VNX2 Overview
Power, efficiency, protection, and simplicity are four traits that must characterize an array in today’s high demand storage environment. Storage systems are required to provide powerful and efficient storage technologies, keep data protected, and be simple to use and manage.
The VNX multicore initiative, MCx™, is an architecture project that redesigns the core Block OE stack within the new VNX series (VNX2). Developed with many goals, the MCx platform’s most significant mission is CPU Scaling. This mission is very simple: take advantage of the many CPU cores that the Intel microarchitecture offers and create a solution for further technological growth.
The VNX2 platform is a union of increased hardware performance and the extensive code changes required to support it. The optimization focuses on ensuring that cache management and back-end RAID management processes take full advantage of multicore CPUs, allowing cache and back-end processing software to scale in a linear fashion. In this way, EMC fully leverages the power of Intel’s latest multicore CPUs. The VNX2 series has a scaling factor of 97 percent, so future scaling using additional cores is guaranteed. This not only allows EMC to deliver cost efficient performance, but also to scale while delivering advanced efficiency and protection.
The VNX2 series is designed for a wide range of environments from mid-tier to enterprise. Each VNX2 model is offered in file only, block only, and unified (block and file) implementations. The VNX2 series is still managed through a simple and intuitive user interface called Unisphere®; this single pane of glass completes the unified experience.
The VNX2 series models are VNX5200™, VNX5400™, VNX5600™, VNX5800™, VNX7600™, and VNX8000™.
EMC VNX2 Terminology
Automatic Volume Management (AVM)—Feature of VNX File Operating Environment (OE) that creates and manages volumes automatically without manual volume management by an administrator. AVM organizes volumes into storage pools that can be allocated to file systems.
Converged Network Adapter (CNA)—Host adapter that allows a host to process Fibre Channel and Ethernet traffic through a single type of card and connection, decreasing infrastructure costs over time.
Disk Array Enclosure (DAE)—Shelf in a VNX2 that includes: an enclosure; either 15, 25, 60, or 120 disk modules; two SAS link control cards (LCCs) or InterConnect Modules (ICMs); and two power supplies. It does not contain storage processors (SPs).
Disk Processor Enclosure (DPE)—Shelf in the VNX2 that includes: an enclosure; disk modules; storage processors (SPs); two base modules; two battery backup units (BBUs); two power supplies; up to ten I/O modules; and four fan packs. A DPE supports DAEs in addition to its own disk modules. This 3U form factor is used in the VNX5200™, VNX5400™, VNX5600™, VNX5800™, and VNX7600™. It supports a maximum of 125, 250, 500, 750, and 1,000 drives, respectively. Base Module—Part of the VNX2 DPE, a single base module contains two Serial-attached SCSI (SAS) back-end ports, one power supply, and one battery backup unit (BBU).
Fibre Channel (FC)—Gigabit-speed data transfer interface technology. Data can be transmitted and received simultaneously. Common transport protocols, such as Internet Protocol (IP) and Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI), run over Fibre Channel. Consequently, a single connectivity technology can support high-speed I/O and networking.
Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE)—Allows Fibre Channel frames to be encapsulated via Ethernet. With Converged Network Adapter cards, a host may use one type of adapter and cable for Ethernet and Fibre Channel traffic.
Flash drive—Flash drives provide extremely high performance and consume very little power. These drives enable a VNX2 to provide an Extreme Performance level of storage for critical workloads. Flash drives can also extend the array’s cache using FAST Cache technology.
Fully Automated Storage Tiering for Virtual Pools (FAST VP)—Advanced data service that relocates data of pool-based LUNs at a sub-LUN level to optimal locations within a storage pool.
Logical Unit Number (LUN)—Identifying number of a SCSI or iSCSI object that processes SCSI commands. The LUN is the last part of the SCSI address for a SCSI object. The LUN is an ID for the logical unit, but the term often refers to the logical unit itself.
MCx—Multicore initiative (Multicore Cache, Multicore FAST Cache, Multicore RAID) and re-architecture project that redesigns the Block OE stack within the VNX2 series. MCx delivers core functionality improvements making the VNX Block OE more robust, reliable, predictable, and easier to use than ever before.
Multicore Cache—VNX array cache (sometimes referred to as DRAM Cache) is an MCx software component that increases host write and read performance by using the VNX2 Storage Processor’s DRAM. Multicore FAST Cache—Large capacity secondary cache that uses enterprise Flash drives.
Multicore RAID—MCx component that defines, manages, creates, and maintains VNX2 RAID protection.
Near-Line Serial Attached SCSI (NL-SAS) drives—Enterprise SATA drives with a SAS interface head, media, and rotational speed of Enterprise SATA drives with a fully capable SAS interface. These drives provide similar performance and capacity to SATA drives, utilizing a SAS interface for I/O.
Serial-attached SCSI (SAS)—Communication protocol used to move data to and from computer storage devices. SAS is a point-to-point serial protocol that replaces parallel SCSI bus technology. Expanders facilitate the connection of multiple SAS end devices to a single initiator port.
I/O Module—A hardware component that provides front-end and back-end connectivity between the storage processors disk-array enclosures, and hosts.
Storage Processor Enclosure (SPE)—Shelf in the VNX2 that includes: an enclosure; storage processors (SPs); up to twenty-two I/O modules; four power supplies; and ten fan assemblies. This 4U form factor is used for the high-end VNX8000™ and supports a maximum of 1,500 drives.
Storage Pool—Single repository of homogeneous or heterogeneous physical disks from which LUNs may be created. This concept enables ease of use and technologies such as FAST VP.
