In the VMware vSphere Virtual Volumes environment, the storage user can control storage by policy, in accordance with the operation purposes for the virtual machine.
The VVOL datastore assigning the virtual machine is selected and the created virtual machine and Virtual Volume are set according to the content of the policy.
Information
With VMware vSphere Virtual Volumes, the policies related to storage are called "VM Storage Policies".
The storage administrator should design the storage so that the storage user can control the following functions by using policies:
Point
When using functions described as "Advanced", understanding the storage and function mechanism is necessary.
In order for the storage user to operate the virtual machine without awareness of functions described as "Advanced", the storage administrator should create the VVOL datastore in line with the operation purpose, and attach a name based on the operation purpose. We recommend operation by the storage user to be based on the operation purpose, and use of the name to select a VVOL datastore.
See
Refer to "3.3 Operation of Policies" for operation by a storage user.
This section describes the virtual machine backup policies.
This policy is related to the backup of the virtual machine created in the VVOL datastore.
Policies of virtual machine backup are set by virtual machine unit, not by Virtual Volume unit. Storage users can set the following items as part of the policy.
Item | Explanation |
|---|---|
Operation Mode | Operating mode for specifying the virtual machine backup function operating method. |
Execution Period | Interval for executing automatic execution of backup. |
Execution Interval(Hour) | Interval at which automatic execution of backup is performed when "Hourly" is specified for Execution Period. |
Execution Week | Day of the week on which automatic execution of backup is performed when "Weekly" is specified for Execution Period. |
Execution Day | Day on which automatic execution of backup is performed when "Monthly" is specified for Execution Period. |
Execution Start Time(Hour) | Time (hour) at which the automatic execution of backup will start. |
Execution Start Time(Minute) | Time (minute) at which the automatic execution of backup will start. |
Number of Snapshot Generations | Number of Snapshot backup save generations. |
Quiesce guest file system | Settings of whether file systems are made consistent at backup. |
Snapshot the virtual machine's memory | Settings of whether memory contents are included at Snapshot backup. |
Clone Backup | Settings of whether Clone backup is created. |
See
Refer to "3.3.1.1 Virtual Machine Backup" for details on each item.
When performing an automatic backup with an external scheduler, refer to "Point" in "3.3.1.1 Virtual Machine Backup".
Design of Storage System
This explains the storage system design required for virtual machine backup.
To use the virtual machine backup function, register the ETERNUS SF AdvancedCopy Manager Local Copy License in the ETERNUS Disk storage system on which the virtual machine or Virtual Volume connected to the virtual machine is to be created.
When Virtual Volumes of multiple ETERNUS Disk storage systems are connected to one virtual machine, the license described above is required for all ETERNUS Disk storage systems.
Perform the backup in virtual machine units. The targets of backup are the virtual disks comprise the virtual machine.
The following conditions must be satisfied:
The datastore that stores the virtual machine configuration information (datastore selected when creating the virtual machine) is a VVOL datastore.
The virtual machine comprises virtual disks whose controller is not an NVMe controller.
All virtual machine disks comprising the virtual machine are Virtual Volumes.
Note
Virtual disks other than Virtual Volumes will not be the target of backup/restoration based on type/settings.
Refer to the following table for details.
Snapshot Backup, Restoration from Snapshot Backup | Clone Backup, Restoration from Clone Backup | File Unit Restoration | |
|---|---|---|---|
Virtual Volume | Y | Y | Y |
VMFS | Y | N | N |
Y: Target of backup/restoration
N: Not target of backup/restoration
If in Independent (Persistent/Nonpersistent) mode, the volume will not be the target of backup/restoration.
In restorations from a Clone backup, connection configurations of virtual disks excluded from a backup/restoration are not restored. Reconnect from VMware vCenter Server as necessary.
This volume is the destination volume for backup when creating a Snapshot backup.
When creating the Snapshot backup, it is automatically located in same VVOL datastore as the backup source Virtual Volume.
Point
The free space required on the VVOL datastore is the volume of update data from the time of the Snapshot backup until the time of the next Snapshot backup. When performing N generations of Snapshot backup, the capacity required in the VVOL datastore is the volume of the updated data for the backup source Virtual Volume until the Nth generation Snapshot backup is completed. However, if the Allocation setting of the backup source Virtual Volume is "Thick", the VVOL datastore requires free space greater than or equal to the backup source Virtual Volume.
This is the VVOL datastore for Clone backup.
When creating a Clone backup, create one Clone backup VVOL datastore on the ETERNUS Disk storage system beforehand. Create a datastore on all ETERNUS Disk storage systems on which a VVOL datastore for which Clone backup creation is enabled exists.
Point
The required free capacity for the Clone backup VVOL datastore is the same as the capacity of the backup source Virtual Volume.
This volume is the destination volume for backup when creating a Clone backup.
When creating a Clone backup, this is automatically allocated from the VVOL datastore for Clone backup.
This section describes the Automated Storage Tiering policies.
This policy is related to the Tier pools that make up the VVOL datastore and Automated Storage Tiering for the created Virtual Volume. Use this policy when you operate Automated Storage Tiering across two or more tiers.
When providing the Automated Storage Tiering function to storage users, apply the ETERNUS SF Storage Cruiser Optimization Option license and create a VVOL datastore including the Tier pools to which the Tiering policy is applied.
Storage users can set the following items as part of the policy.
Item | Explanation |
|---|---|
Number of Layers | Number of Tier pool layers that comprise the VVOL datastore |
Execution Mode | Method of operating Automated Storage Tiering |
Priority FTSP | Priority assignment by sub-pool of data written to Virtual Volumes |
Low Quota Share (%) | Low sub-pool quota share at time of relocation |
Middle Quota Share (%) | Middle sub-pool quota share at time of relocation |
High Quota Share (%) | High sub-pool quota share at time of relocation |
As Number of Layers and Execution Mode are determined by the Tier pool configuration designed beforehand and the content that can be set by the storage users, configure the Tiering policy and Tier pool according to the content provided to the storage users.
See
There is an upper limit to the number and capacity of Tier pools that can be managed by Automated Storage Tiering. Refer to "Upper Limit of Automated Storage Tiering" in the Installation and Setup Guide for details.
Refer to the Storage Cruiser Operation Guide for Optimization Function for details on Automated Storage Tiering.
This section describes the Automated QoS policies.
This policy is related to Automated QoS on the created Virtual Volume.
When providing the Automated QoS function to storage users, apply the ETERNUS SF Storage Cruiser Quality of Service Management Option license.
Storage users can set the following items as part of the policy.
Item | Explanation |
|---|---|
Automated QoS Enable/Disable | Item that sets whether to use Automated QoS or not |
Automated QoS:Priority | Priority of Automated QoS |
Target Response Time (msec) | Targeted value for response time |
Tune by Quota Share | Set whether to enable linking of Automated Storage Tiering |
See
Refer to the Storage Cruiser Operation Guide for Optimization Function for details on Automated QoS.
This section describes the Cache policies.
This policy is related to the Extreme Cache setting or Extreme Cache Pool setting for the created Virtual Volume.
If the Extreme Cache or Extreme Cache Pool is loaded on the ETERNUS Disk storage system, the storage users can select to use these caches as part of the policy according to the purpose.
Storage users can specify the following item as a policy.
Item | Explanation |
|---|---|
Extreme Cache | Specified whether to use the Extreme Cache function. |
See
Refer to "Extreme Cache Management" in the Storage Cruiser Operation Guide for details about Extreme Cache and/or Extreme Cache Pool.
This section describes the Security policies.
This policy is related to the Data encryption for the created Virtual Volume.
When providing the encryption function to storage users, prepare a VVOL datastore composed of an encrypted Tier pool.
Storage users can specify the following item as a policy.
Item | Explanation |
|---|---|
Data encryption | Specified whether to create an encrypted Virtual Volume. |
See
Refer to "Encryption Mode Management" in the Storage Cruiser Operation Guide for details about encryption function.
