This IBM® Redbooks® publication introduces the products, concepts, and technology in the IBM System StorageTM SAN Routing portfolio, which is based on Cisco products and technology. It also discusses the features of each product, and offers examples of how you can deploy and use them. The book targets storage network administrators, system designers, architects, and IT professionals who sell, design, or administer SANs. The rapid spread and adoption of production storage area networks (SANs) has fueled the need for multiprotocol routers. The routers provide improved scalability, security, and manageability by enabling devices in separate SAN fabrics to communicate without merging fabrics into a single, large SAN fabric. This capability enables clients to initially deploy separate SAN solutions at the departmental and data center levels. Then, clients can consolidate these separate solutions into large enterprise SAN solutions as their experience and requirements grow and change. Alternatively, multiprotocol routers can help to connect existing enterprise SANs for a variety of reasons. For example, the introduction of Small Computer System Interface over IP (iSCSI) provides for the connection of low-end, low-cost hosts to enterprise SANs. The use of an Internet Protocol (IP) in the Fibre Channel (FC) environment provides for resource consolidation and disaster recovery planning over long distances. And the use of FC-FC routing services provides connectivity between two or more fabrics without having to merge them into a single SAN. To derive the maximum benefit from this book, you should already be familiar with SANs. Otherwise, we recommend that you first read the following IBM Redbooks publications: IBM TotalStorage: SAN Product, Design, and Optimization Guide, SG24-6384 Introduction to Storage Area Networks, SG24-5470 Implementing an IBM/Cisco SAN, SG24-7545

"Do everything that is necessary and absolutely nothing that is not." In this IBM® Redbooks® publication, which is an update and major revision of the previous version, we have consolidated as much of the critical information as possible while discussing procedures and tasks that are likely to be encountered on a daily basis. Each of the products described has much more functionality than we could cover in just one book. The IBM SAN portfolio is rich in quality products that bring a vast amount of technicality and vitality to the SAN world. Their inclusion and selection is based on a thorough understanding of the storage networking environment that positions IBM, and therefore its customers and partners, in an ideal position to take advantage by their deployment. We discuss the latest additions to the IBM/Cisco SAN family and we show how they can be implemented in an open systems environment, focusing on the Fibre Channel protocol (FCP) environment. We address some of the key concepts that they bring to the market, and in each case, we give an overview of those functions that are essential to building a robust SAN environment.

This IBM® Redbooks® publication captures several of the preferred practices and describes the performance gains that can be achieved by implementing the IBM SAN Volume Controller powered by IBM Spectrum® Virtualize Version 8.4.2. These practices are based on field experience. This book highlights configuration guidelines and preferred practices for the storage area network (SAN) topology, clustered system, back-end storage, storage pools and managed disks, volumes, Remote Copy services and hosts. It explains how you can optimize disk performance with the IBM System Storage Easy Tier® function. It also provides preferred practices for monitoring, maintaining, and troubleshooting. This book is intended for experienced storage, SAN, IBM FlashSystem®, IBM SAN Volume Controller, and IBM Storwize® administrators and technicians. Understanding this book requires advanced knowledge of these environments.

This IBM® Redbooks® publication describes several of the preferred practices and describes the performance gains that can be achieved by implementing the IBM SAN Volume Controller powered by IBM Spectrum® Virtualize V8.4. These practices are based on field experience. This book highlights configuration guidelines and preferred practices for the storage area network (SAN) topology, clustered system, back-end storage, storage pools, and managed disks, volumes, Remote Copy services, and hosts. Then, it provides performance guidelines for IBM SAN Volume Controller, back-end storage, and applications. It explains how you can optimize disk performance with the IBM System Storage Easy Tier® function. It also provides preferred practices for monitoring, maintaining, and troubleshooting IBM SAN Volume Controller. This book is intended for experienced storage, SAN, and IBM SAN Volume Controller administrators and technicians. Understanding this book requires advanced knowledge of the IBM SAN Volume Controller, IBM FlashSystem, and SAN environments.

An information infrastructure is comprised of software, servers, storage, and networks, integrated and optimized to deliver timely, secure, and trusted information throughout the organization and to its clients and partners. With the explosive growth in data and information—coupled with demands for projects with rapid ROI—IT infrastructures and storage administrators are reaching a breaking point. IBM® can help with the changes needed to manage information availability, security, and regulatory and compliance requirements on a tighter budget. And because the health of any business often depends on its ability to take advantage of information in real time, a sound, intelligent information infrastructure becomes critical to supporting new growth initiatives. IBM offers an innovative approach to help you manage information growth more effectively and mitigate risks with a dynamic infrastructure that efficiently and securely stores and protects information, and optimizes information access. You can control, protect, manage, and gain new intelligence from your information with the IBM leading-edge Information Infrastructure products, services and integrated solutions, supported by world-class expertise and access to top experts from around the world. This IBM Redbooks® publication provides an overview of the IBM Information Infrastructure solutions that are designed to help you manage the information explosion and address challenges of information compliance, availability, retention, and security. This will lead your company toward improved productivity, service delivery, and reduced risk, while streamlining costs.

This IBM® Redbooks® publication describes the new features that have been added with the release of the IBM System Storage® SAN Volume Controller (SVC) and IBM System Storage Storwize® V7000 6.4.0 code, including Replication Family Services. Replication Family Services refers to the various copy services available on the SVC and Storwize V7000 including IBM FlashCopy®, Metro Mirror and Global Mirror, Global Mirror with Change Volumes, Volume Mirroring, and Stretched Cluster Volume Mirroring. The details behind the theory and practice of these services are examined, and SAN design suggestions and troubleshooting tips are provided. Planning requirements, automating copy services processed, and fabric design are explained. Multiple examples including implementation and server integration are included, along with a discussion of software solutions and services that are based on Replication Family Services. This book is intended for use by pre-sales and post-sales support, and storage administrators. Readers are expected to have an advanced knowledge of the SVC, Storwize V7000, and the SAN environment. The following publications are useful resources that provide background information: Implementing the IBM System Storage SAN Volume Controller V6.3, SG24-7933 Implementing the IBM Storwize V7000 V6.3, SG24-7938 IBM SAN Volume Controller and Brocade Disaster Recovery Solutions for VMware, REDP-4626 IBM System Storage SAN Volume Controller Upgrade Path from Version 4.3.1 to 6.1, REDP-4716 Real-time Compression in SAN Volume Controller and Storwize V7000, REDP-4859 SAN Volume Controller: Best Practices and Performance Guidelines, SG24-7521 Implementing the Storwize V7000 and the IBM System Storage SAN32B-E4 Encryption Switch, SG24-7977

This IBM® Redbooks® publication captures several of the preferred practices and describes the performance gains that can be achieved by implementing the IBM System Storage® SAN Volume Controller and IBM Storwize® V7000 powered by IBM Spectrum VirtualizeTM V8.2.1. These practices are based on field experience. This book highlights configuration guidelines and preferred practices for the storage area network (SAN) topology, clustered system, back-end storage, storage pools and managed disks, volumes, remote copy services, and hosts. Then it provides performance guidelines for SAN Volume Controller, back-end storage, and applications. It explains how you can optimize disk performance with the IBM System Storage Easy Tier® function. It also provides preferred practices for monitoring, maintaining, and troubleshooting SAN Volume Controller and Storwize V7000. This book is intended for experienced storage, SAN, and SAN Volume Controller administrators and technicians. Understanding his book requires advanced knowledge of the SAN Volume Controller and Storwize V7000 and SAN environments. Important: On 11th February 2020 IBM announced the arrival of SAN Volume Controller SA2 and SV2, and IBM FlashSystem® 7200 to the family. This book was written specifically for prior versions of SVC and Storwize V7000; however, most of the general principles will apply. If you are in any doubt as to their applicability then you should work with your local IBM representative. This book will be updated to comprehensively include SAN Volume Controller SA2 and SV2 and FlashSystem 7200 in due course.