EMC Symmetrix

The Symmetrix system is EMC's flagship enterprise storage array. There have been many generations of Symmetrix hardware, with the first appearing in 1990 and the latest, the Symmetrix V-Max Series, introduced in April 2009.

History

Symmetrix arrays began in 1990 as an IBM Mainframe Block Multiplex Channel- (aka Bus and Tag) connected storage array, but rose to prominence with the introduction of ESCON, SCSI, and Fibre Channel-based SANs. The product was initially popular within the performance hungry airline industry and customers who were willing to deviate from the safety of IBM's slower 3390 disk subsystem and take a risk with the unproven but substantially higher performance Symmetrix array.

EMC broadened its product line beyond mainframes into open systems in the mid-1990s and added replication features such as TimeFinder (local replication) and SRDF (remote replication).

Since then, EMC continues to rapidly refresh the Symmetrix platform with performance-driven hardware; leading-edge architecture; an ever-growing and feature-rich Enginuity operating environment (essentially the Symmetrix operating system); more connectivity options; and the latest drive technologies.

Symmetrix V-Max Series

EMC Symmetrix V-Max systems are enterprise-class storage platforms intended for open systems and mainframe computing. Symmetrix V-Max systems run Enginuity operating environment for Symmetrix 5874 and are offered in two models:

• The highly scalable Symmetrix V-Max system
• The single engine Symmetrix V-Max SE system.

The Symmetrix V-Max System

The Symmetrix V-Max system is the high-end, scalable storage array with a system bay and separate roll-up storage bays. The system scales from a single Symmetrix V-Max Engine system with one storage bay to a large eight engine system and a maximum of ten storage bays. Online system upgrades are achieved by adding single or multiple V-Max Engines or additional storage bays. Each V-Max Engine contains two Symmetrix V-Max directors with extensive CPU processing power, physical memory, front-end ports, and back-end ports. Drive capacity is increased by installing 4 Gb/s disk array enclosures to the storage bay.

The Symmetrix V-Max SE System

The Symmetrix V-Max SE system is the single engine Symmetrix system. Symmetrix V-Max SE systems offer a single cabinet configuration that contains both the system logic and drives. You can increase capacity on-line by adding an additional storage bay.

System Features

System Performance

Symmetrix V-Max systems deliver scalable performance that meets the most demanding access, protection, and distribution requirements. Performance featuresinclude:

• A redundant Virtual Matrix Architecture™ that provides fast, reliable communications among directors
• High-performance director engines, including quad-core, x86 family processors that run a maximum of 2.33 GHz and fast, supporting hardware
• Scalable memory, providing a maximum 128 GB of physical memory on each V-Max Engine
• Algorithmic intelligence that reduces processing overhead, delivers improved throughput and performance, and allows you to customize priorities for Symmetrix system operations
• Enterprise Flash Drive technology that delivers the ultimate performance with the lowest latencies
• Tools for tiered storage optimization, including Dynamic Cache Partitioning, Symmetrix Priority Controls, Symmetrix Optimizer, Enhanced Virtual LUN technology.

Configuration and Expansion

Symmetrix V-Max systems support connections to IBM mainframes, Power Systems with IBM i, and open systems hosts over Fibre Channel, FICON, iSCSI and Gigabit Ethernet. EMC Symmetrix Remote Data Facility (SRDF®) connections are supported over Fibre Channel and Gigabit Ethernet. Symmetrix V-Max systems implement host connections using four Front End I/O Modules located on the V-Max Engine.

The Symmetrix V-Max back-end design includes expandable storage capacity (disk array enclosures and bays) with support for tier 0, tier 1, tier 2 and tier 3 storage. Virtual Provisioning™ features allow you to separate physical and virtual devices, and reduce subsequent modifications to physical storage that disrupt host applications.

Availability

Symmetrix V-Max availability features ensure uninterrupted access to your mission-critical data and applications. These include:

• A full suite of redundant hardware components
• Redundant internal and external communication paths
• Transparent failover and failback
• Simplified, low count component design, minimizing failure points and providing transparent, nondisruptive upgrade and component maintenance
• Permanent sparing, available for all RAID types
• EMC remote notification and remote support capabilities that provide 24/7 system monitoring and allow EMC support engineers to connect remotely over an encrypted Internet connection to diagnose and resolve problems. An optional modem is available.

System Security

Symmetrix V-Max systems provide industry-leading security features that protect your system and data from unauthorized users. These include:

• Gigabit Ethernet (GigE) support for the Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) standard
• Symmetrix Access Controls and user authorization, to authenticate users and ensure access to only approved hosts
• EMC Symmetrix Service Credential, Secured by RSA, to provide service user passwords and encrypted credentials that vary by user, action, system and time
• Symmetrix Audit log support, including records of host-initiated actions, Service Processor actions, and attempts blocked by security controls
• EMC Certified Data Erasure for Symmetrix disks, that ensures the safe removal of your data from any failed and removed disks.

Data Protection and Integrity

Symmetrix V-Max systems protect your data and ensure data integrity by providing:

• RAID 1, RAID 10, RAID 5 (3 + 1 and 7 + 1), and RAID 6 (6 + 2 and 14 + 2) protection
• PermaCache memory options that allow you to permanently assign mission-critical data to memory
• EMC TimeFinder® software that provides local replication of data for backup, data warehouse updates, and application and software development testing
• SRDF replication software that provides remote, host-independent mirrored copies of your data that facilitate backup, data warehouse updates, and development, as well as disaster protection and protection from extended power outages
• Vaulting capabilities, to protect your data in the event of an unexpected power loss
• Cache integrity checks, to ensure the integrity of cache data by providing ongoing checking algorithms and monitoring of cache hardware components.

Symmetrix DMX Series

Platform Comparisions

Symmetrix Software

This section contains a list of the various host-based EMC software applications that allow customers to store, protect, optimize, and leverage their Symmetrix storage.

Solutions Enabler

The EMC Solutions Enabler kit is the software that provides your host with the Symmetrix Command Line Interface (SYMCLI), including the SYMAPI and CLARAPI shared libraries. SYMCLI is a comprehensive command set for managing your storage environment. The SYMCLI commands provide a full spectrum of storage management functionality that exploits the features of the Enginuity operating environment for Symmetrix. Solutions Enabler supports storage management tasks such as base monitoring and management of storage arrays, devices, and components; Access Control, and user authorization; device masking; business continuance, data replication, and backup availability; configuration change; storage performance; and Storage Resource Management (SRM).

Symmetrix Management Console (SMC)

Symmetrix Management Console (SMC) is a simple, intuitive, browser-based user interface for the configuration and management of Symmetrix arrays. It was developed to concurrently support all the features of Enginuity Version 5671 and later. SMC presents the functionality of the Solutions Enabler SYMCLI (command line interface) in a browser interface.

Symmetrix Performance Analyzer (SPA)

EMC Symmetrix Performance Analyzer (SPA) is an intuitive, browser-based tool used to perform historical trending and analysis of Symmetrix array performance data. SPA was developed to work with the Symmetrix Management Console (SMC). The SPA interface can open in its own web window from the SMC menu, or on its own. SPA adds an optional layer of data collection, analysis, and presentation tools to the SMC implementation. You can use SPA to:

• Set performance thresholds and alerts
• View high frequency metrics as they become available
• Perform root cause analysis
• View graphs detailing system performance
• Drill-down through data to investigate issues
• Monitor performance and capacity over time

SPA provides a “fast lane” to display possible performance road blocks with one click, and includes export and print capability for all data graphs. SPA requires Solutions Enabler and SMC to be installed on the same host or client/server configuration.

SMI-S Provider

EMC SMI-S Provider supports the SNIA Storage Management Initiative (SMI), an ANSI standard for storage management. This initiative has developed a standard management interface that has culminated in a comprehensive specification (SMI-Specification or SMI-S). The SMI-S defines the open storage management interface that enables the interoperability of multiple vendors' storage management technologies. The EMC SMI-S Provider is paired with the EMC CIM Server to provide an SMI-compliant interface for EMC Symmetrix and CLARiiON® arrays. The SMI-S Provider offers two types of configurations. One configuration runs on a host and provides an interface for all Symmetrix and CLARiiON arrays, and the other provides an alternative configuration for clients to communicate with the SMI-S Provider running on the Symmetrix V-Max Service Processor.

VSS Provider

EMC VSS Provider is a hardware-based provider service that intercepts and processes requests for creating point-in-time copies of data through the Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS). VSS is a set of Component Object Model (COM) application programming interfaces (API) that provide the backup infrastructure for Windows Server 2003 and 2008 systems. VSS allows volume backup copies to be made while system applications continue writing to a volume without impacting production or server performance. EMC VSS Provider supports Symmetrix storage arrays and requires that Solutions Enabler be installed.

VDS Provider

EMC VDS Provider is a hardware-based provider service that supports interoperability between Symmetrix and CLARiiON storage arrays, and Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2 systems. The Microsoft Virtual Disk Service (VDS) enables logical unit (LUN) device management functionality of multi-vendor storage devices through a windows interface. VDS also provides application programming interfaces (API) used to manage storage hardware, enabling system administrators to discover and configure resources for storage devices with a unified interface.

Symmetrix Procedure Generator

The Symmetrix Procedure Generator (formerly known as the Symmetrix DMX Procedure Generator) is a stand-alone utility that creates procedures to help you manage your EMC Symmetrix systems. This procedure generator eliminates the need to search through manuals by providing you with a customized procedure for your configuration. This tool is available to all Symmetrix customers from EMC Powerlink®. It is updated regularly by EMC and contains a 30-day expiration timer to ensure you always have the latest validated procedures.

SRDF/Cluster Enabler

SRDF/Cluster Enabler (SRDF/CE) is a software plug-in module to EMC Cluster Enabler for Microsoft Failover Clusters software. Cluster Enabler (CE) plug-in architecture consists of a CE base module component and separately available plug-in modules, which support your chosen storage replication technology. The SRDF/CE plug-in module provides a software extension of failover clusters functionality that allows Windows Server 2003 and 2008 (including R2) Enterprise and Datacenter editions running Microsoft Failover Clusters to operate across multiple connected Symmetrix arrays in geographically distributed clusters.

Mainframe Enablers

The EMC Mainframe Enablers are a suite of components that you can use to monitor and manage your EMC Symmetrix system. The components listed below are distributed and installed as a single package. This combined packaging simplifies installation and maintenance, and provides assurance of component compatibility. The Mainframe Enablers are made up of the following software components:

• ResourcePak Base for z/OS – ResourcePak Base for z/OS makes communication between mainframe-based applications and a Symmetrix system more efficient.
• SRDF Host Component for z/OS – SRDF Host Component monitors SRDF status and controls SRDF processes through the use of commands executed from a host. SRDF maintains a real time copy of data at the logical volume level in multiple Symmetrix systems located in physically separate sites.
• TimeFinder/Clone Mainframe SNAP Facility – TimeFinder/Clone Mainframe SNAP Facility is the software foundation for three functional products:
  • TimeFinder/Clone allows creating point-in-time copies of full volumes or individual datasets
  • TimeFinder/Snap allows creating pointer-based copies where only the pre-images of changed data are written to the save area.
  • TimeFinder/Consistency Group allows you to perform Snap and Clone operations on volumes so that the target is dependent-write consistent.
• TimeFinder/Mirror for z/OS – TimeFinder/Mirror for z/OS allows you to create Business Continuance Volumes (BCVs) and gives you the ability to ESTABLISH, SPLIT, RE-ESTABLISH and RESTORE from the source logical volumes.
• Consistency Groups for z/OS –Consistency Groups for z/OS ensures the consistency of data remotely copied by the Symmetrix SRDF feature in the event of a rolling disaster.
• TimeFinder Utility for z/OS –TimeFinder Utility for z/OS is used in conditioning SPLIT BCVs by relabeling the volume and (optionally) renaming and recataloging datasets. This allows the BCV to be mounted and used.

EMC z/OS Storage Manager (EzSM)

EMC z/OS Storage Manager (EzSM) is designed to report on Symmetrix mainframe storage. EzSM provides the mainframe operations staff with a z/OS-oriented view of storage through an easy-to-use ISPF interface. It also enables simplified resource management. EzSM allows you to monitor and report on Symmetrix mainframe storage, perform storage operations using EMC applications, such as SRDF, TimeFinder/Mirror and TimeFinder/Snap, and perform Group Name Services (GNS) operations. EMC z/OS Storage Manager consists of a foundation framework, a console layer, and storage management components.

TPF

EMC's TPF product offering consists of the following components:

• EMC ResourcePak® for TPF (Transaction Processing Facility) – allows TPF customers to access to Symmetrix information through an application program interface called SymmAPI™ for TPF. Sample code, in the form of utility programs that demonstrate how to use the SymmAPI macros, is included. The components of ResourcePak for TPK include:
  • SymmAPI for TPF — The application program interface that enables TPF users access to Symmetrix configuration and statistical information and user data on Symmetrix devices not accessible on the channel.
  • ResourcePak for TPF — Sample TPF programs that use SymmAPI for TPF, data structures, and *EMC TimeFinder Controls for TPF – a business continuance solution consisting of two functional products; TimeFinder/Mirror and TimeFinder/Clone. EMC TimeFinder Controls for TPF creates full volume point-in-time copies that can be used for:
  • Capture operations
  • Restore operations
  • Decision support operations
  • Application testing
• EMC SRDF Controls for TPF – a TPF software package that monitors SRDF status and controls SRDF processes with functional entries entered at the TPF Prime CRAS. The Symmetrix Remote Data Facility (SRDF) feature maintains a real time copy of data at the logical volume level in Symmetrix storage subsystems located in physically separate sites. The Symmetrix storage subsystems supported include all Symmetrix storage subsystems currently supported for mainframe use.

EMC GDDR

EMC Geographically Dispersed Disaster Restart (EMC GDDR) provides automated disaster restart for mainframe systems to minimize the impact of unplanned or planned outages and enhance information availability and protection. With EMC GDDR, you can restart your host system, critical applications, and EMC Symmetrix networked storage at local and remote sites. EMC GDDR allows you to manage system resources and start applications in the order you specify while ensuring disk data integrity. You no longer need to create, test, and maintain your own custom scripts for automated disaster restart.

Storage Viewer for vSphere Client

The objective of the EMC Storage Viewer for vSphere Client is to facilitate discovery and identification of storage devices on Symmetrix and CLARiiON storage arrays that are allocated to VMware ESX servers and virtual machines. The Storage Viewer for vSphere Client brings the storage details up to the virtual infrastructure administrator, merging all the functionality of several different applications that perform storage mapping-related functions into a single application that integrates seamlessly with the vSphere Client. Using a plug-in to the vSphere Client interface, the Storage Viewer for vSphere Client enables users to resolve the underlying storage of Virtual Machine File System (VMFS) datastores and virtual disks, as well as raw device mappings (RDM). In addition, the user is presented with lists of storage arrays and devices that are accessible to the ESX Servers in the virtual infrastructure.

SRDF Adapter

EMC SRDF Adapter is a storage replication adapter that extends the disaster restart management functionality of VMware’s Site Recovery Manager (SRM) 4.0 to the EMC Symmetrix storage environment. It allows SRM to automate storage based disaster restart operations on Symmetrix arrays in a Symmetrix Remote Data Facility (SRDF) configuration.

TimeFinder/Integration Modules

TimeFinder/Integration Modules contains software modules that allow you to integrate TimeFinder, Open Replicator, and SRDF with various Windows server database applications and streamline the management of their associated database objects.

External links

• EMC.com
• EMC Symmetrix V-Max and the Virtual Data Center
• The Storage Anarchist Blog
• Symmetrix Facebook page
• YouTube: EMC with EFDs Re-energize Oracle DB Infrastructures
• YouTube: Symmetrix V-Max "bootleg" video