New HP Virtual Library
In February, HP launched a new generation of its StorageWorks Virtual Library System 9200 (VLS9200) to help implement disk-to-disk backup on a large enterprise SAN.
VLS9200, like its predecessor VLS9000, is built from Grid-connected control nodes based on two-socket standard architecture servers and specialized software based on Linux (the maximum configuration of the virtual library consists of eight nodes) to which external disk arrays of 3 are connected via a Fiber Channel interface , 5-inch hard drives. Disks in arrays are protected by RAID-6. The use of virtual disk libraries VLS instead of the traditional tape library significantly reduces the backup window and speeds up the process of restoring data from backups.
The second model of this VLS12200 series is not different in its functionality from the VLS9200, but is a gateway to which you can connect already existing disk arrays, such as HP StorageWorks P4000 / 6000 (EVA).
If VLS9000 as control units used odnoyunitovy HP ProLiant DL360 G5, the new library of components are based on the HP ProLiant DL360 G7 or dvuhyunitovogo DL380 G7, equipped with the latest Intel Xeon 5600 (in the DL360 installed quad Xeon-s, and in the DL380 - six-core ) and 48 GB of RAM. In a dual-unit DL380, there are two DR650 hardware data compression cards, and in a single-unit DL360, only one. Due to the use of more powerful processors, the new virtual library has approximately doubled the performance and now one DL360 node can provide backups up to 2.2 TB of data per hour (DL380 - 4.4 TB / hour), and thanks to the use of MDL SAS disks of 2 The TB maximum library capacity in the eight-node configuration increased to 2.6 PB (when using hardware compression 2: 1) (in the initial configuration with a single node, the library intervenes 10 TB).
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The VLS9200 has several new “advanced” backup functions at the software level.
First of all, it is deduplication technology for more economical use of disk capacity. In the VLS9200, accelerated deduplication is applied. Accelerated deduplication (i.e., elimination of repeated backup of identical data sets) based on the comparison of copied files and blocks at the level of data bytes with older backup copies. Deduplication is performed in the so-called. In post-processing mode, duplicate data is identified already after backups have been written to VLS disks, so the deduplication process does not affect the speed of the backup.
Accelerated deduplication uses a chain of pointers that provides quick access to the most recent backup (in most cases, recovery is performed from this copy).
According to HP experts, using its deduplication can reduce the volume of backups up to 20 times. Deduplication can also be used when replicating backups to a remote site where a second VLS is installed (if disaster recovery backup is required) because it reduces the amount of traffic that needs to be transmitted over relatively slow WAN links (using VLS12200, remote replication can be implemented with using EVA Business Copy functionality). In addition, already deduplicated data can be further compressed using the DR650.
The VLS9200 can be used both as a tape library replacement and in combination with a traditional tape library (for example, HP StorageWorks EML), which is directly connected to the virtual library via Fiber Channel. In the second scenario, the backup goes according to the disk-to-disk-to-tape scheme, i.e. Backups are first written to VTL hard drives, and then discarded to tape as they become obsolete, with the VLS9200 being integrated into the existing backup scheme transparently. This scenario is convenient in that the latest backups are stored on hard drives, from where they are conveniently read quickly when needed, and the cheaper and slower tape is used for archiving old backups.
With the help of Automigration, backup copies are migrated from the VLS9200 hard drives to a tape under the control of the VLS itself, not the backup server, so the backups are copied directly from the virtual tape library to the physical tapes bypassing the Media server and this migration does not slow down the backup process and, most importantly, does not require the purchase of additional licenses for the media server.
Finally, another new VLS feature that is designed for organizations with increased data protection requirements is Secure Erasure. The use of this feature ensures the removal of backups stored on the VLS9200 virtual cartridge, and the capacity of this cartridge is then released and made available for storing other backups.
VLS9200, like its predecessor VLS9000, is built from Grid-connected control nodes based on two-socket standard architecture servers and specialized software based on Linux (the maximum configuration of the virtual library consists of eight nodes) to which external disk arrays of 3 are connected via a Fiber Channel interface , 5-inch hard drives. Disks in arrays are protected by RAID-6. The use of virtual disk libraries VLS instead of the traditional tape library significantly reduces the backup window and speeds up the process of restoring data from backups.
The second model of this VLS12200 series is not different in its functionality from the VLS9200, but is a gateway to which you can connect already existing disk arrays, such as HP StorageWorks P4000 / 6000 (EVA).
If VLS9000 as control units used odnoyunitovy HP ProLiant DL360 G5, the new library of components are based on the HP ProLiant DL360 G7 or dvuhyunitovogo DL380 G7, equipped with the latest Intel Xeon 5600 (in the DL360 installed quad Xeon-s, and in the DL380 - six-core ) and 48 GB of RAM. In a dual-unit DL380, there are two DR650 hardware data compression cards, and in a single-unit DL360, only one. Due to the use of more powerful processors, the new virtual library has approximately doubled the performance and now one DL360 node can provide backups up to 2.2 TB of data per hour (DL380 - 4.4 TB / hour), and thanks to the use of MDL SAS disks of 2 The TB maximum library capacity in the eight-node configuration increased to 2.6 PB (when using hardware compression 2: 1) (in the initial configuration with a single node, the library intervenes 10 TB).
')
The VLS9200 has several new “advanced” backup functions at the software level.
First of all, it is deduplication technology for more economical use of disk capacity. In the VLS9200, accelerated deduplication is applied. Accelerated deduplication (i.e., elimination of repeated backup of identical data sets) based on the comparison of copied files and blocks at the level of data bytes with older backup copies. Deduplication is performed in the so-called. In post-processing mode, duplicate data is identified already after backups have been written to VLS disks, so the deduplication process does not affect the speed of the backup.
Accelerated deduplication uses a chain of pointers that provides quick access to the most recent backup (in most cases, recovery is performed from this copy).
According to HP experts, using its deduplication can reduce the volume of backups up to 20 times. Deduplication can also be used when replicating backups to a remote site where a second VLS is installed (if disaster recovery backup is required) because it reduces the amount of traffic that needs to be transmitted over relatively slow WAN links (using VLS12200, remote replication can be implemented with using EVA Business Copy functionality). In addition, already deduplicated data can be further compressed using the DR650.
The VLS9200 can be used both as a tape library replacement and in combination with a traditional tape library (for example, HP StorageWorks EML), which is directly connected to the virtual library via Fiber Channel. In the second scenario, the backup goes according to the disk-to-disk-to-tape scheme, i.e. Backups are first written to VTL hard drives, and then discarded to tape as they become obsolete, with the VLS9200 being integrated into the existing backup scheme transparently. This scenario is convenient in that the latest backups are stored on hard drives, from where they are conveniently read quickly when needed, and the cheaper and slower tape is used for archiving old backups.
With the help of Automigration, backup copies are migrated from the VLS9200 hard drives to a tape under the control of the VLS itself, not the backup server, so the backups are copied directly from the virtual tape library to the physical tapes bypassing the Media server and this migration does not slow down the backup process and, most importantly, does not require the purchase of additional licenses for the media server.
Finally, another new VLS feature that is designed for organizations with increased data protection requirements is Secure Erasure. The use of this feature ensures the removal of backups stored on the VLS9200 virtual cartridge, and the capacity of this cartridge is then released and made available for storing other backups.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/115680/
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