December 9, 2013 at 17:00Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 - backup system with deduplication
As our studies show, even high-reliability systems can avoid only 74% of downtime, about 20% of which (most often caused by viruses, software errors, administrators or users) are accompanied by data loss. In this regard, the availability of a backup system is a necessary element of the IT infrastructure of any enterprise.
There is a constant increase in the volume of the data itself that needs to be backed up, caused by the accumulation of information, an increase in the number of servers and other computing devices, as well as an increase in the number of users. The consequence of this process is a lack of space on existing storage systems and an increase in the cost of backup storage. And the backup window itself is very limited and has a tendency to narrow: more and more often employees get the opportunity to work from home, at a convenient time for them, the geography of the company’s work is becoming wider.
Thus, a very acute and relevant question arises: on what to store this data? Currently, there are two main types of end devices in storage systems, these are hard drives and tapes. Their main advantages and disadvantages are shown in the table below:
Given the above features, the best solution is to backup to disks with deduplication and the possibility of subsequent copying to tape. Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4, which is designed for use in infrastructures where the volume of daily backup does not exceed 50 TB per day, is precisely such a solution designed for small and medium-sized enterprises.
The deduplication process in this complete Fujitsu solution is as follows. First, the data is divided into blocks of variable length, based on data separators dependent on it:
After that, each unique block is assigned its own unique signature and a special signature sheet is compiled, which contains a list of all unique blocks, as well as their sequence in the original data. Next, unique blocks and a signature sheet are recorded on hard drives, followed by compression (archiving) of the recorded data. Thus, the required disk space for data storage can sometimes be reduced by an impressive 95%.
There are two models of ETERNUS CS800 S4 Entry and Scale. Both models are complete solutions and are delivered on an all-inclusive basis. This means that they do not require the purchase of any additional licenses. In particular, the basic configuration includes the following functionality:
The Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 model includes one Fujitsu PRIMERGY RX300 S7 server with one Intel Xeon processor with 6 computing cores and Hyper-Threading technology, 64 GB of RAM, 5 Gigabit Ethernet ports and has special Linux-based software. Under the operating system, 2 SAS disks of 15,000 rpm and a capacity of 300 GB are used. The storage system employs 14 SATA disks configured in 2 RAID6 groups of 7 disks (RAID6 requires 2 disks for checksums). Depending on the modification, 500 GB or 1 TB disks are installed; the usable storage volume for them is 4.8 TB and 9.8 TB, respectively.
In addition, the following I / O ports can be optionally installed: 2 x 10 GB Ethernet or 2 x 8 GB Fiber Channel.
The Scale model, unlike Entry, is more flexible and has extensive expansion options. It consists of the computing part, including the Fujitsu PRIMERGY RX300 S7 server (2xIntel Xeon 8 cores / 12 threads, 128 GB of memory), and ETERNUS DX80 S2 disk storage.
Server:
DX80 S2 main module:
DX80S2 expansion module:
The ETERNUS CS800 S4 Scale solution includes two types of ETERNUS DX80 S2 modules: the main (with two controllers) and additional plug-ins. Each such module has 12 SAS 3.5 '' drives with a capacity of 1, 2 or 3 TB. These disks are grouped in RAID 6 groups of 6 disks (4 + 2), so the effective capacity of each storage module is 8, 16 or 24 TB, depending on the size of the disks used. Basic equipment includes 1 main module with the ability to install up to 9 expansion modules. Then the maximum amount of data that can be stored on the ETERNUS CS800 S4 Scale is 80 TB for modules with 1 TB drives, 160 TB for 2 TB drives and 240 TB for 3 TB. 12 disks of one of the ETERNUS DX80 S2 expansion modules can be used as Hot Spare disks,
In addition, 14 450 GB SAS 2.5 "disks are installed in the main ETERNUS CS800 S4 Scale server. All of them are combined in 7 RAID1 groups of 2 disks. One of them has an operating system (a special version of Linux), while the rest are used for backup metadata storage The
information on the effective capacity of the Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 is more clearly presented in the following table:
As for the Scale I / O system, in the basic configuration it is represented by three Gigabit Ethernet ports.In fact, there are 5 ports, as well as in the Entry version, but 2 of them are used for I connect the main unit ETERNUS DX80 S2 (used for control and monitoring, used for data transmission SAS-interface) and, accordingly, are not available to connect to the enterprise network.
As options for the input / output ports for this model, 4 × 8 GB and 8 × 1 GB Etherntet modules are offered, as well as a 4 × 8 GB Fiber Channel module. Note that all options are installed directly at the factory.
Connecting Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 storage systems to the enterprise infrastructure can be done using four protocols - NFS, CIFS, OST and VTL. Depending on the protocol used, the CS800 acts as Network Attached Storage (NAS), Vurtual Tape Storage, or Open Storage.
Backups to the NAS CS800 are performed using the NFS and CIFS protocols.
The CIFS (Common Internet File System) protocol provides access to files hosted on remote devices in a Windows environment. Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 supports user authorization both through ACL (Access Control Lists) and through ADS (Active Directory Services).
The NFS (Network File System) protocol was originally developed by Sun Microsystems and allows all network users to access shared files stored on various types of computers. NFS provides access to shared files through an interface called Virtual File System (VFS), which runs on top of TCP / IP. When using this protocol, users can manage shared files as if they were stored on a local hard drive. This protocol is commonly used on UNIX and Linux networks, but can also be used with Windows networks.
The Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 solution can be used on the enterprise network as a Virtual Tape Library (VTL - Virtual Tape Library). In this case, its disk space for backup applications appears as LTO or DLT tape cartridges. Thus, the data is stored on hard drives through an interface that looks like a tape library with cartridges, drives and a cartridge change mechanism. And the ability to configure several VTL interfaces of various types on the ETERNUS CS800 S4 allows you to easily integrate it into an existing data processing environment.
In this mode, the CS800 S4 can emulate a variety of tape drives, including IBM and HP models (LTO-1, LTO-2, LTO-3, LTO-4 or LTO-5), as well as emulate Fujitsu CS-TL, ADIC tape libraries Scalar i2000 and ADIC Scalar i500.
Also in the enterprise network, the Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 can be represented as a storage server for the Symantec NetBackup or Backup Exec media server using the Symantec special protocol. In this case, the storage server consists of logical storage units (LSUs), which are similar to directories in the NAS or tape cartridges in VTL.
To work in this mode, you must have Symantec NetBackup 6.5.3 (or later) or Symantec Backup Exec 2010 (or later) and an OST plug-in on the media server. In this case, the so-called SPEED mode is used, characterized by distributed deduplication. Those. data is deduplicated on a media server, after which only unique data blocks are already copied to the ETERNUS CS800 S4, thereby reducing network load and speeding up the backup process.
Often a situation may arise when the data must be stored on removable media for long-term storage. In this case, the Path-to-Tape (PTT) functionality will be very useful. It allows you to save data stored on the Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 to tape libraries that connect to it through an FC port. In this case, copying occurs directly from the CS800 to tape libraries without the need for any additional device: the data is sent to the tape in its original form. Such backup allows, if necessary, to restore information from tapes without the participation of CS800 S4. Note that PTT supports a number of backup applications, including:
The solution in question has extensive replication capabilities. So you can use the Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 in your remote branch or branches (multiple-to-one replication is supported) to create a single backup storage in the central branch. At the same time, replication is easily configured, and the transmitted data is encrypted. It is important that already deduplicated and compressed data will be transferred between storage systems in different branches, i.e. the volume of traffic will be significantly reduced, or, as an option, it will be possible to use a data channel with a lower speed.
Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 is also compatible with CommVault Simpana software. Simpana Media Agent is installed directly on the solution considered in this article.
This allows the client server to write data directly to the CS800 S4 without involving the Simpana server in the process, thereby reducing the load on the network. It also supports copying data to tape and restoring it from tape on another media agent without involving the ETERNUS CS800 S4 in the process. Simpana Media Agent installed on the CS800 S4 also supports data replication with similar devices.
The considered solution Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 backs up to hard drives with deduplication function. The deduplication process used in them reduces the necessary disk capacity for data storage to 95% of their original size. At the same time, the ETERNUS CS800 S4 has the highest scalability and speed, has wide functionality that allows you to use it to support a wide range of IT environments now and in the future.
There is a constant increase in the volume of the data itself that needs to be backed up, caused by the accumulation of information, an increase in the number of servers and other computing devices, as well as an increase in the number of users. The consequence of this process is a lack of space on existing storage systems and an increase in the cost of backup storage. And the backup window itself is very limited and has a tendency to narrow: more and more often employees get the opportunity to work from home, at a convenient time for them, the geography of the company’s work is becoming wider.
Thus, a very acute and relevant question arises: on what to store this data? Currently, there are two main types of end devices in storage systems, these are hard drives and tapes. Their main advantages and disadvantages are shown in the table below:
Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 Deduplication Backup System
Given the above features, the best solution is to backup to disks with deduplication and the possibility of subsequent copying to tape. Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4, which is designed for use in infrastructures where the volume of daily backup does not exceed 50 TB per day, is precisely such a solution designed for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Deduplication in ETERNUS CS800 S4
The deduplication process in this complete Fujitsu solution is as follows. First, the data is divided into blocks of variable length, based on data separators dependent on it:
After that, each unique block is assigned its own unique signature and a special signature sheet is compiled, which contains a list of all unique blocks, as well as their sequence in the original data. Next, unique blocks and a signature sheet are recorded on hard drives, followed by compression (archiving) of the recorded data. Thus, the required disk space for data storage can sometimes be reduced by an impressive 95%.
ETERNUS CS800 S4 Entry and Scale Models
There are two models of ETERNUS CS800 S4 Entry and Scale. Both models are complete solutions and are delivered on an all-inclusive basis. This means that they do not require the purchase of any additional licenses. In particular, the basic configuration includes the following functionality:
- NAS (CIFS / NFS);
- VTL interface
- OST (Symantec OpenStorage);
- Deduplication enabled;
- Replication enabled
- Path to Tape license is included.
The Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 model includes one Fujitsu PRIMERGY RX300 S7 server with one Intel Xeon processor with 6 computing cores and Hyper-Threading technology, 64 GB of RAM, 5 Gigabit Ethernet ports and has special Linux-based software. Under the operating system, 2 SAS disks of 15,000 rpm and a capacity of 300 GB are used. The storage system employs 14 SATA disks configured in 2 RAID6 groups of 7 disks (RAID6 requires 2 disks for checksums). Depending on the modification, 500 GB or 1 TB disks are installed; the usable storage volume for them is 4.8 TB and 9.8 TB, respectively.
In addition, the following I / O ports can be optionally installed: 2 x 10 GB Ethernet or 2 x 8 GB Fiber Channel.
The Scale model, unlike Entry, is more flexible and has extensive expansion options. It consists of the computing part, including the Fujitsu PRIMERGY RX300 S7 server (2xIntel Xeon 8 cores / 12 threads, 128 GB of memory), and ETERNUS DX80 S2 disk storage.
Server:
DX80 S2 main module:
DX80S2 expansion module:
The ETERNUS CS800 S4 Scale solution includes two types of ETERNUS DX80 S2 modules: the main (with two controllers) and additional plug-ins. Each such module has 12 SAS 3.5 '' drives with a capacity of 1, 2 or 3 TB. These disks are grouped in RAID 6 groups of 6 disks (4 + 2), so the effective capacity of each storage module is 8, 16 or 24 TB, depending on the size of the disks used. Basic equipment includes 1 main module with the ability to install up to 9 expansion modules. Then the maximum amount of data that can be stored on the ETERNUS CS800 S4 Scale is 80 TB for modules with 1 TB drives, 160 TB for 2 TB drives and 240 TB for 3 TB. 12 disks of one of the ETERNUS DX80 S2 expansion modules can be used as Hot Spare disks,
In addition, 14 450 GB SAS 2.5 "disks are installed in the main ETERNUS CS800 S4 Scale server. All of them are combined in 7 RAID1 groups of 2 disks. One of them has an operating system (a special version of Linux), while the rest are used for backup metadata storage The
information on the effective capacity of the Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 is more clearly presented in the following table:
As for the Scale I / O system, in the basic configuration it is represented by three Gigabit Ethernet ports.In fact, there are 5 ports, as well as in the Entry version, but 2 of them are used for I connect the main unit ETERNUS DX80 S2 (used for control and monitoring, used for data transmission SAS-interface) and, accordingly, are not available to connect to the enterprise network.
As options for the input / output ports for this model, 4 × 8 GB and 8 × 1 GB Etherntet modules are offered, as well as a 4 × 8 GB Fiber Channel module. Note that all options are installed directly at the factory.
Use cases Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4
Connecting Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 storage systems to the enterprise infrastructure can be done using four protocols - NFS, CIFS, OST and VTL. Depending on the protocol used, the CS800 acts as Network Attached Storage (NAS), Vurtual Tape Storage, or Open Storage.
Network Attached Storage
Backups to the NAS CS800 are performed using the NFS and CIFS protocols.
The CIFS (Common Internet File System) protocol provides access to files hosted on remote devices in a Windows environment. Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 supports user authorization both through ACL (Access Control Lists) and through ADS (Active Directory Services).
The NFS (Network File System) protocol was originally developed by Sun Microsystems and allows all network users to access shared files stored on various types of computers. NFS provides access to shared files through an interface called Virtual File System (VFS), which runs on top of TCP / IP. When using this protocol, users can manage shared files as if they were stored on a local hard drive. This protocol is commonly used on UNIX and Linux networks, but can also be used with Windows networks.
Virtual tape storage
The Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 solution can be used on the enterprise network as a Virtual Tape Library (VTL - Virtual Tape Library). In this case, its disk space for backup applications appears as LTO or DLT tape cartridges. Thus, the data is stored on hard drives through an interface that looks like a tape library with cartridges, drives and a cartridge change mechanism. And the ability to configure several VTL interfaces of various types on the ETERNUS CS800 S4 allows you to easily integrate it into an existing data processing environment.
In this mode, the CS800 S4 can emulate a variety of tape drives, including IBM and HP models (LTO-1, LTO-2, LTO-3, LTO-4 or LTO-5), as well as emulate Fujitsu CS-TL, ADIC tape libraries Scalar i2000 and ADIC Scalar i500.
Open storage
Also in the enterprise network, the Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 can be represented as a storage server for the Symantec NetBackup or Backup Exec media server using the Symantec special protocol. In this case, the storage server consists of logical storage units (LSUs), which are similar to directories in the NAS or tape cartridges in VTL.
To work in this mode, you must have Symantec NetBackup 6.5.3 (or later) or Symantec Backup Exec 2010 (or later) and an OST plug-in on the media server. In this case, the so-called SPEED mode is used, characterized by distributed deduplication. Those. data is deduplicated on a media server, after which only unique data blocks are already copied to the ETERNUS CS800 S4, thereby reducing network load and speeding up the backup process.
Path-to-tape
Often a situation may arise when the data must be stored on removable media for long-term storage. In this case, the Path-to-Tape (PTT) functionality will be very useful. It allows you to save data stored on the Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 to tape libraries that connect to it through an FC port. In this case, copying occurs directly from the CS800 to tape libraries without the need for any additional device: the data is sent to the tape in its original form. Such backup allows, if necessary, to restore information from tapes without the participation of CS800 S4. Note that PTT supports a number of backup applications, including:
- Symantec NetBackup
- Symantec Backup Exec
- Secure Backup Oracle
- Atempo time navigator
- EMC Networker
Replication
The solution in question has extensive replication capabilities. So you can use the Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 in your remote branch or branches (multiple-to-one replication is supported) to create a single backup storage in the central branch. At the same time, replication is easily configured, and the transmitted data is encrypted. It is important that already deduplicated and compressed data will be transferred between storage systems in different branches, i.e. the volume of traffic will be significantly reduced, or, as an option, it will be possible to use a data channel with a lower speed.
Simpana media agent
Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 is also compatible with CommVault Simpana software. Simpana Media Agent is installed directly on the solution considered in this article.
This allows the client server to write data directly to the CS800 S4 without involving the Simpana server in the process, thereby reducing the load on the network. It also supports copying data to tape and restoring it from tape on another media agent without involving the ETERNUS CS800 S4 in the process. Simpana Media Agent installed on the CS800 S4 also supports data replication with similar devices.
Conclusion
The considered solution Fujitsu ETERNUS CS800 S4 backs up to hard drives with deduplication function. The deduplication process used in them reduces the necessary disk capacity for data storage to 95% of their original size. At the same time, the ETERNUS CS800 S4 has the highest scalability and speed, has wide functionality that allows you to use it to support a wide range of IT environments now and in the future.
