How-To Generate and Collect NAR Data from VNX Arrays

• Login to the Unisphere console
• Select the array you want to collect data from

• Click on the “System” tab, then click on “Monitoring and Alerts”

• Click on “Statistics for Block”

• Click on “Performance Data Logging”

• A “Data Logging” windows will appear.  Configure the settings to match the screenshot below.  Leave the “Archive Interval” set to 600 seconds unless otherwise requested EMC or your EMC Reseller.  Once the settings match click on “START”.

• Confirm that you wish to continue by clicking “YES”.

 

• Confirm again that you want to apply these new settings by clicking “YES”.

• Click “YES” yet again to confirm the data logging warning.

• Click “OK” to confirm (finally) that the operation was successful.

 

• You will be returned to the Data Loggin settings window.  Click “OK” to close the window.

• You will now need to let the data collection run for the specified time period – in this case 3 days.
  

Retrieving NAR File for VNX from the GUI

• Now that the NAR data collection process has run for 3 days you will need to retrieve the NAR/NAZ files.
• Login to the Unisphere console
• Select the array you want to collect data from

• Click on the “System” tab, then click on “Monitoring and Alerts”

 

• Click on “Statistics for Block”

• On the right, click on “Retrieve Archive”.

• In the Retrieve Archives window, select your array and choose SPA. (NAR files are ONLY needed for ONE of the SP’s)
• Change the “Save File(s) As:” destination to a location that is easy to locate.
• Highlight the .NAR or .NAZ (if encrypted) files that correspond to the 3 days you collected data for.  The time may be off a little but this will not matter.  There will probably be 4 – 6 files total.
• Click the “Retreive” button

 

• Click “YES” to confirm the retrieval in the “Confirm: Retrieve Archives” window.

• At the bottom of the “Retrieve Archives” window verify that the files complete – this may take a few seconds.
• Click “Done”

• Go to the destination folder where you retrieved the files to.

• Upload all the files to EMC or your EMC Reseller as instructed.

How-To Generate SP Collect Data from Unisphere

Many times you may be asked to provide “SP Collects” for your EMC Array.  This may be for EMC Support or for your VAR, who may need to see how your existing array is configured.  Either way SP Collect data is very useful and relatively easy to generate.  With the release of Unisphere for EMC Clariion, Celerra and VNX the menus and processes have changed just a little.  Below you will see step by step instructions on how to generate these files from the new Unisphere interface.

–         Login to the Unisphere console

–         Select the array you want to collect data from

–         Click on the “System” tab, then click on “Generate Diagnostic Flies – SPA” under the “Diagnostic Files” section on the right.

–          Click YES to generate the SP Collect Data for SPA

–         Click on “OK” to confirm the success of the process

–         Now click on “Generate Diagnostic Files – SPB” under the “Diagnostic Files” section on the right.

–         Click YES to generate the SP Collect Data for SPB

–         Click on “OK” to confirm the success of the process

–         Click on “Get Diagnostic Files – SPA”

–         The SP A – File Transfer Manager Window will appear.

• 1^st – sort the files by date with the most recent date at the top by clicking the top of the “Date” column.
• 2^nd – Highlight the “APMxxxxxx.zip” file.  (Depending on your array – your file may not start with “APM” but with a different set of letter.  Regardless, the rest of the file name will be followed by a series of numbers_SPA_date_time)
• 3^rd – Select your destination directory where you want the file saved to.  (Use something easy to find like c:\)
• 4^th – Click the “Transfer” button below the list of files

–         Click on YES to confirm you want to transfer the file.

 

–         In the “Transfer Status” window – look and wait for the file transfer to report successful. (This may take a minute or so)  Once the transfer is successful click OK.

–         Click on “Get Diagnostic Files – SPB”

 

–         The SP B – File Transfer Manager Window will appear.

• 1^st – sort the files by date with the most recent date at the top by clicking the top of the “Date” column.
• 2^nd – Highlight the “APMxxxxxx.zip” file.  (Depending on your array – your file may not start with “APM” but with a different set of letter.  Regardless, the rest of the file name will be followed by a series of numbers_SPB_date_time)
• 3^rd – Select your destination directory where you want the file saved to.  (Use something easy to find like c:\)
• 4^th – Click the “Transfer” button below the list of files

–         Click on YES to confirm you want to transfer the file.

 

–         In the “Transfer Status” window – look and wait for the file transfer to report successful. (This may take a minute or so)  Once the transfer is successful click OK.

–         Open up Windows Explorer or whatever file manager you use and go to the destination directory where you downloaded the files to.  Verify the SPA and SPB .zip files are there.

–         Send those files to your VAR or EMC technical consultant/contact.

VNXe Deduplication and Compression

I had to do some digging recently to get some technical details on the deduplication technology imbedded in the EMC VNXe arrays so I thought I’d share it.

Summary

The file-level dedup on the new VNX arrays is only for Shared Folders and NFS datastores.  This deduplication is policy driven and utilizes both file deduplication (single instancing) and compression.  The compression of files has NO impact on data sharing.  The deduplication acts on whole files and does not look at the metadata.  In addition, shared folders and NFS datastores can have different dedup settings and the dedup will work in conjunction with replication, snapshots and file level retention.

Policy Engine

The policy engine which controls deduplication runs automatically and is governed by high and low CPU watermarks for the Datamovers.  When the CPU is below 40% the policy engine runs at full speed.  When CPU utilization is between the low and high watermarks (40 – 75%) the policy engine is throttled.  CPU utilization above 75% will cause the policy engine to go into a paused state until the utilization drops.

There are 2 main settings that can be configured in the policy engine, the File Extension Exclude list and the Path Exclude list.  Here you can set certain file types or data paths to be excluded from deduplication. 

Additional Thresholds

The threshold for deduplication on files is 30 Days.  Files that have been read or modified in the last 30 days are exluded from the deduplication process.  There is also a file size threshold to be aware of.  Files greater than 8TB and smaller than 24KB are excluded from the deduplication process also.

So, while you certainly won’t see deduplication ratios like you would on DataDomain or Avamar appliances the VNX deduplication can prove to be very useful and save you precious production storage space.  Best of all, VNX deduplication is easy to turn on and manage through the Unisphere GUI. 

New EMC VNX Changes Software Licensing Model

The new recently revealed EMC VNX line of storage arrays was a big deal for EMC and storage in general.  Essentially the replacement for both the Clariion and the Celerra storage lines, VNX carries over some things from it’s predecessors but also makes some welcome changes.  In particular I’m talking about software licensing.  Anyone who’s ever dealt with purchasing or configuring an EMC array know’s what a challenge it can be at times.  Well EMC must have heard the screaming, and in my opinion, they have just made life easier for a lot of people.

For the most part all of the software and tools that were available on the Clariion and Celerra lines are all still available.  The differences are in how they’re “packaged”, how they’re licensed…. and most importantly how much less they cost.  The easiest way to do this is going to be to just list everything out….. so here you go:

VNX Software Options

Base Software (comes with every array whether you want it or not)

• Unisphere Manager, Compression (File), De-Duplication (File), Virtual Provisioning

Additional Base Software

• VNXe 3100 – Snaps
• VNXe3300 and VNX – Compression (Block), SAN Copy

FAST Suite

• VNXe – n/a
• VNX – FAST VP, FAST Cache, Unisphere Analyser, Unispher QoS

Security and Compliance Suite

• VNXe – VEE, File Level Reporter
• VNX – VEE, FLR, VNX Host Encryption

Local Protection Suite

• VNXe – Snap
• VNX – SnapView, SnapSure, RecoverPoint/SE (CDP)*

*ALL RecoverPoint/SE now licensed Per Array!!!  –  FINALLY

Remote Protection Suite

• VNXe – Replicator
• VNX – MirrorView, Replicator, RecoverPoint/SE (CRR)

Application Protection Suite

• VNXe – Replication Manager
• VNX – Replication Manager, Data Protection Advisor for Replication

*Replication Manager now licensed per Array!!!! – No more worrying about the # of host and high costs

Total Protection Pack Suite

• VNXe 3100 – n/a
• VNXe3300 and VNX – Local Protection Suite, Remote Protection Suite, Application Protection Suite

Total Efficiency Pack Suite

• VNXe- n/a
• VNX – All suites

Total Value Pack Suite

• VNXe – all 3 VNXe suites
• VNX5100 – Protection Pack + Security and Compliance Suite

As you can see there is still a lot to choose from but the change to “per array” licensing and significant cost reductions across the board are going to make these arrays very viable for a larger segment of the market.  If you’re in the market for a new storage array you’ll be doing yourself a disservice by not at least taking a good look at what EMC has to offer……especially the “EMC is just too expensive” crowd.