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ARCHITECTURE GUIDE

Hitachi Unified Storage VM Architecture Guide

By Hitachi Data Systems

October 2013
ARCHITECTURE GUIDE 2

Contents

Executive Summary 3
Chapter 1: Unified Storage With Enterprise Virtualization 4
A Single Virtualized Platform With Hitachi Unified Storage VM 4
Chapter 2: Hitachi Unified Storage VM Architecture 4
One Platform for All Data 5
Hitachi Unified Storage VM Hardware Components 5
High-Performance Switched Network 13
Cache and Control Memory 14
Front-End Design 14
High-Performance SAS Back-End Design 15
Hitachi Accelerated Flash 16
Chapter 3: Software Packages 19
Block Module Software Bundles 20
File Module Software Bundles 26
Conclusion: A Single Virtualized Platform for All Data 29
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Hitachi Unified Storage VM Architecture Guide

Executive Summary
Hitachi Unified Storage VM (HUS VM) is an entry-level enterprise storage platform combining storage virtualization
services with unified block, file and object data management (see Figure 1). This versatile, scalable platform provides
a new storage virtualization system with central storage services for existing storage assets. Unified management
delivers end-to-end central storage management of all virtualized internal and external storage. A unique, hardware-
accelerated, object-based file system supports intelligent file tiering and migration as well as virtual NAS functionality
without compromising performance or scalability. Hitachi Accelerated Flash storage speeds access to data for
performance-centric applications.

HUS VM storage platform requires less floor space and cooling due to innovative new technologies and packaging.
It offers tighter integration with server virtualization and improved storage administrator productivity through Hitachi
Command Suite. Hitachi Command Suite is an open, standards-based suite of tools that provides comprehensive
management, control and reporting for all file, object and block services. This software suite enables single-pane-of-
glass management of all virtualized internal and external storage attached to HUS VM.

Using this system, you can deploy virtual server applications within a new storage virtualization framework and
extend new services to your current storage investments. You can more closely align IT with business objectives
by enhancing capacity efficiency. HUS VM storage systems provide the foundation for matching application service
requirements to different classes of storage and for delivering critical services.

Figure 1. Hitachi Unified Storage VM

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Chapter 1: Unified Storage With Enterprise Virtualization

To achieve growth and efficiency, businesses today must overcome a range of challenges while faced with surging
operating expenses and flat budgets. Building an enterprise-level storage infrastructure should not be one of their
challenges. Hitachi Unified Storage VM changes the storage economics equation by introducing the world’s first uni-
fied storage platform with enterprise storage virtualization. With storage virtualization, businesses gain higher value and
higher functionality, resulting in greater capacity efficiency and extensive cost savings.

A Single Virtualized Platform With Hitachi Unified Storage VM

Hitachi Data Systems offers a unique approach to storage management: a single virtualized platform for all data (struc-
tured and unstructured) with single-pane-of-glass management for heterogeneous environments. We are focused on
the evolving requirements of structured and unstructured data. And, we are the only vendor who can provide you with
a single, virtualized and scalable data management architecture for all open systems platforms as well as all data and
information types (see Figure 2).

Figure 2. Hitachi Consolidated Storage Virtualization

Hitachi Unified Storage VM enables a common set of management tools across all storage assets, whether they are
the products of Hitachi Data Systems or our competitors. Our common platform and management tools improve the
productivity of storage administrators. They enable better cost management (power, cooling, resource sharing), simpli-
fied data migration (block and file storage), and higher availability (IOPS and reliability) with less risk (data protection).

Chapter 2: Hitachi Unified Storage VM Architecture

Like Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform (VSP), which we introduced in 2010, Hitachi Unified Storage VM is based on
the Hi-Star crossbar-switch architecture. This architecture provides a shared resource system where all the primary
components, including front-end ports, back-end ports, cache modules and processors, are connected through an
internal switched network. HUS VM supports up to 64PB of internal and external virtualized storage capacity, and up
to 256GB of directly addressable cache (see Table 1).
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The internal processors share a global cache along with the front-end and back-end I/O modules, which creates a
common pool of storage resources and disk capacity. This disk capacity can include external storage, which is con-
nected through host-initiator Fibre Channel ports.

One Platform for All Data

Controller-based storage virtualization is a key enabling technology to providing one platform for all data. In addition,
the internal architecture of Hitachi Unified Storage VM, with management and control processing separated from
front-end and back-end processing, delivers improved performance for any unique processing required by different
types of data. It provides the flexibility to mix and match front-end and back-end storage services to rapidly achieve
a desired goal. Consolidated and aggregated multivendor storage resources provide a single platform of enterprise
capacity for all file, object and block services functionality.

Operational Simplicity

Hitachi controller-based storage virtualization dramatically simplifies the storage infrastructure. Virtualization enables
the consolidation and aggregation of all multivendor storage resources in a single pool of enterprise storage capacity.
Existing LUNs and data on externally attached storage systems are automatically discovered by the Universal Volume
Manager and presented through global cache as if they were still connected to the application server.

Hitachi Command Suite offers a comprehensive set of management, control and discovery tools for file, object and
block storage services. The software integrates solutions for storage resource management, tiered storage, business
continuity and thin provisioning, giving storage managers a unified management solution for all enterprise storage.

Hitachi Unified Storage VM Hardware Components

Hitachi Unified Storage VM can be configured starting with a single diskless system up to a full, 3-rack system that
comprises up to 1,152 hard disk drives (HDDs), including up to 96 Hitachi Accelerated Flash storage modules, 128
solid-state drives (SSDs) and a total of 256GB cache. The system provides a highly granular upgrade path, allowing
the addition of file modules or drives to the system as storage needs increase. All are mounted in standard 19-inch
racks. A basic HUS VM storage system consists of a 5U controller chassis and zero or 1 or more drive trays that
contain the flash module drives (FMDs), HDDs or SSDs. HUS VM supports multiple concurrent operating systems to
create a heterogeneous system environment.

The controller chassis has an enterprise-grade controller, which has 2 interface or cache blades and 2 processor
blades. All data passes through the interface or cache blade ASICs to cache. The processor blades execute all I/O
jobs and manage cache. HUS VM hardware (see Figure 3) is composed of the following major components:
■■ Block modules — storage virtualization system.
■■ File modules — file virtualization system.
■■ Drive trays — support for Hitachi Accelerated Flash module, large form factor (LFF) 3.5-inch drives and small form
factor (SFF) 2.5-inch drives.
■■ Rack — Hitachi Data Systems or standard 19-inch rack using our supplied rail kits.
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Figure 3. HUS VM Hardware Components

Block Module

Hitachi Unified Storage VM is based on a new block storage system powered by a storage virtualization controller.
This virtual storage system is a single-controller chassis available without drives, and it contains the control logic,
processors, memory and interfaces to the drive chassis and the host servers (see Figure 4). Its dual-node, shared-
resource architecture creates a redundant configuration in which the storage system can continue operation should a
component failure occur.

The block module enables virtualized data access by aggregating storage servers with enterprise storage services,
without added complexity (see Figure 5). It provides common enterprise storage and data services for lower level,
lower cost storage by leveraging existing investments, and it provides seamless integration for future capabilities.

Main components can be added, removed and replaced in the block module without shutting down a device while
the storage system is in operation. The microcode can also be upgraded without shutting down the storage system.
An integrated service processor is mounted in the controller chassis that monitors the running condition of the stor-
age system. Connecting the service processor with our service center enables remote maintenance. The block
module features:
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■■ Up to 32 x 8GB Fibre Channel (48 without drives).

■■ 4 I/O modules each with eight 6Gb/sec SAS links.
■■ Integrated switching power supplies.
■■ Integrated service processor.

Figure 4. HUS VM Controller Chassis

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Figure 5. Hitachi Unified Storage VM Block Module Chassis: Rear Detail

The block controller module includes 2 interface or cache blades, 2 processor blades, an integrated service pro-
cessor, and dual power supplies with built-in cooling fans. Each interface or cache blade has 8 DIMM slots for the
system cache, a flash module for cache backup, and 6 sockets for front-end and back-end modules. Each contains
an ASIC that includes most of the discrete logic previously found on VSP front-end director and back-end director
boards, and a battery for data saving. If a power failure continues more than 20 milliseconds, the storage system
uses power from the batteries to back up the cache memory data and the storage system configuration data onto
the cache flash memory.

The processor blade contains an Intel Xeon 8-core processor and local RAM.

A basic HUS VM chassis has a total of:

■■ 2 cache blades, each with:
■■ Up to 128GB of cache (16 x 8GB DDR3 DIMMs).
■■ 160GB flash for cache backup (1 x 80GB or 1 x 256GB).
■■ Flash battery.
■■ 2 processor blades, each with:
■■ 1 x 8-core Intel Xeon processor.
■■ 8GB of local memory (2 x 4GB DIMMs).
■■ 8 host modules (4 x 8Gb/sec Fibre Channel ports each).
■■ 4 drive modules (8 x 6Gb/sec SAS links each).

File Module

Hitachi Unified Storage VM file module features a hybrid core architecture that uses the best properties of FPGA-
based design to optimize data movement coupled with high-performance, multicore processors for efficient data
management. Both classes of activity work at full speed without impacting each other. They can handle a number
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of simultaneous workloads, such as serving email to thousands of users and hosting large-scale online transaction
processing (OLTP) applications while maintaining high performance.

The file module provides virtualized file access through a single cluster namespace, unifying the directory structure
and presenting a single logical view. It provides a virtual NAS to allocate server resources for performance and high
availability, and storage pools that simplify storage provisioning for applications and workgroups. Tiered storage opti-
mizes performance, high availability and disk utilization across multiple tiers of storage.

The file module provides high IOPS performance, utilizing built-in 10Gb Ethernet for high throughput NAS and iSCSI
networking connectivity (see Figure 6). Up to 4 nodes in a single cluster will meet demands for scalable storage with
greater access, capacity and performance. Storage can be added at any time to meet new application or business
needs, or to consolidate disparate storage with a single point of management and without downtime. These systems
offer a total usable capacity up to 16PB under a single namespace. Easy-to-use centralized system management
enables administration via command-line interface (CLI) or an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI).

Figure 6. HUS VM File Module: Rear Detail

HUS VM file modules are designed to meet the high-performance and scalability requirements of enterprise mission-
critical applications. They can help reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) through consolidation without sacrificing
performance and scalability. Hitachi NAS Silicon File System, our patented hardware-accelerated object-based file
system, enables file system performance and scalability without compromise. In addition, multiple layers of storage
virtualization overcome the complexities associated with large-scale file system management and data availability.

Metadata optimization for improved storage efficiency is included in the Hitachi NAS Silicon File System. The number
of metadata operations is significantly greater than the regular data operations and contributes to a larger share of the
I/O workload mix. This function enables use of fewer high-performance disks combined with lower cost disks while
achieving the same high performance. This efficiency derives from the automatic separation of metadata from user
data. Metadata is placed on the faster tier of utilized storage and the user data on the slower, less expensive tier. This
separation results in improved overall system performance and reduced costs.

Hitachi NAS Silicon File System also includes core functionality for storage virtualization. Individual file systems belong
to enterprise virtual servers (EVS) within each physical system, each with its own set of IP addresses, policies and
ARCHITECTURE GUIDE 10

individual port assignments. Virtual servers are used to group server resources to match the needs of application or
organizational requirements. In a clustered environment, file systems can be quickly relocated among physical servers
for load balancing, and virtual servers automatically migrate in a cluster failover scenario.

The file system also organizes RAID storage into a logical pool of shared storage that can simultaneously provision
multiple file systems. This capability allows administrators to provision file systems as needed, manually or by setting
rules that automatically enforce policies, distributing data dynamically across available storage to optimize perfor-
mance. Intelligent file tiering helps organizations move data among storage and archive tiers, whether internally to the
data center or externally from remote or branch offices, with automated policy-driven migration tools.

The cluster namespace functionality provides a single namespace with a directory structure that is independent of
where data actually resides in physical storage. Virtual servers are used to group server resources to match the needs
of application or organizational requirements. In a clustered environment, file systems can be quickly relocated among
physical servers for load balancing, and virtual servers automatically migrate in a cluster failover scenario.

High-speed deduplication results from our unique object-based file system offload engine (FOE), powered by FPGAs.
Essentially, this means that hashing and chunking becomes an attribute of persisting a file. Specifically, hashing and
chunking is accelerated in hardware, not in pure software. A base hashing or chunking engine license is included
and, depending on performance requirements, 3 additional hashing or chunking engines can be licensed. Additional
engines work in parallel, so the increase in dedupe performance is nearly 4-fold. The minimal impact to file serving
activity is due to an intelligent deduplication process that knows when new data is added and automatically starts up
the deduplication engine or engines as long as the system is not busy. When a file serving workload reaches preset
thresholds, the deduplication engines throttle back, preventing any impact to file serving performance; then, they
automatically throttle up when the system is less busy.

Drive Trays

Hitachi Unified Storage VM is available with a choice of storage options, ranging from high-performance flash mod-
ules and SSDs to SAS drives. Both LFF 3.5-inch drives and SFF 2.5-inch drives are supported. All drive types use a
6Gb/sec SAS interface.

The Hitachi Accelerated Flash storage tray is a 2-rack unit chassis that enables the installation of up to 12 flash mod-
ules (see Figure 7). It includes 2 enclosure communication cards (ENCs) and 2 power supplies with built-in cooling
fans.
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Figure 7. Hitachi Accelerated Flash Storage Tray: Up to 12 Flash Modules

The standard drive tray is a chassis that enables the installation of up to twenty-four 2.5-inch small form factor disk
drives and 2.5-inch solid state drives (see Figure 8). It includes 2 enclosure communication cards and 2 power sup-
plies with a built-in cooling fan.

Figure 8. Drive Tray: 2.5-inch SFF and 3.5-inch LFF

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The dense disk drive tray is configured with up to forty-eight 3.5-inch large form factor drives (see Figure 9). The
ENCs and power supplies are individual for each half of the unit and are installed as a duplex configuration.

Figure 9. Dense Drive Tray: 3.5-inch LFF

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TABLE 1. HITACHI UNIFIED STORAGE VM SPECIFICATIONS

Physical Characteristics
Maximum Hitachi Accelerated Flash Expansion Trays (2U, 12 x FMD) 8
Maximum Standard Disk Expansion Trays (2U, 24 x 2.5” disks) 48
Maximum Standard Disk Expansion Trays (2U, 12 x 3.5” disks) 48
Maximum Dense Expansion Trays (4U, 48 x 3.5” disks) 24
Data Cache (GB) 64-256
Fibre Channel Port Performance (Gb/sec) 2/4/8
Maximum Logical Devices (LDEVs) 16,384
Number of Flash Modules per System (with spares) 0-96
Number of Disks per System (with spares) (2.5” or 3.5”) 0-1,152
Number of Solid State Drives (SSD) per System 0-128
Number of Disk Spares 1-64
Maximum Internal and External Capacity (PB) 64PB
Block Modules
Architecture Hierarchical Star Network
Back-End SAS Links (6Gb/sec) 2-4 2-port back-end modules (32 SAS links, 4 per port)
Dimensions (Height x Width x Depth) 5U, 8.5" (217mm) x 19.0" (480mm) x 33" (838mm)
Weight 156 lbs. (71kg)
File Modules
Nodes per Cluster 1-4
Main Board Memory per Node 32GB (4GB NVRAM)
Maximum Capacity per Cluster 16PB
Maximum File Size per Cluster 256TB
10Gb/sec Client Ports 4
Protocols SMB, NFS, FTP
Dimensions (Height x Width x Depth) 3U, 5.2” (132mm) x 17.3” (440mm) x 28.6” (725mm)
Weight 55 lbs. (25kg)

FMD = flash module drive

High-Performance Switched Network

At the heart of Hitachi Unified Storage VM is the switched network that is used to communicate and transfer informa-
tion between the various components (see Figure 10).

Each block module contains a Hi-Star architecture-based controller. All cache data and control data paths are part of
the switched network. This switched network is used to communicate and transfer information between the various
components of Hitachi Unified Storage VM.
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Figure 10. Hitachi Unified Storage VM employs Hi-Star architecture-based network for high-performance data movement.

Cache and Control Memory

Hitachi Unified Storage VM uses partitioned cache rather than a shared global cache. A portion of this cache space
(4GB to 20GB per blade, mirrored) is reserved for the system’s control memory region. There is also a transfer buffer
region where the host ports and drive ports transfer data blocks, and space for 2 or 4 user data cache directories
(500MB each).

The control memory and cache directory regions are backed up to each interface or cache blade’s SSD on a planned
shutdown. In the case of a power loss, all cache per blade is backed up to its local SSD.

The remaining cache space is managed as a global pool. This space is evenly divided into 4 partitions for the 4
microprocessor units. A microprocessor unit may borrow some space from another partition under certain circum-
stances. A microprocessor unit cannot access its own data partition. Only the interface or cache blades can do so
with direct memory access (DMA) transfers, but the microprocessors manage their partitions. Each processor blade
microprocessor unit uses DMA to access control memory and the cache directories on the cache blades, but the
cache blades do not.

Front-End Design
Each host I/O module contains one 4-port Tachyon QE8 8Gb/sec Fibre Channel controller. Each module is con-
nected to 1 PCIe x8 link on the ASIC, on the interface or cache blade. Hitachi Unified Storage VM supports Fibre
Channel for open systems and SAN connectivity. HUS VM supports up to 32 Fibre Channel ports from up to 8 host
I/O modules per controller chassis. Additional ports, up to 48, can be added by replacing 1 to 4 drive modules per
controller chassis with host I/O modules. The Fibre Channel ports support industry-standard 2Gb/sec, 4Gb/sec and
8Gb/sec transfer rates.
ARCHITECTURE GUIDE 15

Unique port virtualization technology dramatically expands connectivity from open systems platforms to Hitachi Unified
Storage VM. Each physical Fibre Channel port supports 1,024 virtual ports. Each virtual port has access to a private
storage partition called a host storage domain, which includes a bootable LUN0.

Connectivity from all major open systems hosts is supported, including1:

■■ HP: HP-UX.
■■ IBM®: AIX®.
■■ Microsoft®: Windows Server® (2000, 2003, 2008, 2012).
■■ Novell: NetWare, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.
■■ Red Hat: Enterprise Linux.
■■ Oracle: Sun Solaris.
■■ VMware: ESX Server.

High-Performance SAS Back-End Design

The back end of Hitachi Unified Storage VM is a SAS engine that is a cross between the HUS 100 family and Hitachi
Virtual Storage Platform. The SAS engine elements include the drive I/O modules, up to 48 disk trays with their dual
4-link SAS switches (ENCs), and the SAS drives. The interface or cache blade controls all communications between
the drive modules and the processor blades and all DMA transfers to cache. Each drive module is connected to 1
PCIe x8 link on the ASIC in the main blade. Each drive I/O module contains 1 SAS controller device with a pair of wide
ports (4 x SAS 6Gb/sec lanes each). Optional I/O modules perform data-at-rest encryption.

HUS VM is available with a choice of disk drives, ranging from high-performance SSDs to SAS drives (see Table 2).
Both LFF 3.5-inch drives and SFF drives are supported. All drives types use a 6Gb/sec interface to the drive modules.

TABLE 2. HITACHI UNIFIED STORAGE VM DRIVE TYPES

Speed
Drive Type Size Capacity
(RPM)
n/a 1.6TB n/a
FMD
n/a 3.2TB n/a
2.5” 200GB n/a
SSD
2.5” 400GB n/a
2.5” 300GB 15K
2.5” 600GB 10K
2.5” 900GB 10K
HDD
2.5” 1200GB 10K
3.5” 3TB 7.2K
3.5” 4TB 7.2K

FMD = file module drive, SSD = solid state disk, SAS = serial attached SCSI

1
For the most updated list of supported operating systems, refer to Hitachi Data Systems website at http://www.hds.com/products/storage-systems/universal-storage-
platform-v-network-storage-controller-os-support-specifications.html?_p=v
ARCHITECTURE GUIDE 16

Hitachi Accelerated Flash

Hitachi Accelerated Flash features an innovative Hitachi-developed embedded flash memory controller designed to
achieve higher performance, increased durability and greater capacity compared to the commodity solid-state drives
(see Figure 11). Its multicore, high-bandwidth architecture supports up to 128 flash DIMMs. Inline compression sup-
port results in faster formatting, write reduction, and extended device endurance for enterprise workloads. Enhanced
error correction, learning cell program-erase, and data refresh enable superior data integrity and cell longevity. A
high-performance flash translation layer is highly parallel with 8 PCIe lanes to a multicore processor with an integrated
DDR-3 interface. Integrated flash controller logic supports 32 paths to the flash array.

Inline compression improves sustained write performance by preserving reserved capacity for background tasks like
garbage collection and wear leveling. This feature avoids wasted flash cells where data contains long sequences of
zeros by detecting such patterns and minimizing actual cell usage. It features zero response time overhead to reduce
setup time by performing flash formatting faster and lowers controller overhead using compression offload. It extends
NAND (Not And) endurance by avoiding unnecessary erases and is transparent to storage system functions.

Hitachi Accelerated Flash modules fit into a 2U flash chassis. Each enclosure holds 12 flash modules to scale up to
38.4TB of flash storage. Up to 8 flash enclosures can be housed in HUS VM, enabling more than 300TB of flash per
system.

Figure 11. Hitachi Accelerated Flash Storage Module

Hitachi flash acceleration software speeds I/O processing to increase flash device throughput via higher thread count.
Its “express” host I/O processing takes advantage of the high-bandwidth, low-latency architecture of the HUS VM.
This software feature is transparent with other storage features like dynamic provisioning, dynamic tiering, in-system
replication or remote replication.

RAID Implementation Advantages

Hitachi Data Systems drive-I/O modules employ advanced algorithms to manage performance. The intelligent
controllers provide disk-interface and RAID management circuitry, offloading these tasks to dedicated embedded
processors. Hitachi Unified Storage VM supports RAID-1+0, RAID-5 (parity RAID) and RAID-6 (see Table 3). All user
data disks in the system are defined as part of a RAID array group of one type or another.
ARCHITECTURE GUIDE 17

TABLE 3. HITACHI UNIFIED STORAGE VM BACK-END DIRECTOR SUPPORT OF RAID CONFIGURATIONS2

RAID Type Supported Disk Configuration

RAID-1+0 Mirroring 2D+2D
3D+1P
RAID-5 Distributed Parity
7D+1P
6D+2P
RAID-6 Redundant Distributed Parity
14D+2P

RAID-1+0

RAID-1+0 is available in 2 data plus 2 data (2D+2D) disk configuration. The configuration includes a rotating copy,
where the primary and secondary stripes are toggled back and forth across the physical disk drives for performance.
RAID-1+0 is best suited to applications with low cache-hit ratios, such as random I/O activity and with high write-to-
read ratios.

RAID-5 Distributed Parity

RAID-5 disk arrangements consist of 4 disks (3D+1P) or 8 disks (7D+1P). Data is striped across disks similar to
RAID-1+0. However, RAID-5 keeps parity information on each stripe of data for fault resilience. If a failure occurs, the
contents of the failed block can be recreated by reading back other blocks in the stripe and the parity. Parity informa-
tion is distributed throughout the array to minimize bottlenecks when rebuilding data from a failed disk. The overhead
of RAID-5 is equivalent to 1 disk drive, regardless of the size of the array. RAID-5 is best suited to applications using
mostly sequential reads.

Concatenated RAID-5 Array Groups

Concatenated array groups enable users to stripe logical devices (LDEVs) across more disks than are in a single
RAID-5 array group for better performance. The feature supports the concatenation of 2 or 4 RAID-5 7D+1P array
groups. An LDEV created on a standard RAID-5 array group becomes a LUN when it is mapped to a host port. For
concatenated array groups, the LDEV, striped across multiple elements in the joined array groups, forms a virtual
device (VDEV). Mapping the VDEV to a host port creates the LUN.

RAID-6 Redundant Distributed Parity

Like RAID-5, RAID-6 stripes blocks of data and parity across an array of drives. However, RAID-6 maintains redun-
dant parity information for each stripe of data. This redundancy enables RAID-6 to recover from the failure of up to 2
drives in an array, or in other words, a double fault. Other RAID configurations can only tolerate a single fault. As with
RAID-5, performance is adjusted by varying stripe sizes. RAID-6 is good for applications using the largest disks and
performing many sequential reads.

RAID Rebuild

If a disk in a RAID group fails, the information on the failed drive is rapidly and automatically rebuilt on a hot spare
drive. Hitachi Unified Storage VM also allows logical volumes to be expanded online. Administrators can set rebuild
priority based on the daily processing cycle and RAID configuration installed.

2
When using Open V-volumes for RAID-5, RAID-6 or RAID-1+0 configurations, Hitachi Unified Storage VM uses 2 adjacent 256KB chunks from the same disk before
moving to the next disk, so the effective chunk size is 512KB. For example, in a RAID-5 7d + 1P configuration, the stripes are actually 3,584KB (7 x 512KB).
ARCHITECTURE GUIDE 18

Connect External Storage

One of the most significant features offered by Hitachi Unified Storage VM is the ability to connect external, multiven-
dor storage. This connectivity creates a single virtualized pool of capacity for administrators to centrally manage using
Hitachi storage management software. HUS VM supports a wide range of 3rd-party storage systems (see Figure 12).

Figure 12. A Single Virtualized Pool of Capacity

For the latest information, see the Externally Attached Storage Systems on: www.hds.com/products/storage-
systems/specifications/supported-external-storage.html.

Power Subsystem

The power subsystem used in Hitachi Unified Storage VM has redundant power supplies in the controller. The power
supplies are hot pluggable, hot swappable and N+1 redundant. This means power supplies can be removed or
installed without affecting system operation.

Each controller chassis in HUS VM consists of 2 redundant controller halves. Each half contains all physical and logi-
cal elements needed to sustain processing. Both storage halves support alternate connection path schemes, so if
one fails, the other can continue processing for the entire storage system.

Redundant power supplies are provided to power each half of the controller. In the event of a power supply failure,
the power supplies in each half are capable of providing power for the entire system.

System Monitoring Network

The system monitoring network in Hitachi Unified Storage VM connects to all cabinets and reports on a variety of
system conditions, such as component failure, fan speed, voltages and temperature. The network enables efficient
predictive maintenance, so components can be replaced before they fail. It also expedites system repair after a fail-
ure, through the failure alert system.
ARCHITECTURE GUIDE 19

The system-monitoring network passes information to the service processor or remotely across a private LAN on a
UNIX or Microsoft Windows console. Failure information is also available via Simple Network Management Protocol
(SNMP). Copies of all system status and alerts are sent to Hitachi Data Systems customer support centers via the
Hi-Track Remote Monitoring system.

High Availability

Hitachi Unified Storage VM places emphasis on high availability to satisfy the needs of the most demanding enter-
prise applications. Hitachi Data Systems offers a combination of unique industry solutions and best-in-class 3rd-party
software integration to deliver unbeatable resilience and availability. In fact, only HDS offers a 100% data availability
guarantee.
■■ Nondisruptive microcode and hardware upgrades.
■■ Automatic failover architecture with redundant, hot-swappable components.
■■ Dual data paths and dual control paths connecting every component.
■■ Active-active dual-ported disk drives.
■■ Nonvolatile backup of cache using a combination of battery and flash disk drives.
■■ Hi-Track Remote Monitoring system, which immediately sends notification of any incident that may affect availabil-
ity to the Hitachi Data Systems customer support center.

Chapter 3: Software Packages

Hitachi Data Systems storage solutions support a full range of file, object and block storage services (see Table 4).
The solutions give IT the ability to mix and match services to satisfy a desired goal. All solutions use open protocols,
rather than proprietary APIs, to promote interoperability and maintain scalability. When combined with Hitachi Unified
Storage VM, this complete offering of software solutions allows one storage solution to support all data types.
ARCHITECTURE GUIDE 20

Block Module Software Bundles

TABLE 4. HITACHI UNIFIED STORAGE VM BLOCK MODULE SOFTWARE BUNDLES

Bundle Hitachi Solution Application

Hitachi Base Operating System (BOS)
Hitachi Base Operating System
(with flash optimization feature)
Hitachi Command Suite Analytics
Hitachi Command Suite Mobility
Hitachi Local Replication
Hitachi Remote Replication
Hitachi Device Manager Baseline management tools for Hitachi Unified
Hitachi Dynamic Provisioning Storage VM, including virtualization.
Hitachi Universal Volume Manager
Hitachi Virtual Partition Manager
Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager
Flash optimization feature Adds flash optimization to the baseline
Hitachi Device Manager management tools for Hitachi Unified Storage
Hitachi Dynamic Provisioning VM to accelerate all flash performance.
Hitachi Universal Volume Manager
Hitachi Virtual Partition Manager
Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager
Hitachi Tuning Manager Seamlessly gathers and reports storage and
Hitachi Command Director application performance.
Hitachi Tiered Storage Manager Optimizes tiered storage at the volume or
Hitachi Dynamic Tiering sub-LUN level.
Hitachi Thin Image Create and manage internal full and snapshot
Hitachi ShadowImage Heterogeneous copies of volumes.
Replication
Hitachi Replication Manager
Hitachi TrueCopy synchronous remote Simplifies data replication between storage
replication systems.
Hitachi Universal Replicator

The following sections describe the complementary storage capabilities and software components in depth.

Hitachi Command Suite — Storage Management

Hitachi Command Suite is an application-centric storage management solution that incorporates the internation-
ally recognized Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) services management best practices to simplify
administration of a common pool of multivendor storage. This suite of management software gives administrators the
tools to deliver dependable storage system availability and performance (see Figure 13). The software offers compre-
hensive management, control and discovery for file, object and block storage services and reduces complexity, costs
and risk in the storage infrastructure.
ARCHITECTURE GUIDE 21

Figure 13. Hitachi Command Suite provides deep integration through a common GUI along with usability, data
repositories and task workflows.

Hitachi Base Operating System (BOS)

Hitachi Base Operating System is a set of fully integrated tools for simplifying storage management and enabling the
partitioning and virtualization capabilities of Hitachi Unified Storage VM (see Table 5). BOS utilizes an easy-to-use and
intuitive GUI to centrally manage Hitachi storage systems and also includes a complete CLI. It provides user, logical,
physical and host management views that enable provisioning and storage pooling for primary and secondary stor-
age. The Base Operating System includes the following individual software components:

TABLE 5. HITACHI BASE OPERATING SYSTEM INTEGRATED TOOLS

Tool
Hitachi Base Operating System
(with flash optimization feature)
Hitachi Device Manager
Hitachi Dynamic Provisioning
Hitachi Universal Volume Manager
Hitachi Virtual Partition Manager
Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager
Advanced
Function
yy Speeds I/O processing to increase flash device throughput.
yy Primary control point for Hitachi Base Operating System.
yy Provides a single point of management for all Hitachi physical and virtual storage.
yy Acts as the interface for integration with other systems.
yy Provides thin provisioning for simplified provisioning operations, automatic performance
optimization and storage space savings.
yy Enables virtualization of external heterogeneous storage.
yy Supports up to 29 virtual cache partitions.
yy Provides advanced SAN multipathing with centralized management.
ARCHITECTURE GUIDE 22

Hitachi Device Manager

Hitachi Device Manager provides centralized management of multiple Hitachi storage systems. Hitachi Device
Manager v7 features a new GUI, integrated workflows for improved usability and significant improvements to both
scalability and performance. By providing a single console for managing complex storage environments, Hitachi
Device Manager software unifies and simplifies storage management.

Featuring both an intuitive GUI and a complete CLI, Device Manager centrally manages single or multiple Hitachi
storage systems. With highly efficient context-sensitive workflows, Device Manager supports multiple management
views, including physical, logical, host, NAS and virtual server for provisioning and storage pooling for primary and
secondary storage.

Hitachi Dynamic Provisioning

Hitachi Dynamic Provisioning provides Hitachi Unified Storage VM with thin provisioning services. This gives applica-
tions access to virtual storage capacity (see Figure 14). As an application writes data to a virtual volume, the storage
system dynamically allocates physical disk space from a common pool. Unused capacity in the pool is available to
any application that needs it, eliminating the waste of overallocated and underutilized application storage capacity.

The automated allocation of application storage capacity also dramatically simplifies the storage provisioning process.
Dynamic Provisioning reduces the need to perform complex storage system tuning to improve I/O performance.

HUS VM automatically stripes thin provisioned volumes across the entire width of the physical pool of disks. This
wide striping balances the I/O load across many disk spindles, giving consistently high performance for all I/O.

Figure 14. Hitachi Dynamic Provisioning reduces the size, cost and complexity of the enterprise storage environment.
ARCHITECTURE GUIDE 23

HUS VM implementation of thin provisioning is unique. All internal and externally attached storage resources virtualized
by the Hitachi storage controller can participate in the common physical pool used by thin provisioned volumes.

Dynamic Provisioning also simplifies storage provisioning and automates data placement on disk for optimal per-
formance. Administrators do not need to micromanage application storage allocations or perform complex, manual
performance tuning. In addition, physical storage resources can be added to the thin provisioning pool at any time,
without application downtime.

Hitachi Universal Volume Manager

Hitachi Universal Volume Manager simplifies migration of applications using 3rd-party storage to HUS VM. The soft-
ware eliminates the need to reformat LUNs or perform complex extent mapping, providing a minimally disruptive
migration process. Once virtualized behind HUS VM, external LUNs gain access to all Hitachi storage services.

Hitachi Virtual Partition Manager

Hitachi Virtual Partition Manager enables the logical partitioning of cache into independently managed virtual machines.
The number of partitions and partition sizes can be adjusted nondisruptively while HUS VM is in operation. These
partitions can be allocated dynamically to utilize resources based on changes in business requirements by assigning
different I/O workloads to different areas of cache.

Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager Advanced

Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager Advanced offers robust multipath SAN connections between servers and storage sys-
tems. It provides fault-tolerant failover, failback and load balancing, and centralized path management, for improved
information access, usability and availability. Automatic workload balancing helps to maintain outstanding system
performance across all available paths. If one path were to fail, Dynamic Link Manager Advanced would automatically
switch the I/O to an alternate path, ensuring that an active route to data is always available.

Hitachi Command Suite Analytics Package

Hitachi Command Suite Analytics software gathers information and reports on storage network resources, enabling
storage administrators to make informed storage management decisions. It includes the following individual software
components:

Hitachi Tuning Manager

Hitachi Tuning Manager is an automated, intelligent and path-aware storage resource management tool that maps,
monitors, analyzes and measures storage network resources and performance from the application to the device. By
monitoring all storage network resources, including hosts, file systems, databases, SAN switches and Hitachi stor-
age systems, Hitachi Tuning Manager provides the necessary visibility for complete performance management of the
entire storage environment. Through a Web-based interface, Tuning Manager facilitates monitoring of the storage net-
work with a comprehensive range of performance statistics combined with predefined reports and custom reporting
capabilities.

Hitachi Command Director

Hitachi Command Director centralizes management and reporting across Hitachi Command Suite. By consolidating
reporting of storage configuration, capacity, performance and tier information, Command Director provides a business-
oriented view into the storage environment (see Figure 15). From this view, administrators can easily align Hitachi
storage assets with critical business applications and simplify application-to-storage reporting. Command Director also
ensures compliance to application-specific storage service levels.
ARCHITECTURE GUIDE 24

Figure 15. Hitachi Command Director provides a business-oriented view of storage.

Hitachi Command Suite Mobility Package

Hitachi Command Suite Mobility software is used to optimize the system’s tiered storage capabilities at the volume or
sub-LUN level. It includes the following individual software components:

Hitachi Tiered Storage Manager

Hitachi Tiered Storage Manager provides the unique ability to migrate volumes between heterogeneous tiers of stor-
age, without affecting application access to data. The software supports up to 64 simultaneous migrations, using 64
processor threads, and it offers a single interface for all data movement between storage virtualized by Hitachi Unified
Storage VM.

Hitachi Dynamic Tiering

Hitachi Dynamic Tiering extends Hitachi Dynamic Provisioning and takes the automation of tiered storage to a new
level. It enables the management of multiple storage tiers as a single entity. It presents a new kind of virtual volume
with embedded smart tiering that monitors access and moves data at the fine-grain page level (see Figure 16).

Dynamic Tiering uses a dynamic storage pool that is divided into 42MB pages. Virtual volumes are made up of pages
from the dynamic storage pool. Each page is mapped to a tier within the pool and can be anywhere in the pool on
any tier within that pool. HUS VM, through Dynamic Tiering, determines which pages it is best to place in higher tiers
and which in lower tiers. The pages can be moved up and down between the tiers within the pool for performance
optimization purposes.

A Hitachi Dynamic Tiering environment will have most of the highly referenced pages in the highest tier and the least
referenced pages in the lowest tier. Dynamic Tiering will try to use highest tiers such as Hitachi Accelerated Flash
storage as much as possible. This can provide the effective appearance that all the data is on the fastest tier of
ARCHITECTURE GUIDE 25

storage; in fact, most of the data resides on lower cost, lower performance storage tiers comprising SAS drives. The
lowest tier also contains much of the spare capacity.

A Dynamic Tiering volume is another type of volume in a virtualized storage architecture. Just like disk types and
RAID configurations, multitier volumes are another way of delivering storage with tailored cost and performance ser-
vice levels. Capacity can be dynamically added to or removed from a tier at any time, which means that sizing a tier
for a pool is much easier.

Figure 16. Volume, Page and File System Tiering

With Dynamic Tiering, the storage administrator does not need to classify data or define policies. Once the tiers are
configured, the storage system does all the work, freeing up the storage administrator to focus on other storage-
related responsibilities.

Hitachi Local Replication Package

Hitachi local replication software is used to replicate full volumes as well as to create snapshot copies of internal vol-
umes. It includes the following individual software components:

Hitachi Thin Image

The high-speed, nondisruptive snapshot technology of Hitachi Thin Image snapshot software rapidly creates up to
1024 point in-time copies of mission-critical information within any Hitachi storage system or virtualized storage pool.
In doing so, it does not impact host service or performance levels. Because snapshots store only the changed data,
the volume of storage capacity required for each snapshot copy is substantially smaller than the source volume. As a
result, Hitachi Thin Image snapshot software can provide significant savings over full volume cloning methods. Hitachi
Thin Image snapshot copies are fully read/write compatible system backups, application testing and data mining
applications while business continues to run at full capacity.
ARCHITECTURE GUIDE 26

Hitachi ShadowImage Heterogeneous Replication

By providing nondisruptive, high-speed data replication within any Hitachi storage system or virtualized storage pool,
Hitachi ShadowImage Heterogeneous Replication software enables immediate data use. It makes data available for
decision support, software testing and development, and data protection operations. ShadowImage cloning opera-
tions are independent of operating system, application or device, allowing efficient and centralized replicated storage
volume management. ShadowImage software provides heterogeneous replication between any storage systems
within a virtualized storage pool managed by Hitachi Unified Storage VM. Leveraging the storage virtualization capa-
bilities of the platform, administrators can move data that resides on an externally attached storage system from the
source to a target data volume anywhere in the storage pool. This capability includes data movement to another
externally attached system.

Hitachi Replication Manager

With Hitachi Replication Manager, administrators can configure, monitor and manage any replication systems that are
based on Hitachi storage systems. Combining robust reporting, mirroring and features previously available in separate
offerings, it manages in-system or distance replication for open systems environments. Replication Manager simplifies
and optimizes configuration, operations, task management, automation and monitoring of the critical applications and
storage components of your replication infrastructure.

Hitachi Remote Replication Package

Hitachi remote replication software is used to replicate volumes between primary and secondary data centers. It
includes the following individual software components:

Hitachi TrueCopy Synchronous Remote Replication

Hitachi TrueCopy synchronous remote replication software duplicates data from one Hitachi storage system to
another, across any distance. It automates the recovery process and enables normal business operations to resume
in minutes rather than hours or days following an outage at the primary site. TrueCopy software provides host-
independent data replication, including heterogeneous replication capabilities for any type of data across any dis-
tance, without affecting application performance. Copies generated by Hitachi replication software products can be
used for the rapid recovery of production systems or the restart of production on disaster recovery systems following
an outage. They can also be used for data warehousing, data mining or data migration applications.

Hitachi Universal Replicator

Hitachi Universal Replicator delivers the industry’s first multiplatform, multivendor, remote copy capability. Supporting
asynchronous, real-time replication of data from one Hitachi Unified Storage VM to another, the software gives stor-
age administrators a consistent replication approach using a common set of procedures, tools and skills for all data
center storage.

Conventional replication solutions push updates from the primary storage system to a remote location. Universal
Replicator running on HUS VM at the remote site pulls changes from journal volumes maintained by HUS VM running
Universal Replicator at the primary site. This approach offloads replication overhead from the primary storage system
and dramatically reduces the impact of replication on the business application. Transmitted record sets include a
sequence number, enabling the replication engine to verify receipt of all records at the remote site and to sequence
writes in the correct order for storage replication.

File Module Software Bundles

Hitachi Base Operating System F provides multiprotocol file services, dynamic provisioning, intelligent file tiering, file
virtualization and unified directory structure (see Table 6). Intelligent file tiering helps organizations move data among
ARCHITECTURE GUIDE 27

storage and archive tiers with automated, policy-driven migration tools. This integration of NAS and “write once, read
many” (WORM) features combine NAS, archive, index and search technologies.

Tiered file system (TFS), also known as “metadata optimization,” separates file system metadata from user data
and automatically places metadata on the highest tier for improved performance and storage cost-efficiency.
Complementary with the policy-based intelligent file tiering capability, it migrates data between different file systems.

Cluster namespace creates a unified directory structure across storage pools and servers. Multiple file systems
appear under a single common root, and both Server Message Block (SMB) and Network File System (NFS) clients
obtain global access through any cluster node. Virtual file system supports SMB and NFS protocols for flexibility and
power to handle very large files and millions of small files plus concurrent file system operations with no performance
impact. Automatic file system expansion is also available.

TABLE 6. HITACHI UNIFIED STORAGE VM FILE MODULE SOFTWARE BUNDLES

Entry Value Ultra

SMB and NFS Entry Bundle Plus Value Bundle Plus
2 x Virtual Server iSCSI 64 x Virtual Server
Storage Pool 4 x Virtual Server Hitachi NAS Replication bundle
File System Audit File System Recover from Snapshot XVL (External Volume Links)
(WFS2 – from 6.1)

File System Rollback Data Migrator Data Migrator to Cloud

Quick Snapshot Restore Hitachi NAS File Clone
Base Deduplication Read Caching
Cluster Name Space Hitachi NAS Synchronous Image Backup
High Availability Cluster Virtual Server Security
Entry 90-day Trial License Virtual Server Migration

Disaster Recovery

The disaster recovery capabilities of Hitachi NAS Replication, based on object replication, bring data back online
quickly and efficiently through enhanced tools that automate system failover and failback. A source file system can be
included in multiple replication schedules, allowing for multitarget replication. The snapshots and replication states for
each replication job are separately maintained. Hitachi NAS Replication also supports file replication, which allows it
to recover a more granular subset of files compared to object replication, which works only at the file system level.

Hitachi NAS File Clone software performs cloning at the file level. Using Hitachi NAS File Clone, multiple copies or
clones of single files are made by taking snapshots of that file and saving subsequent differences separately. By
referring back to the original file for most of the data, Hitachi NAS File Clone avoids making multiple copies of the
common elements of the file. Using Hitachi NAS File Clone, entire development and production environments can be
deployed in a matter of minutes with little incremental storage cost.

Hitachi NAS Virtual Infrastructure Integrator, specifically developed for VMware environments, provides snapshot
management from within a vCenter console. As an integrated plug-in to vSphere, Virtual Infrastructure Integrator
allows vSphere administrators to work from their existing management interface to create snapshots for backup or
ARCHITECTURE GUIDE 28

recovery of virtual machines and virtual machine disk (VMDK) files. Possible choices are instant on-demand snap-
shots taken by the user, policy-based snapshots, or orphan snapshots from deleted file module storage systems and
VMs. Policy-based retention allows the administrator to define the preservation timeframe by snapshot, freeing up
storage capacity. Snapshot retention can be defined by the administrator by the number of backups, the number of
days, or a mixture of both backups and days.

High Availability Manager

High Availability Manager software enables server-based applications to fail over between Hitachi Unified Storage VM
storage systems in the event of an I/O failure to the primary storage system. This failover may be accomplished with-
out the necessity of restarting the application. This capability provides continuous accessibility and availability to data
located on internal or virtualized (in other words, external) storage.

High Availability Manager is suited for companies that must ensure accessibility. If a problem prevents an application
from being able access storage in one of the data centers, it ensures that storage located in the other data center
can be accessed without requiring an application restart.

Data-at-Rest Encryption

Hitachi Unified Storage VM provides an optional encryption capability on the back-end I/O module to protect data at
rest on internal storage media and volumes. If data is encrypted, information leakage can be prevented when replac-
ing the disk storage system or the drives in the disk storage system. Likewise, the HUS VM encryption capability
provides an additional measure of protection and confidentiality for lost, stolen or misplaced media that may contain
sensitive information.

Resource Partition Manager

Hitachi Resource Partition Manager software enables administrative partitioning of Hitachi Unified Storage VM
resources (see Figure 17). It can be used with local authentication, or it can be integrated into corporate directory
services and security systems using standard management interfaces such as Microsoft Active Directory®, LDAP
and RADIUS. Solving both security and audit or compliance issues, Hitachi Resource Partition Manager enables
management of shared storage assets by different groups.
ARCHITECTURE GUIDE 29

Figure 17. Resource groups allow greater administrator granularity and flexible partitioning.

Conclusion: A Single Virtualized Platform for All Data

Hitachi Data Systems offers a unique approach to storage management: a single virtualized platform for all data
(structured and unstructured) with single-pane-of-glass management for heterogeneous environments. We are
focused on the evolving requirements of structured and unstructured data. HDS is the only vendor who can provide
you with a single, virtualized and scalable data management architecture for all open systems platforms as well as all
data and information types (see Figure 18).
ARCHITECTURE GUIDE 30

Figure 18. Hitachi Storage Virtualization

Hitachi Unified Storage VM enables a common set of management tools across all storage assets, whether they are
the products of Hitachi Data Systems or our competitors. Our common platform and management tools improve the
productivity of storage administrators and enable better cost management (power, cooling, resource sharing), simpli-
fied data migration (block and file storage), and higher availability (IOPS and reliability) with less risk (data protection).

The technologies at the core of HUS VM have been developed over multiple generations and many years. Our over-
riding goal has been to provide a highly scalable high-performance platform for storage services.
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© Hitachi Data Systems Corporation 2013. All rights reserved. HITACHI is a trademark or registered trademark of Hitachi, Ltd. ShadowImage, Hi-Star and Hi-Track are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Hitachi Data Systems Corporation. IBM and AIX are trademarks or registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. Microsoft, Active
Directory and Windows Server are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks, service marks, and company names are properties of their
respective owners.
Notice: This document is for informational purposes only, and does not set forth any warranty, expressed or implied, concerning any equipment or service offered or to be offered by
Hitachi Data Systems Corporation.
AG-002-C DG October 2013