File virtualization technology simplifies access to consolidated file storage, provides flexibility in data placement, and optimizes resource utilization. It breaks the constraints of today's complex, inflexible, and inefficient storage infrastructures by decoupling data access from physical storage locations. Intelligent policies can then automate data movement based on file classification and business value to optimize costs and performance by matching data with the most appropriate storage tier.

1. Technology Briefing
File Virtualization Technology
- Partner Mandawani
John B
Business Development Manager
APAC

2. © F5 Networks
The cost of managing storage is five to ten times the acquisition cost
The Constraints of Today’s Infrastructure
• Complex
– Mixed vendors, platforms, file
systems
• Inflexible
– Access is tightly coupled to file
location
– Disruptive to move data
• Inefficient
– Resources are under and over
utilized
• Growing rapidly
– 70% annually (80% are files)

3. © F5 Networks
NAS
Tape
Backup
Windows UNIX / LINUX Applications
How Complexity Influences Data Growth
• Storage resources managed in silos
• Islands of storage lead to poor utilization
• Consolidation increases utilization but is costly and disruptive
• SATA reduces costs but no easy way to separate data
• Full backups growing and taking longer to complete
Vendor A Vendor B
FC
SATA

4. © F5 Networks
Virtualization Breaks the Constraints
• Simplified access
– Consolidated, persistent
access points
• Flexibility
– Data location not bound to
physical resources
• Optimized utilization
– Balances load across shared
resources
• Leverages technology
– Freedom to choose most
appropriate file storage
“File virtualization is the hottest new storage technology in plan today…” (TheInfoPro)

5. © F5 Networks
Tape
Backup
Creating a Smarter Storage Strategy
• Classify data based on business value
• Virtualization gives you flexibility
– Move data without disruption or downtime
• Intelligent policies automate data movement
– Match data to the most appropriate storage
– Perform backups only where needed
Windows UNIX / LINUX Applications
Vendor A Vendor B
NAS
FC
SATA
Active
Inactive
File Virtualization
Data inspection Automated Policy Storage Decision

6. © F5 Networks
Understanding Your Data
• Not all data is created
equal
• Different files have
varying degrees of
business value
– Type
– Age
– Name
– Extension
– Size
• Business value will
impact choice of storage
– Performance
– Availability
– Capacity cost
OfficeTowerLayout.DWG
Type: AutoCAD Drawing Database
File
Last Modified: 2 days ago
Performance Req.: Medium
Business Value: High
HotNewWidgetSpecs.SO
Type: GNU C Compiler Shared
Library
Last Modified: 2 days ago
Performance Req.: High
Business Value: High
BoD.PPT
Type: Microsoft Office PowerPoint
Presentation
Last Modified: 180 days ago
Performance Req.: Low
Business Value: Medium
PopArtist.MP3
Type: MP3 Audio file
Last Modified: 60 days ago
Performance Req.: Low
Business Value: Very Low

7. © F5 Networks
What Services Does ARX Provide?
• Automates common storage management tasks
– Migration
– Storage Tiering
– Load Balancing
• These tasks now take place without affecting access to the
file data or requiring client re-configuration
• ARX provides the Data Management services over
standard CIFS, NFS and multi-protocol (NFS+CIFS)
• The ARX that sits in-band between clients/applications
and storage
ARX

8. © F5 Networks
Where Does ARX Fit?
• Plugs into existing IP / Ethernet
switches
• Virtualizes heterogeneous file
storage devices that present file
systems via NFS and/or CIFS
– NAS, File Servers, Gateways
• Does not connect directly to SAN
– Can manage SAN data presented
through a gateway or server
• No changes to existing
infrastructure
– ARX appears as a normal NAS
device to clients
– ARX appears as a normal CIFS
or NFS client to storage
• SAN virtualization manages
blocks, ARX manages files
– Data management vs. storage
management
IBM HP EMC HDS NTAP
SAN
LAN
SAN Virtualization
F5 ARX File Virtualization
SAN
Blocks
Users and Applications
NAS File Servers
IP / Ethernet
ARX
ARX

9. © F5 Networks
ARX Network Deployment
• ARX typically connected to
distribution layer of Ethernet
switches
– Acts like an end-node but can
accommodate a variety of
different topologies
• Always deployed as clustered pair
– Primary and secondary ARX
state is synchronized
• In-flight transactions
(NVRAM), Global
Configuration, etc.
• Policy operates regardless of
which switch is master
– The ARX will monitor
resources to determine failover
criteria
– Quorum disk ensures no “split
brain” scenarios
– The ARX does not cache or
store user data
ARX HA
Pair
Switch A Switch B
Client
Workgroup
Switches
Distribution
Switches
Core Routers /
Layer 3 Switches
NAS and File Servers
Quorum Disk

10. © F5 Networks
What ARX Delivers
Reduced Backup Times
Lower Capital Costs Lower Operational Costs
Reclaimed Storage

11. © F5 Networks
Automated Transparent Data Migration
• Movement of files between
heterogeneous file servers
• Drivers:
– Lease rollover, vendor
switch, platform upgrades,
NAS consolidation
• Benefits:
– Reduce outages and
business disruption
– Faster migrations
– Lower operational overhead
• No client reconfiguration,
automated
ARX

12. © F5 Networks
Automated Tiering
• Not all data is created equal
• Dynamically match type of data with a
storage system optimized for that data type
• A simple way to start:
1. Segregate data into active and inactive data
sets
2. Active data placed on primary storage
3. Inactive data placed on secondary storage
• Dramatic cost and backup benefits

13. © F5 Networks
The Role of File Virtualization in Tiering
F5 File Virtualization
Primary Storage
(Tier 1)
Physical
Namespace
Secondary Storage
(Tier 2)
BoD.ppt
u:PresentationsBoD.ppt
“Virtual name” is
independent of where the
file is actually stored
Virtual
Namespace
BoD.ppt

14. © F5 Networks
Tiering Cost Savings
• Reclaim Tier 1 capacity
• Majority of data moved to
capacity optimized Tier 2
– Lower disk, power, space
and cooling costs
• Movement of data is
automated and
transparent
Disk Capacity Savings Example
Before: 25TB x $/GB Tier 1
After: 5TB x $/GB Tier 1 + 20TB x ($/GB Tier1 -
$/GB Tier2)
Savings = 20TB x $9/GB
Savings: $180,000
Client
Vendor A
Data Domain
F5 ARX
Dedupe reduces
secondary storage
Tiering reduces
primary storage

15. © F5 Networks
Tiering Backup Savings
• Less data to backup
frequently
• Dramatic decrease in
backup time
• Savings in backup media
• Inactive data is
deduplicated
Backup Savings Example
Before: 25TB x 5 weekly full copies = 125TB
After: 5TB x 5 weekly full copies = 25TB
Savings = (125TB – 25TB) x $0.75/GB (tape)
Savings: $75,000
Client
Vendor A
Same weekly fulls, but
only 10-30% of the data
Data Domain
No weekly fulls, only
monthly +
F5 ARX
Tier 2 data is
deduplicated
Reduced Tier 1
backup data set

16. © F5 Networks
F5 ARX® Product Family
• Scalable product family
– ARX-500: Departmental Device
– ARX-2000: Mid Tier Device
– ARX-4000: Data Center Device
• Common Data Management Operating
System software
• Enterprise-class management and
serviceability
– CLI, GUI, SNMP
– Logging, reporting, scripting
– Diagnostics, “e-mail home”

17. © F5 Networks
ARX Hardware Platforms
Price
Function / Performance
Ethernet ports: 12xGbE
Max. Throughput: 4Gbps*
Max. Users: 6,000*
Power supply: Redundant
Height: 2U
ARX2000
ARX4000
Ethernet ports: 12xGbE or
2x10GbE
Max. Throughput: 12Gbps*
Max. Users: 12,000*
Power supply: Redundant
Height: 4U
ARX500
Ethernet ports: 1xGbE
Max. Throughput: 800Mbps*
Max. Users: 600*
Power supply: Single
Height: 1U

18. © F5 Networks
ARX Hardware Platform Sizing Summary
Price
Function / Performance
ARX2000
ARX4000
ARX500
ARX-500 Description
Max Throughput 100MBytes/sec
Max Users 600*
Max Managed
Volumes
64
Max File Systems 128
Max Files 384M
ARX-2000 Description
Max Throughput 500MBytes/sec
Max Users 6000*
Max Managed
Volumes
192
Max File Systems 768
Max Files 1.5B
ARX-4000 Description
Max Throughput 1.2GBytes/sec
Max Users 12000*
Max Managed
Volumes
256
Max File Systems 1024
Max Files 2.3B

19. © F5 Networks
• Must support a heterogeneous
infrastructure
– Multi-vendor, multi-platform,
multi-protocol
• Must not limit performance or
growth
– Faster than aggregate physical
resources with scale for future
• Must ensure data integrity and
accessibility
– No single point of failure
• Must support real-time policy
enforcement
– “In-line” intelligence
Key Elements of Intelligent File Virtualization
Heterogeneous
Scale and
Performance
Intelligent
File
Virtualization
Real Time
Integrity and
Accessibility