Emerging Storage Options Emerging Storage Options for Server Blade Architecturesfor Server Blade Architectures

Server Blade Summit

2005

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Storage Options Storage Options for Server Blade Architecturesfor Server Blade Architectures

Today’s blade server landscapeToday’s blade server landscape

Where are we going next?Where are we going next?

New blade server architectural challenges and New blade server architectural challenges and their impact in the data centertheir impact in the data center

Blade server storage choices and their key Blade server storage choices and their key value propositionsvalue propositions

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Blade Server ComplexityBlade Server Complexity

Back Plane SupportBack Plane SupportInfinibandInfinibandFibre ChannelFibre Channel

CPU(s)

2 Local 2 Local Mirrored Mirrored DiscsDiscs

Chipset

Memory

EthernetEthernet

EIF

S

SASSAS

Design Complexity

2 separate backplane fabrics2 separate backplane fabrics

Multiple “I/O down” ICs per bladeMultiple “I/O down” ICs per blade

2 drives per blade (mirrored pair)2 drives per blade (mirrored pair)

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Storage Connectivity for Server Blades Storage Connectivity for Server Blades Back Plane SupportBack Plane SupportInfinibandInfinibandFibre ChannelFibre Channel EthernetEthernet

CPU(s)CPU(s)

ChipsetChipset

MemoryMemoryEIF

S

SASSAS

DASDAS

SANSAN

NASNAS

LANLANTYPES OF TYPES OF GATEWAY GATEWAY

SAS

iSC

SI

TO

E

iS

CSI

FC

FC

FC

SCSI

SAS

SATA

Storage Connect

Gateways are used for near line Gateways are used for near line storage as well as fabric storagestorage as well as fabric storage

FC and iSCSI are SAN connect FC and iSCSI are SAN connect for block level transfersfor block level transfers

SAS and iSCSI is used for SAS and iSCSI is used for near cabinet storagenear cabinet storage

NAS is used for ease-of-use and NAS is used for ease-of-use and access to storage as the file access to storage as the file transfer modeltransfer model

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Blade Chassis StorageBlade Chassis Storage

Back Plane SupportBack Plane SupportInfinibandInfinibandFibre ChannelFibre Channel

CPU(s)

Chipset

Memory

EthernetEthernet

EIF

S

SASSAS

DASDAS

SANSAN

NASNAS

LANLANTYPES OF TYPES OF GATEWAY GATEWAY

SAS

iSC

SI

TO

E

iS

CSI

FC

FC

FC

SCSI

SAS

SATABlade Chassis Blade Chassis

StorageStorage

Blade Chassis Storage

““Semi-local” storage shared by a Semi-local” storage shared by a small number of bladessmall number of blades

It is not truly “SAN” because it is It is not truly “SAN” because it is not available to all servers on the not available to all servers on the FabricFabric

It is not truly “DAS” because it It is not truly “DAS” because it is not exclusively owned by a is not exclusively owned by a single serversingle server

It is a new “intermediate” level in It is a new “intermediate” level in the storage hierarchythe storage hierarchy

It is a compromise between the It is a compromise between the need to eliminate per-blade need to eliminate per-blade storage, yet maintain adequate storage, yet maintain adequate performance for the virtual performance for the virtual memory and high-use cached memory and high-use cached objectsobjects

Architectural variances existArchitectural variances exist

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Diskless Server Blade ArchitectureDiskless Server Blade Architecture

Server blades are diskless, stateless and used as pool of generic Server blades are diskless, stateless and used as pool of generic assignable “workers”assignable “workers”

Simple “size” parameters such as compute power (CPU), memory Simple “size” parameters such as compute power (CPU), memory capacity, aggregate I/O bandwidth capacity, aggregate I/O bandwidth

A Global Resource Manager can assign and select desire boot A Global Resource Manager can assign and select desire boot image, applications or selective links to appropriate data volumesimage, applications or selective links to appropriate data volumes

Chassis Storage provides low latency access to storage for the Chassis Storage provides low latency access to storage for the server bladesserver blades It is a compromise between per-blade drives and SAN-It is a compromise between per-blade drives and SAN-

resident drivesresident drives It is especially critical for per-blade virtual memory (page It is especially critical for per-blade virtual memory (page

swap)swap)

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Impact on Data Center ArchitectureImpact on Data Center Architecture

server chassisserver chassis

leafswitch

leafswitch

server chassisserver chassis

leafswitch

leafswitch

Racks ofRacks ofserver bladesserver blades

RAID

Hard storageHard storageassetsassets

RAID

RAID

Other StorageOther StorageElementsElements

tape, routers, etctape, routers, etc.

Sto

rag

e M

anag

emen

t &

S

tora

ge

Man

agem

ent

&

Sto

rag

e V

irtu

aliz

atio

n L

ayer

Sto

rag

e V

irtu

aliz

atio

n L

ayer

Multi-tiernetwork

Infrastructure

Cluster ofCluster ofintelligent Gatewaysintelligent GatewaysSAN or appliancesSAN or appliances

Blade ChassisBlade ChassisStorageStorage

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SAS is an ideal storage interconnectSAS is an ideal storage interconnectfor Blade Server Chassisfor Blade Server Chassis Low latency to disks is critical for many applications Low latency to disks is critical for many applications

(Transactional)(Transactional) Multiple servers running different applications and different OS, will place Multiple servers running different applications and different OS, will place

highly random load demands on diskshighly random load demands on disks Transactional performance is critical where multiple servers collectively Transactional performance is critical where multiple servers collectively

present diverse loadpresent diverse load

Advantage in Price/PerformanceAdvantage in Price/Performance Storage amortized over multiple blades provides better cost structureStorage amortized over multiple blades provides better cost structure

Reliability (MTBF) is criticalReliability (MTBF) is critical Multiple servers dependent on the storage for boot and application -Multiple servers dependent on the storage for boot and application -

therefore reliability is criticaltherefore reliability is critical Storage disks mechanically will work hard, therefore robustness is criticalStorage disks mechanically will work hard, therefore robustness is critical

Ability to mix and match based on storage needsAbility to mix and match based on storage needs SAS – SAS or SAS – SATASAS – SAS or SAS – SATA

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SAS/SATAIC or HBA

End user ability to match drives to balance storage to the job and trade-off End user ability to match drives to balance storage to the job and trade-off performance, capacity, reliability, and costperformance, capacity, reliability, and cost

Server vendor can create multiple market segments for the server blades Server vendor can create multiple market segments for the server blades

I/O Vendor will benefit from having single chip or adapter serving multiple I/O Vendor will benefit from having single chip or adapter serving multiple segments of server blade marketsegments of server blade market

Server blades for the midrange market will be first to adopt SAS as the Server blades for the midrange market will be first to adopt SAS as the replacement to U320replacement to U320

SAS/SATA Value Proposition SAS/SATA Value Proposition

server chassisserver chassis

leafleafswitchswitch

leafleafswitchswitch

SAS/SATA Usage Model

High PerformanceHigh PerformanceSAS Drives for Data SAS Drives for Data

Reliable SAS DrivesReliable SAS Drivesfor Mirrored Boot Pairfor Mirrored Boot Pair

High CapacityHigh CapacitySATA Drives for BackupSATA Drives for Backup

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SAS and SATA DrivesSAS and SATA DrivesEnterprise vs. Desktop ApplicationsEnterprise vs. Desktop Applications

Power managementPower management

Greatest device flexibilityGreatest device flexibility

Simplest configuration setupSimplest configuration setup

Highest reliability and availabilityHighest reliability and availability

First to volume disk interconnectFirst to volume disk interconnect

Greater scalabilityGreater scalability

Most cost effective for reference & sequential-type dataMost cost effective for reference & sequential-type data

Best performance for transactional dataBest performance for transactional data

Lowest cost per gigabyteLowest cost per gigabyte

Highest performance capabilityHighest performance capability

SAS (SCSI, FC)SAS (SCSI, FC)SATA (ATA)SATA (ATA)

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Desktop vs. Enterprise Drive ParametersDesktop vs. Enterprise Drive Parameters

Enterprise ClassEnterprise ClassDesktop ClassDesktop Class

PerformancePerformance

Variable Sector Variable Sector SizeSize

IndicatorsIndicators

Rotational Rotational VibrationVibration

ReliabilityReliability

Dual PortDual Port

Data IntegrityData Integrity

13msec@ 720013msec@ 7200

NoNo

NoneNone

5-12 radians/sec/sec5-12 radians/sec/sec

600K hours @ 8x5 duty600K hours @ 8x5 duty

NoNo

NoNo

5.7msec@ 15K5.7msec@ 15K

YesYes

LEDLED

>>21 radians/sec/sec21 radians/sec/sec

1.2M hours @ 24x7 duty1.2M hours @ 24x7 duty

YesYes

YesYes

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Contact InformationContact Information

Ken ZarrabiKen Zarrabi

Strategic Marketing & Business Development Strategic Marketing & Business Development

RAID Storage Adapters, LSI LogicRAID Storage Adapters, LSI Logic

Tel : 408-433-4527Tel : 408-433-4527

Fax: 408-433-4380Fax: 408-433-4380

Email: kzarrabi@lsil.comEmail: kzarrabi@lsil.com

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BiographyBiography

Ken Zarrabi joined LSI Logic in 2002 as a senior product marketing manager for the RAID Storage Adapters division.

Mr. Zarrabi has more than 18 years of marketing, engineering and management experience in the high-tech industry. Prior to joining LSI Logic, he created and implemented marketing and business development plans for Adaptec and zDrive. His career experience also includes positions as a director of customer and product engineering at Fujitsu and six years as manager of customer engineering and program management at Quantum.

Mr. Zarrabi earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in computer science from the University of Colorado.