. 3.5 RAS on the storage subsystem
      1. 3.5.1 RAID configurations
      2. 3.5.2 Drive path redundancy
      3. 3.5.3 Predictive Failure Analysis
      4. 3.5.4 Disk scrubbing
      5. 3.5.5 Smart Rebuild
      6. 3.5.6 RAID 5 overview
      7. 3.5.7 RAID 6 overview
      8. 3.5.8 RAID 10 overview
      9. 3.5.9 Spare creation
    6. 3.6 RAS on the power subsystem
      1. 3.6.1 Power components
      2. 3.6.2 Line power loss
      3. 3.6.3 Line power fluctuation
      4. 3.6.4 Power control
      5. 3.6.5 Unit emergency power off
    7. 3.7 Other features
      1. 3.7.1 Internal network
      2. 3.7.2 Earthquake resistance
      3. 3.7.3 Secure Data Overwrite
  10. Chapter 4. Virtualization concepts
    1. 4.1 Virtualization definition
    2. 4.2 Abstraction layers for drive virtualization
      1. 4.2.1 Array sites
      2. 4.2.2 Arrays
      3. 4.2.3 Ranks
      4. 4.2.4 Extent pools
      5. 4.2.5 Logical volumes
      6. 4.2.6 Space-efficient volumes
      7. 4.2.7 Allocation, deletion, and modification of LUNs and CKD volumes
      8. 4.2.8 Logical subsystems
      9. 4.2.9 Volume access
      10. 4.2.10 Virtualization hierarchy summary
    3. 4.3 Benefits of virtualization
  11. Chapter 5. IBM DS8000 Copy Services overview
    1. 5.1 Introduction to Copy Services
    2. 5.2 FlashCopy and FlashCopy Space Efficient
      1. 5.2.1 Basic concepts
      2. 5.2.2 Benefits and use
      3. 5.2.3 FlashCopy options
      4. 5.2.4 FlashCopy SE-specific options
      5. 5.2.5 Remote Pair FlashCopy (Preserve Mirror)
      6. 5.2.6 Remote Pair FlashCopy with Multiple Target PPRC
    3. 5.3 Remote Mirror and Copy
      1. 5.3.1 Metro Mirror
      2. 5.3.2 Global Copy
      3. 5.3.3 Global Mirror
      4. 5.3.4 Metro/Global Mirror
      5. 5.3.5 Multiple Target PPRC
      6. 5.3.6 Copy Services full support provided for thin provisioning enhancements in open environments
      7. 5.3.7 z/OS Global Mirror
      8. 5.3.8 z/OS Metro/Global Mirror
      9. 5.3.9 Summary of Remote Mirror and Copy function characteristics
      10. 5.3.10 Consistency group considerations
      11. 5.3.11 GDPS on z/OS environments
      12. 5.3.12 Tivoli Storage Productivity Center for Replication functions
    4. 5.4 Resource groups for Copy Services
  12. Chapter 6. Designed for performance
    1. 6.1 DS8870 hardware: Performance characteristics
      1. 6.1.1 Vertical growth and scalability
      2. 6.1.2 POWER7 and POWER7+
      3. 6.1.3 The High-Performance Flash Enclosure
      4. 6.1.4 DS8870 Switched Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loops
      5. 6.1.5 Fibre Channel device adapter
      6. 6.1.6 16 Gbps Fibre Channel host adapters
    2. 6.2 Software performance: Synergy items
      1. 6.2.1 Synergy with Power Systems
      2. 6.2.2 Synergy with z Systems
    3. 6.3 Performance considerations for disk drives
    4. 6.4 DS8000 superior caching algorithms
      1. 6.4.1 Sequential Adaptive Replacement Cache
      2. 6.4.2 Adaptive Multi-stream Prefetching
      3. 6.4.3 Intelligent Write Caching
    5. 6.5 Performance considerations for logical configurations
      1. 6.5.1 Workload characteristics
      2. 6.5.2 Data placement in the DS8000
    6. 6.6 I/O Priority Manager
      1. 6.6.1 Performance policies for open systems
      2. 6.6.2 Performance policies for z Systems
    7. 6.7 IBM Easy Tier
      1. 6.7.1 Easy Tier generations
    8. 6.8 Host performance and sizing considerations
      1. 6.8.1 Performance and sizing considerations for open systems
  13. Part 2 Planning and installation
  14. Chapter 7. IBM DS8870 physical planning and installation
    1. 7.1 Considerations before installation: Planning for growth
      1. 7.1.1 Who should be involved
      2. 7.1.2 What information is required
    2. 7.2 Planning for the physical installation
      1. 7.2.1 Delivery and staging area
      2. 7.2.2 Floor type and loading
      3. 7.2.3 Overhead cabling features
      4. 7.2.4 Room space and service clearance
      5. 7.2.5 Power requirements and operating environment
      6. 7.2.6 Host interface and cables
      7. 7.2.7 Host adapter Fibre Channel specifics for open environments
      8. 7.2.8 FICON specifics on z/OS environment
      9. 7.2.9 Preferred practice for host adapters
      10. 7.2.10 WWNN and WWPN determination
    3. 7.3 Network connectivity planning
      1. 7.3.1 Hardware Management Console and network access
      2. 7.3.2 IBM Tivoli Storage Productivity Center
      3. 7.3.3 DS command-line interface
      4. 7.3.4 Remote support connection (Internet SSL and embedded AOS)
      5. 7.3.5 Remote power control
      6. 7.3.6 Storage area network connection
      7. 7.3.7 IBM Security Key Lifecycle Manager server for encryption
      8. 7.3.8 Lightweight Directory Access Protocol server for single sign-on
    4. 7.4 Remote Mirror and Copy connectivity
    5. 7.5 Disk capacity considerations
      1. 7.5.1 Disk sparing
      2. 7.5.2 Disk capacity
      3. 7.5.3 DS8000 flash drives (solid-state drives or SSDs): Considerations
      4. 7.5.4 DS8000 flash drives: Considerations
  15. Chapter 8. IBM DS8870 Management Console planning and setup
    1. 8.1 Management Console overview
      1. 8.1.1 Management Console (MC) hardware
      2. 8.1.2 Private Ethernet networks
    2. 8.2 Management Console software
      1. 8.2.1 DS Management GUI
      2. 8.2.2 DS command-line interface
      3. 8.2.3 DS Open application programming interface
      4. 8.2.4 RESTful application programming interface
      5. 8.2.5 Web-based user interface
    3. 8.3 Management Console activities
      1. 8.3.1 Management Console planning tasks
      2. 8.3.2 Planning for microcode upgrades
      3. 8.3.3 Time synchronization
      4. 8.3.4 Monitoring DS8870 with the Management Console
      5. 8.3.5 Call home and remote support
    4. 8.4 Management Console and IPv6
    5. 8.5 Management Console user management
    6. 8.6 External Management Console
      1. 8.6.1 Management Console redundancy benefits
  16. Chapter 9. IBM DS8870 features and licensed functions
    1. 9.1 IBM DS8870 licensed functions
      1. 9.1.1 Licensing
      2. 9.1.2 Licensing: Cost structure
    2. 9.2 Activating licensed functions
      1. 9.2.1 Obtaining DS8000 machine information and activating license keys
      2. 9.2.2 Obtaining activation codes
      3. 9.2.3 Applying activation codes by using the DS CLI
    3. 9.3 Licensed scope considerations
      1. 9.3.1 Why you have a choice
      2. 9.3.2 Using a feature for which you are not licensed
      3. 9.3.3 Changing the scope from FB to All
      4. 9.3.4 Changing the scope from All to FB
      5. 9.3.5 Applying an insufficient license feature key
      6. 9.3.6 Calculating how much capacity is used for CKD or FB
  17. Part 3 Storage configuration
  18. Chapter 10. Configuration flow
    1. 10.1 Configuration worksheets
    2. 10.2 User and role management
    3. 10.3 Disk encryption
    4. 10.4 Network security
    5. 10.5 Configuration flow
    6. 10.6 General storage configuration guidelines
  19. Chapter 11. IBM DS8870 Storage Management GUI
    1. 11.1 Introduction
    2. 11.2 DS8870 Storage Management GUI: Getting started
      1. 11.2.1 Accessing the Storage Management GUI
      2. 11.2.2 Storage Management GUI System Setup Wizard
      3. 11.2.3 Managing and monitoring the storage system
      4. 11.2.4 Storage Management help functions
    3. 11.3 System configuration overview
      1. 11.3.1 Security settings
      2. 11.3.2 Easy Tier settings
      3. 11.3.3 Advanced settings
    4. 11.4 Logical configuration overview
    5. 11.5 Logical configuration for fixed block volumes
      1. 11.5.1 Configuration flow
      2. 11.5.2 Creating FB pools
      3. 11.5.3 Creating FB volumes
      4. 11.5.4 Creating FB host attachments
      5. 11.5.5 Assigning FB volumes
    6. 11.6 Logical configuration for count key data volumes
      1. 11.6.1 Configuration flow
      2. 11.6.2 Creating CKD storage pools
      3. 11.6.3 Creating CKD logical subsystems
      4. 11.6.4 Creating CKD volumes
      5. 11.6.5 Creating CKD parallel access volumes
      6. 11.6.6 Setting the I/O port protocols for z Systems attachment
    7. 11.7 Monitoring system health
      1. 11.7.1 Hardware components: Status and attributes
      2. 11.7.2 Monitoring system events
      3. 11.7.3 Monitoring degraded hardware components
    8. 11.8 Performance monitoring
      1. 11.8.1 Performance statistics
      2. 11.8.2 Working with customized performance graphs
    9. 11.9 Fibre Channel error rates statistics
    10. 11.10 Accessing the previous DS GUI
  20. Chapter 12. Configuration with the DS Command-Line Interface
    1. 12.1 DS Command-Line Interface overview
      1. 12.1.1 Supported operating systems for the DS CLI
      2. 12.1.2 DS CLI version
      3. 12.1.3 User accounts
      4. 12.1.4 User management by using the DS CLI
      5. 12.1.5 DS CLI profile
      6. 12.1.6 Configuring DS CLI to use a second HMC
      7. 12.1.7 Command structure
      8. 12.1.8 Using the DS CLI application
      9. 12.1.9 Return codes
      10. 12.1.10 User assistance
    2. 12.2 Configuring the I/O ports
    3. 12.3 Configuring the DS8870 storage for fixed block volumes
      1. 12.3.1 Disk classes
      2. 12.3.2 Creating arrays
      3. 12.3.3 Creating ranks
      4. 12.3.4 Creating extent pools
      5. 12.3.5 Creating FB volumes
      6. 12.3.6 Creating volume groups
      7. 12.3.7 Creating host connections
      8. 12.3.8 Mapping open systems host disks to storage unit volumes
    4. 12.4 Configuring DS8870 storage for CKD volumes
      1. 12.4.1 Creating arrays
      2. 12.4.2 Ranks and extent pool creation
      3. 12.4.3 Logical control unit creation
      4. 12.4.4 Creating CKD volumes
      5. 12.4.5 Resource groups
      6. 12.4.6 Performance I/O Priority Manager
      7. 12.4.7 Easy Tier
    5. 12.5 Metrics with DS CLI
    6. 12.6 Private network security commands
    7. 12.7 Copy Services commands
  21. Part 4 Maintenance and upgrades
  22. Chapter 13. Licensed machine code
    1. 13.1 How new microcode is released
    2. 13.2 Bundle installation
    3. 13.3 Concurrent and non-concurrent updates
    4. 13.4 Code updates
    5. 13.5 Host adapter firmware updates
    6. 13.6 Loading the code bundle
    7. 13.7 Fast Path Concurrent Code Load
    8. 13.8 Postinstallation activities
    9. 13.9 Summary
  23. Chapter 14. Monitoring with Simple Network Management Protocol
    1. 14.1 SNMP implementation on the DS8870
      1. 14.1.1 Message Information Base (MIB) file
      2. 14.1.2 Predefined SNMP trap requests
    2. 14.2 SNMP notifications
      1. 14.2.1 Serviceable event that uses specific trap 3
      2. 14.2.2 Copy Services event traps
      3. 14.2.3 I/O Priority Manager SNMP
      4. 14.2.4 Thin provisioning SNMP
    3. 14.3 SNMP configuration
      1. 14.3.1 SNMP preparation
      2. 14.3.2 SNMP configuration with the HMC
      3. 14.3.3 SNMP configuration with the DS CLI
  24. Chapter 15. Remote support
    1. 15.1 Introduction to remote support
    2. 15.2 IBM policies for remote support
    3. 15.3 Remote support advantages
    4. 15.4 Remote support call home
      1. 15.4.1 Call home and heartbeat: Outbound
      2. 15.4.2 Data offload: Outbound
      3. 15.4.3 Outbound connection types
    5. 15.5 Remote Support Access (inbound)
      1. 15.5.1 Assist On-site
      2. 15.5.2 DS8870 Embedded AOS
      3. 15.5.3 Inbound VPN
      4. 15.5.4 Support access management through the DS CLI
    6. 15.6 Audit logging
  25. Chapter 16. IBM DS8800 to IBM DS8870 model conversion
    1. 16.1 Introducing DS8870 model conversion
    2. 16.2 Model conversion overview
      1. 16.2.1 Configuration considerations
      2. 16.2.2 Hardware considerations
    3. 16.3 Model conversion phases
      1. 16.3.1 Planning
      2. 16.3.2 Prerequisites
      3. 16.3.3 Mechanical conversion
      4. 16.3.4 Post conversion operations
  26. Appendix A. Resiliency improvements
    1. A.1 SCSI reserves detection and removal
    2. A.2 Querying CKD path groups
    3. A.3 z/OS Soft Fence
  27. Related publications
    1. IBM Redbooks publications
    2. Other publications
    3. Online resources
    4. How to get IBM Redbooks publications
    5. Help from IBM
  28. Back cover

Product information

  • Title: IBM DS8870 Architecture and Implementation (Release 7.5)
  • Author(s): Bertrand Dufrasne, Werner Bauer, Artur Borowicz, Adrian Orben, Robert Tondini, Bob Xiao
  • Release date: July 2015
  • Publisher(s): IBM Redbooks
  • ISBN: 9780738440828