Adaptec by PMC Zero-Maintenance Cache Protection (ZMCP)

ZERO-MAINTENANCE CACHE PROTECTION
Maximum Protection for Cached Data with Reduced Data Center
Operating Costs

WHY DO YOU NEED CACHE PROTECTION?

  Enabling a RAID adapter’s
onboard cache significantly
enhances performance —
especially in RAID 5 and RAID 6
scenarios — by accommodating
both read caching and write
caching of data

  But data stored in the cache for
write caching can be lost if the
cache is not protected against a
power or system failure

READ MORE! Go to www.adaptec.com/zmcp
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BATTERY BACKUP UNITS

  Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery backup
units (BBUs) installed directly on
the adapter are traditionally
employed to protect cached data

  The battery is used to maintain
the data of the on-board memory
cache until power can be
resupplied to the unit

  But despite their obvious benefits,
there are numerous hard costs,
labor costs and risk factors Battery Backup Unit

associated with managing and
replacing BBUs after the initial
purchase has been made

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ZERO-MAINTENANCE CACHE PROTECTION

  Adaptec Series 7, Series 7Q,
Series 6, and Series 6Q SAS/
SATA RAID adapters offer a
different approach: Zero-
Maintenance Cache Protection
(ZMCP — pronounced “zemcap”)

  ZMCP uses NAND flash memory
(similar to that used in USB thumb Adaptec Series 7/7Q with ZMCP
drives and solid state disks) to
provide maximum protection for
cached data and improve cache
performance

  ZMCP eliminates the costs and
environmental impact associated
Adaptec Series 6/6Q with ZMCP
with Li-ion batteries
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HOW DOES ZMCP WORK?

  ZMCP’s NAND flash memory pairs with a super capacitor that
instantly charges while the system is booting

  When ZMCP detects loss of power, the super capacitor keeps
critical parts of the RAID adapter active long enough to allow data
to be copied from the onboard adapter cache to the flash memory

  Once the data has been copied, it can be stored in the flash
memory for years without power

  When power is returned to the RAID adapter, the data in the flash
memory is copied back to the onboard adapter cache and
operation resumes as normal with all outstanding I/O requests
intact

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ZMCP VS. BBUS

Lithium Ion Batteries Consequences PMC’s ZMCP
Charges instantly during
Must be charged before they can Cache protection is not fully enabled until the battery
system boot, enabling full
be used charge is complete
protection
Must be “conditioned” during the Add custom steps to the deployment process, and
No action required
initial deployment add many hours of additional time per unit deployed
Must be replaced on a regular Stock batteries in each location, keep staff on hand
No action required
maintenance cycle to performance maintenance
Must be continually monitored so Add monitoring capability and corrective action
No action required
failing batteries can be replaced process to operations processes
Must be fully discharged then
Process can take 24 hours and leave cached data Instant capacity monitoring
recharged in order to test
vulnerable to a power failure with no disruptions
capacity
A failed battery must be replaced Stock batteries in each location, keep staff on hand
No action required
within 72 hours, perhaps less for urgent replacement
Replacement batteries must be Figure out a continual purchasing process keeping
No action required
kept available at each location in mind that batteries “age” on the shelf
Create, staff and fund a process to dispose of the
Must be correctly disposed No action required
hazardous material

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ENABLING ZMCP ON ADAPTEC RAID
ADAPTERS

  ZMCP 3.0 is enabled via the
AFM-700 Adaptec Flash Module, 7 16 0 5 Q
included with Series 7Q adapters
and optional for Series 7 adapters

  ZMCP 2.0 is enabled via the
AFM-600 Adaptec Flash Module,
included with Series 6Q adapters,
and optional on Series 6 and 6T
adapters

  The optional aspect gives Series
7, Series 6, and Series 6T owners AFM-600
the flexibility of adding ZMCP at
any time, or not at all, depending
AFM-700
on budgets and requirements

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ADVANCED ZMCP 3.0 FEATURES NOT
FOUND IN PREVIOUS ZMCP GENERATIONS

  Real-time health monitoring:
Data center administrators can
instantly check the temperature,
capacity and remaining lifetime of
the super capacitor

  Instant capacity level
monitoring: The AFM-700 allows
capacity to be tested instantly
without disrupting operations or
impacting performance

  Backup power to the adapter:
The adapter logic monitors the
loss of host power and switches
over to backup power from the
AFM-700’s super capacitors

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ADVANCED ZMCP 3.0 FEATURES NOT
FOUND IN PREVIOUS ZMCP GENERATIONS

  New design: The AFM-700 is
tightly integrated with fewer parts,
which both reduces the footprint
and achieves a higher Mean Time
Between Failures (MTBF)

  Advanced flash technology: The
AFM-700 uses SLC NAND flash
(vs. standard NAND flash used in
previous versions), which allows
for better throughput, more
reliable and faster transfers of
backup cache data, and a longer
product life cycle

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COST BENEFITS OF ZMCP
IN REAL-WORLD SCENARIOS


ZMCP SAVES DATA CENTERS REAL MONEY

While the logic behind the ZMCP
approach is relatively compelling, the
actual financial impact is even more
so.

To compute these savings we must
look at the ways that data centers
approach their existing BBU
solutions.

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SCENARIO 1: THE METICULOUS BBU USER

In this model, we assume several things:

  The user purchases a new battery every year, as recommended,
and keeps replacements on hand at all times to take care of
unexpected events

  They carefully schedule downtime for their users to change the
battery and attempt to deploy a replacement device while the
primary server is out of action. Several folks in the IT department
must usually coordinate their efforts to make this happen.

  Replacement batteries are allowed to fully charge before putting a
system back into operation.

  Systems are continuously monitored to detect a failing battery.

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The costs of this approach include:

  Capital expense of purchasing batteries — one per year for four
years, plus one extra to take care of unexpected issues

  Operating IT cost to install the initial device, plan downtime, replace
batteries and re-charge them

  Potential overtime or disruption costs when a power failure occurs
and systems have to be turned back on within the 72-hour battery
charge window — potentially disrupting other activities, or occurring
during the night, on a weekend or over a holiday period. Even in the
best case, the pressure to re-power systems has an impact.

  Productivity impact on other users

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This illustrates the total cost of owner-ship (TCO) for this scenario:
Item Per Server Impact over 4 years Cost per item 4 year cost*
Batteries 4 $175 each $700
IT Manpower
Initial Installation .5 hours $20/hour $10
Downtime Preparation 1.5 staff-hours, 3 times $30/hour $135
Battery Replacement 1 hours, 3 times $20/hour $60
Monitoring 30 seconds per day $20/hour $240
Productivity Loss 5 people, 15% impact $40/hour $800
Activity Cost On Power 3 hours, 30% chance of
$50/hour $360
Loss occurring, 8 incidents
Total $2,305
* Based on a single-server model

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SCENARIO 2: THE ON-DEMAND
REPLACEMENT BBU USER

This scenario considers the user who waits for the alert light to come
on before doing anything.

READ MORE!
Download the whitepaper @
www.adaptec.com/zmcp

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CONCLUSION

  By eliminating costly BBU technology and related Capital and
Operating Expenses, Zero Maintenance Cache Protection (ZMCP)
offers the industry’s most complete and efficient data protection
solution available today

  The AFM-700 Adaptec Flash Module, included with Series 7Q
adapters and optional for Series 7 adapters, enables ZMCP 3.0

  The AFM-600 Adaptec Flash Module, included with Series 6Q
adapters, and optional on Series 6 and 6T adapters, enables ZMCP
2.0


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Adaptec by PMC Zero-Maintenance Cache Protection (ZMCP)

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