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ETERNUS SF Storage Cruiser V16.9 Operation Guide
FUJITSU Storage

6.5.1 Configure One Layer Tier Pool

A one layer Tier pool is registered as a FTRP in a storage device.

Creating a Tier pool from Web Console creates both FTRP and FTSP in the storage device. Moreover, it is also made possible to create an FTV in the storage device from Web Console.

Specify Assigned CM

An Assigned CM can be specified when performing the following operations.

  • When creating a one layer Tier pool

  • When expanding the capacity of the sub-pool

It is possible to specify more than one Assigned CM, and by specifying an Assigned CM in relation to the Tier pool, it is possible to specify an Assigned CM of the entire Tier pool.
When multiple Assigned CMs are specified to the Tier pool, the Assigned CM is decided from the specified Assigned CMs using the round-robin method.

When creating a sub-pool in the Tier pool, it is possible to specify an Assigned CM of the sub-pool from the multiple Assigned CMs specified to the Tier pool.
When expanding the capacity of the sub-pool, take into account the Assigned CMs that have already been assigned to each sub-pool that has already been created, and assign an Assigned CM using the round-robin method. It is also possible to make a specification from the Assigned CM which is displayed in the Assigned CM list.

When a specification of an Assigned CM has been omitted, this is automatically assigned according to the implementation of the storage device.

Table 6.2 CM Allocation Logic During New Creation in Storage Device Having 2 CMs

Specified Tier Pool

Sub-Pool Specification

Assigned CM to Be Set

Description

CM#0

-

CM#0

Configure CM#0 according to specification of pool

CM#0, CM#1

-

CM#0

Configure CM#0 in round-robin method based on specified Tier pool

CM#0, CM#1

CM#0

CM#0

Configure CM#0 according to specification of sub-pool

CM#0, CM#1

CM#1

CM#1

Configure CM#1 according to specification of sub-pool

Table 6.3 CM Allocation Logic During Capacity Expansion in Storage Device Having 2 CMs

Specified Tier Pool

Set Assigned CM

Assigned CM Which Are Newly Assigned

Description

CM#0

CM#0

CM#0

Configure CM#0 according to specification of pool

CM#0, CM#1

CM#0

CM#1

Configure CM#1 that is not assigned

CM#0, CM#1

CM#1

CM#0

Configure CM#0 that is not assigned

Disk Auto-Selection

The disk can be automatically selected when performing the following operations.

  • When creating a one layer Tier pool

  • When expanding the capacity of the sub-pool

Specify the necessary physical capacity when selecting automatically. The disk can also be selected manually.

6.5.1.1 Create One Layer Tier Pool

Create a one layer Tier pool.

Refer to "Creation of Tier Pool" in the Storage Cruiser Operation Guide for Optimization Function for the items that can be specified to one layer Tier Pool.

Refer to "Create One Layer Tier Pool" in the Web Console Guide for creation methods.

6.5.1.2 Change One Layer Tier Pool

To change the operation of one layer Tier pool, change the definition of the Tier pool.

Changeable items are as follows. Refer to "Creation of Tier Pool" in the Storage Cruiser Operation Guide for Optimization Function for an explanation of the items:

Refer to "Display Tier Pool" in the Web Console Guide for information on how to display the current detailed information of a Tier pool.
Refer to "Change Tier Pool" in the Web Console Guide for information on how to change the Tier pool.

Point

  • It is not possible to change the definition of multiple Tier pools at once. When changing the definition of multiple Tier pools, make changes to the each Tier pool at a time.

  • The definition of the following Tier pools cannot be changed:

    • Tier pools in which Automated Storage Tiering has already been started

    • Tier pools in which RAID groups are being deleted

6.5.1.3 Delete One Layer Tier Pool

Before operating the deletion, display the detailed information of the one layer Tier pool that you are about to delete and confirm that deleting this is not a problem. Refer to "Display Tier Pool" in the Web Console Guide for information on how to display the detailed information of a Tier pool.

Refer to "Delete Tier Pool" in the Web Console Guide for information on how to delete a Tier pool.

Point

  • Multiple Tier pools can be deleted at onece.

  • The following Tier pools cannot be deleted:

    • Tier pools on which any FTV is present

    • Tier pools that have Virtual Volumes

    • Tier pools in which Automated Storage Tiering has already been started

    • Tier pools that have configured VVOL datastores

    • Tier pools that have configured Clone backup VVOL datastores

    • Tier pools in which RAID groups are being deleted

6.5.1.4 Expand Sub-Pool Capacity in One Layer Tier Pool

It is possible to expand the capacity of the sub-pools which configure a one layer Tier pool. Refer to "Expand Capacity of SubPool in Tier Pool" in the Web Console Guide for information on how to expand the capacity of a sub-pool.

Note

  • Expanding the capacity of the sub-pool leads to deviation of data in the sub-pool and differences in access performance may occur. Execute Tier pool balancing in order to resolve data deviation. Also execute the Tier pool balancing when expanding the capacity of the sub-pool. Refer to "Expand Capacity of Sub-Pool in Tier Pool" in the Web Console Guide for the setting method.

  • Tier pool balancing can be started after expanding the capacity of the sub-pool. Refer to "Start/Stop Tier Pool Balancing" in the Web Console Guide for the method of starting.

  • For a Tier pool in which RAID groups are being deleted, the capacity expansion of the sub-pools cannot be performed.

See

Refer to "6.5.1.5 Balancing of One Layer Tier Pool" for details about one Tier pool balancing.

6.5.1.5 Balancing of One Layer Tier Pool

Tier pool balancing is a function that relocates the physically allocated areas for RAID groups within each sub-pool that makes up a Tier pool so that the usage capacity of each RAID Group becomes even balanced. Therefore, I/O access to the FTV is almost evenly distributed to RAID groups within the FTSP.

Perform a Tier pool balancing when you want to equalize the volumes used by the RAID groups within the FTSP.
Tier pool balancing can be performed regardless of the balancing level. Normally, Tier pool balancing is performed to change the Tier pool balancing level from "Middle" or "Low" to "High".

The balancing level can be confirmed from Balancing:Level that is displayed in the Tier pool overview on the Automated Storage Tiering of Web Console.

The Tier pool balancing processing can be stopped. The Tier pool balancing can be started/stopped for only one Tier pool within the device.

See

Refer to "Start/Stop Tier Pool Balancing" in the Web Console Guide for information on how to start/stop Tier pool balancing.

To perform a Tier pool balancing, the target one layer Tier pool must satisfy all of the following requirements:

To stop the Tier pool balancing process, target one layer Tier pool must satisfy the following requirement:

Point

  • Even when the business I/Os are occurring on the one layer Tier pool, a Tier pool balancing can be performed on the one layer Tier pool.

  • The one layer Tier pool balancing level, sub-pool balancing level and balancing progress status can be confirmed with Web Console. Refer to "Confirmation of Configuration Details of Tier Pool" in the Storage Cruiser Operation Guide for Optimization Function for details.

Note

  • Tier pool balancing prioritizes FTVs with a low balancing level within the Tier pool and a maximum of 32 FTVs can be balanced at a time. For this reason, if there are many FTVs, there may be times when the balancing level does not become "High" even if a Tier pool balancing is performed. To make the balancing level "High", reperform a Tier pool balancing.

  • If the balancing status is "Error", stop the Tier pool balancing process for that one layer Tier pool.

  • Even if a Tier pool balancing is performed, the sub-pool that was physically allocated with the FTV is not changed.

  • Tier pool balancing cannot be performed if any of the following conditions are satisfied:

    • Operating Status of the target Tier pool is "Start".

    • An FTV does not exist in the target Tier pool.

    • A Tier pool that is performing a Tier pool balancing exists within the storage device.

    • The maximum number of volumes is registered on storage device.

    • The number of sessions for a Thin Provisioning Volume balancing and RAID Migration is a combined 32 processes executing at the same time in the storage device.

    • The migration capacity for a Thin Provisioning Volume balancing and RAID Migration is a combined 128 TB process executing at the same time in the storage device.

    • A RAID group diagnosis is being executed on the storage device.

    • A disk diagnosis is being executed on the storage device.

    • The capacity is being optimized for all FTVs to be balanced that exist on the target Tier pool.

    • ODX is being executed for all FTVs to be balanced that exist on the target Tier pool.

    • An FTV to be balanced that exists on the target Tier pool is using the RAID group that is being deleted.

  • The Tier pool balancing process cannot be stopped for the following cases:

    • The Tier pool performing the Tier pool balancing does not exist.

    • The Tier pool stopping the Tier pool balancing due to an error does not exist.

    • The Tier pool balancing process for the target Tier pool is completed.

  • When creating, deleting, or configuring the FTV, the balancing level is not updated. Execute a status update of Automated Storage Tiering to update the balancing level.

  • FTVs that satisfy any of the following conditions are not targets for the balancing process.

    • FTVs with a total capacity of 20 GB or less

    • FTVs with a used capacity of 10 GB or less

6.5.1.6 Access Status Chart Settings of One Layer Tier Pool

The access status chart graphs the access status data (IOPS value) that occurs in the Tier pool or FTV. By referring to the access status chart and by confirming the trend in the IOPS value, you can determine that the use of Automated Storage Tiering can achieve a performance increase and disk usage optimization.

By starting Automated Storage Tiering, the one layer Tier pool information can be displayed on the Access Status Chart panel of the Dashboard. For the start method of Automated Storage Tiering, refer to "Start/Stop Automated Storage Tiering for Tier Pool" in the Web Console Guide.

If you display the one layer Tier pool information on the Access Status Chart panel, the average for the IOPS values that occur over a one day period is displayed on the graph.

When you want to change the IOPS calculation period and evaluation standard in a one layer Tier pool, modify the configuration file. The configuration file is stored in the following location of the Management Server.

Platform of Management Server

Absolute Path Name

Windows

$ENV_DIR\AST\Manager\etc\opt\FJSVssast\data\astchart\astchart.properties
($ENV_DIR is "Environment Directory" specified at the ETERNUS SF Manager installation.)

Solaris,
Linux

/etc/opt/FJSVssast/data/astchart/astchart.properties

How to Reflect Configuration File

The modified content is automatically reflected at the next IOPS calculation time (at 2:00 the next day).

Customization

DAY_UNIT

Set an IOPS calculation period on a one to seven day basis. The default value is set with one.
If set with a value outside the specified range, the default value is used.

Example:
DAY_UNIT = 1
EVALUATE_VALUE

Set an IOPS evaluation standard with 1 (average) or 2 (peak value). The default value is set with one.
If set with a value outside the specified range, the default value is used.

Example:
EVALUATE_VALUE = 1
DAY_OF_WEEK

When an IOPS evaluation period is set to seven days, you can specify the day of the week to start the evaluation.
The evaluation start day the can be set is "SUN" (Sunday), "MON" (Monday), "TUE" (Tuesday), "WED" (Wednesday), "THU" (Thursday), "FRI" (Friday), "SAT" (Saturday), or "" (unspecified). The default value that is set is "".
If set with a string other than those listed above, the default value is used.

Example:
DAY_OF_WEEK = SUN

Note

These settings are the common settings in all one layer Tier pools managed by ETERNUS SF Manager. Because of that, the settings cannot be changed for each Tier pool.

6.5.1.7 Deletion of RAID Groups in One Layer Tier Pool

The RAID groups that constitute one layer Tier pools can be deleted.
Refer to "Deletion of RAID Groups" in the Storage Cruiser Operation Guide for Optimization Function for details.