The document discusses the challenges of achieving optimal storage performance in virtual server environments, focusing on the I/O blender effect that complicates resource utilization. It highlights Starwind Software's log-structured file system (LSFS) as a solution that improves performance and integrates effectively with hypervisors without competing against major vendors. The document also provides background information on Starwind Software and its offerings in the field of virtualization and storage management.

1. Eliminating the I/O Blender
Realizing “World Class” Storage Performance in
Virtual Server Environments

2. Welcome and Introduction
• Storage has been the
Achilles Heel of Server
Virtualization for many
years
• Many techniques have
been tried to minimize the
problem
• A successful approach must
address the root cause: the
I/O Blender

3. Where It All Began
Less HW
to Manage
Dynamic
Provisioning
Fewer Staff
Required
Improved
Resource
Utilization
Lower IT
Costs
Lower
Energy
Bills
More
Up-Time
Fun at
Parties!

4. Early Challenges
Applications vary in terms of
resource and performance
requirements…
So, server configurations differ.
Storage
LAN

5. The Highest Common Denominator
To realize the benefits touted by the
hypervisor vendors (VMotion, automatic
server failover, migration for efficiency),
EVERY potential host must be enabled
with connectivity required by the most
demanding application…
Increasing complexity, cost and energy
consumption…
NICsHBAs

6. Maybe It’s The Storage Itself…or Not
SERVERS
STORAGE
High CPU
Processing
Cycles..
Short
Storage I/O
Queues…

7. Workarounds
• 2010: vStorage API for Array
Integration (VAAI) introduced in
vSphere 4 – 9 non-standard
primitives enabling unapproved SCSI
commands to offload storage chores
from inefficient ESX servers
• 2011: “Enhanced” and Reissued in
vSphere 5, expanding support for thin
provisioning and NAS
• 2011: VMware vSphere Storage
Appliance – neither a SAN nor NAS,
but a repository for VMDK
• 2014: Virtual SAN
Virtual
Servers
NAS/
iSCSI
FC/SAS
SANs

8. Enter the I/O Blender Effect
STORAGE I/O
Okay.
RAW I/O
Problem must
be ahead of disk storage
interconnect

9. I/O Blender in a Nutshell
A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6
A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6
RANDOM WRITES
TRADITIONAL I/O PATH
APP -> SERVER -> HBA -> DISK

10. I/O Blender in a Nutshell
RANDOM WRITES
VIRTUAL SERVER I/O PATH
VMs -> HYPERVISOR -> DISK
A1
A2
A3
C1B1 B3
B4
C1
A2
C2
B2
C3
B5 C4
HPERVISOR
A1
B1
B2
B3
C3
C2 A3

11. C1
A2
A1
B1
B2
B3
C3
C2 A3
Simple Flash Caching Not a Fix
RANDOM WRITES
ADD FLASH
VMs -> HYPERVISOR -> FLASH CACHE <-> DISK
A1
A2
A3
C1B1 B3
B4
C2
B2
C3
B5 C4
HPERVISOR

12. Smart Caching Provides an Answer
RANDOM WRITES
ADD FLASH
VMs -> HYPERVISOR -> SMART CACHE <-> DISK
HPERVISOR
LSFS
A1
B3
A2
C1
A4
B1
C2
B2
SEQUENTIAL
WRITE

13. StarWind Software LSFS Paves the Way
DAS DASDAS
Direct Attached
Storage
Direct Attached
Storage
Direct Attached
Storage
NODES
Hypervisor
Agnostic
Write Anywhere
File Layyour (WAFL)
& RAID DP
Cache Accelerated
Sequential Layout (CASL™)
& RAID 6
Log-Structured
File System (LSFS)
& Virtual SAN
Any RAID Level
Any hardware

14. Key Benefits
• StarWind Software’s Log-Structured File System
brings unique features and functionality to any
primary VM-centric storage system
– Significant performance boost and elimination of the
hypervisor I/O bottleneck
– Support for all RAID parity and striping schemes
– Improved functionality for data protection
– Flash friendly

15. Without Further Ado..
• Let’s talk to the folks who invented the
StarWind Log Structured File System (LSFS)
– Get the fine points of the StarWind approach
– Explore the way that StarWind LSFS integrates
with the hypervisor stack
– Learn why it is better to be
“complementary” than
competitive with the leading
hypervisor vendor…

16. Let’s Talk to StarWind Software
Jon Toigo
Managing Partner
Toigo Partners International
Chairman, Data Management Institute
Max Kolomyeytsev
Product Manager
StarWind Software

17. StarWind Software Background
• Founded: 2003
• Users: 30,000+, including Fortune 500
• Headquarters: Wakefield, MA, USA
• Office Locations: 2 - North America and Europe
• Channel Partners: 270+
• Technology Partners: Microsoft, VMware, HP, IBM,
Dell

18. What Is a Log-Structured File System

19. Implementing LSFS in
Virtual Server Environment
slow fast

20. Implementing LSFS in
Virtual Server Environment

21. Complimentary not Competitive

22. Any trade offs?
• Disk space overhead is necessary - 1 TB used is not
always 1 TB consumed
• RAM use is higher - LSFS uses RAM as its clerk to
maintain the Log structure
• Sequential reads can get slower – sequential read is not
what it used to be

23. Q&A
Jon Toigo
Managing Partner
Toigo Partners International
Chairman, Data Management Institute
Max Kolomyeytsev
Product Manager
StarWind Software

24. Thank you.
• And for more information
– www.starwindsoftware.com
– info@starwindsoftware.com
– https://twitter.com/starwindsan
– https://www.facebook.com/StarWind.Software
– Get StarWind Virtual SAN trial here:
– http://www.starwindsoftware.com/registration-
starwind-virtual-san