This document discusses storage management challenges in virtualized environments and how APTARE's StorageConsole product can help address them. It notes that I/O patterns have changed and storage demands are increasing. It also discusses the need for better visibility into storage mapping, performance, snapshots, capacity planning, and data protection workflows. The document promotes StorageConsole's agentless data collection, unified data store, web-based reporting, support for heterogeneous environments, and other advantages for reporting on storage infrastructure.

1. VMware, Storage & Kitchen
appliances
Don’t call me Brenda!

2. Universal truths
 The way VM Guests map through to the physical storage is more
important now than ever
– Both RAW and VMFS
 Virtualisation has changed the I/O usage patterns out of all recognition
– The I/O Blender
» It’s no longer Server – HBA – LUN –Raid Group
» Consolidation of many Guests I/O flows causes hotspots quickly
» Choices and trade offs: VMFS/RAW, SAN, NAS & User Persona data
 The storage and performance demands are only increasing
– VDC/VDI & Cloud
– Data growth
 Buying more storage is not always the right answer
– It can just delay the inevitable
 Backup visibility can’t stop at the image or snapshot
– Audit, Compliance and Regulation still apply
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3. The Blender
 Better knowledge and visibility can lead to better
performance planning and a lot less issues
 The I/O Blender still exists
– vSphere’s VAAI has helped a great deal
» But random I/O streams still can cause havoc in block storage
• LUN spreading and “smoothing” the data path can help
– Choices about Guest to Datastore ratios
– Choices about storage types for different needs
» SAN (VMFS or RAW), NAS/NFS, Split
– Monitoring both the VM and Arrays performance metrics
» Even the Fibre Channel metrics
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4. Data Protection
 Two primary methods, lots of options
– Image based
– Snapshot based
 But the business and the auditors need visibility & proof
– Full data life cycle visibility
» From guest, to datastore, to image/snapshot, to.. where?
• Backup storage? Tape media? Cold storage?
• What about data retentions?
• HiPPA, SOX and local audit requirements still must be met
• Reporting and exception management is key
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5. How Can APTARE Help?
Backup Server
Block Storage
VTL/Tape Libraries
NAS
De-duplication devices
SAN Fabric Replication
Virtual Servers
Database
CMDB
Management Infrastructure
Reporting Portal

6. Reporting Themes
 Scope
– The area of infrastructure to report / analyze
 Grouping
– Focus on specific areas of interest in the overall infrastructure
 Attributes
– Business related values for individual components
 Management by Exception
– Reducing reporting complexity
 Automation
– Save time and effort
 Connectivity
– Need to understand how components affect each other
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7. Storage mapping
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8. Array RAID group and LUN Performance
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9. Snaps that can be deleted
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10. Capacity & Forecasting
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11. Data Protection
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12. StorageConsole Meets the Challenges…
Storage Management Data Protection Management
Backup
Backup Manager
Fabric Replication
Fabric Manager Replication Manager
Common Virtual Storage
Virtualization Manager Capacity Manager
Database
Unstructured
Data
File Analytics
StorageConsole
Reports
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13. APTARE Advantages
 Agentless Data Collection
– No additional software installed on servers
 Single Data Store
– Information value multiplies with additional modules
 Web-based Reporting
– Reports can be run from anywhere on any web browser
 Heterogeneous
– Support for all the main vendors and products
 Multi-Tenanted
– Create Customer/Department specific views.
 Custom Report Writing
 Global Hub and Spoke Architecture
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