001-Storage Basics and Application Environments V1.01
001-Storage Basics and Application Environments V1.01
Application Environments
Contents
1. What Is Storage? 4. What Are the Other Basic Storage Concepts?
• Storage Concepts • RAID
• Storage in Data Centers • LUN
• Storage Evolution • Multipathing
• Block Storage • File System
• File Storage • Local File System
• Object Storage • Network File System
2. What Are the Basic Concepts of Storage Hardware (L2)? • CIFS
• Disks (NVMe SCM) • NFS
• Disk Arrays • Storage Performance Indicators
• Controllers 5. What Are the Basic Concepts of Data Protection?
• Controller Enclosures • RPO and RTO
• Disk Enclosures • Backup
• High-Density Enclosures • Disaster Recovery
• I/O Modules and HBAs • Snapshot
3. What Are the Basic Concepts of Storage Protocols? • Remote Replication
• SCSI • Mirroring
• NVMe • Clone
• iSCSI
• Fibre Channel
• SAS
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What Is Storage?
— Storage Is the Media for Storing and Protecting Data
Storage in a narrow sense Storage in a broad sense
Server
Multipathing
software
Fibre
Channel
switch Fibre
Channel
link
Controller
1. Storage hardware (disk arrays, controllers, disk enclosures, and tape libraries)
Disk array
2. Storage software (management software, snapshot, replication, and multipathing software)
3. Storage networks (HBAs, Fibre Channel switches, as well as Fibre Channel and SAS cables)
4. Storage solutions (centralized storage, archiving, backup, and disaster recovery)
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Storage Concepts
Storage is to save data to certain storage media in a reasonable, secure, and effective manner to meet requirements of
different application environments and ensure effective accesses to the data. Specifically:
1. Storage is physical media for temporary or long-term data storage.
2. Storage is a method or behavior for ensuring data integrity and security. Storage combines the two aspects to provide
customers with a data storage solution.
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Storage in Data Centers
OceanStor 18500 V5
OceanStor or 18800 V5
OceanStor 6800 V5
OceanStor
5000 series V5
Application 2200 V3 or
(mid-range)
2600 V3
Runtime library
Storage
Network
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Storage Evolution
External disk array (DAS) Smart disk array (DAS)
SAN NAS
Disks in a server Server
CPU Server CPU Application Application
Multiple
server server
application
Server Arm Arm servers
File system File system
CPU
Limitations JBOD logically connects several A controller provides RAID and large-capacity cache, Resolved issues
• Disks become the system performance physical disks to increase capacity. It enables the disk array to have multiple functions, and • Disks become the system performance
bottleneck. does not provide data protection. is equipped with dedicated management software. bottleneck.
• The number of disk slots is limited, • The number of disk slots is limited,
thereby providing limited capacity. Resolved issues Resolved issues thereby providing limited capacity.
• Data is stored on single disks, and data • The number of disk slots is limited, • Disks become the system performance bottleneck. • Data is stored on single disks, and data
storage is less reliable than expected. thereby providing limited capacity. • The number of disk slots is limited, providing a storage is less reliable than expected.
• Storage space utilization is low. • Data is stored on single disks, and small capacity. • Storage space utilization is low.
• Data is scattered in local storage data storage is less reliable than • Data is stored on single disks, and data storage is • Data is scattered in local storage
systems. expected. less reliable than expected. systems.
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File Storage
NFS or CIFS
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Block Storage
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Object Storage
HTTP, REST, SOAP, or S3
Object storage, also known as object-based
storage (OBS), is a network storage
Object architecture. The differences between OBS
Object Object
Object and block storage or file storage lie in the
storage Object
Object
Key Data interfaces (S3 interfaces) provided by OBS.
Object
Metadata OBS only generates an ID for the metadata of
Customized stored data and stores the ID, regardless of
metadata
the data type.
... This storage architecture is mainly used in the
application scenarios that have low
requirements on performance but high
Object storage
• Flat structure and nearly unlimited capacity expansion requirements on capacity. It is mainly used to
• More intelligent self-management meet customers' requirements on large
• Standard Internet protocols and cross-region transmission capacity and low price. The application
capabilities scenarios include public cloud, Internet, and
• Application scenarios: Internet-oriented storage, archiving, space leasing.
and backup
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What Are the Basic Concepts of
Storage Hardware (L2)?
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Disks
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SSDs VS. HDDs
SSD HDD
Price High: several yuan (RMB) per GB Low: several jiao (RMB) per GB
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Disk Types
Media Functions
HDD Disk types Desktop level
Monitoring level
SSD Enterprise level
Desktop-level disks are mainly used for home applications, such as desktop
PCs and laptops. Enterprise-level disks are designed for enterprise
applications, such as servers, disk arrays, and graphics workstations.
Mainstream disk types
HDDs: SATA, NL-SAS, and SAS
SSDs: SATA, SAS, and NVMe
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Disk Types — Serial ATA (SATA)
Advantages
1. SATA is a serial bus interface protocol. During data transmission, the data and signal cables
are used independently, and the embedded clock frequency signal is used. Its rate can
reach 30 times of the Parallel ATA (PATA).
2. Instead of simple PATA improvement, the bus structure is brand new.
3. Control information is scattered in data and transmitted by using a predefined bit.
4. One path is used to transmit data, and the other is used to return a response.
5. SARA has higher anti-interference capabilities and faster speed than PATA. The installation
is easier and the number of cables used in the chassis is reduced.
6. The performance of single-thread tasks is good.
Disadvantages
1. SATA, designed for entry-level applications, is not as powerful as SCSI in terms of big data
throughput or multi-thread transmission.
2. When multiple threads are reading data, the head of a disk swings back and forth, causing
the disk to be overheated.
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Disk Types — Serial Attached SCSI (SAS)
1. SCSI is a storage interface protocol specially designed for small computer systems. 50-pin
ports are used. The appearance of a 50-pin port is similar to that of a common disk port.
The SCSI disks support connections to various devices. In addition, each SCSI disk has an
independent chip for data processing. The CPU usage is low, the bandwidth can reach 320
MB/s, and the stability is good.
2. SAS is a disk connection technology that integrates the advantages of the parallel SCSI
and serial connection technologies.
3. SAS is a point-to-point, full-duplex, and dual-port interface.
4. SAS is compatible with SATA, meeting high-performance requirements of enterprises,
achieving interoperability with SATA, and bringing unprecedented flexibility and benefits to
enterprises.
5. SAS features high performance, high reliability, and powerful scalability.
The serial technology is also used, which is better than SCSI in transmission rate and anti-
interference. However, the price is higher.
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Disk Types — Near-Line SAS (NL-SAS)
1. NL-SAS disks integrate SAS interfaces and SATA disks. In other words, NL-SAS disks
refer to SATA disks with SAS interfaces and near-SAS performance.
2. Near-line storage is oriented to applications between online storage and offline storage.
Data that is not frequently used or seldom accessed is stored on the storage devices of
which performance is relatively low. However, these devices must provide fast
addressing capabilities and a high transmission rate.
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Disk Types — SSDs
SSD hardware structure
6 Gbit/s Multi-channel
SAS port concurrence
DDR
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Comparison of Mainstream Disk Types
• A disk interface is a component connecting a disk and a host, and is used to transmit data between the disk cache
and host memory.
• Different disk interfaces determine the connection speed between disks and computers, which affects the program
running speed and system performance.
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Basic Concepts Related to RAID
Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks or Drives, or Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) is a data storage
virtualization technology that combines multiple physical disk drive components into one or more logical units for the
purposes of data redundancy, performance improvement, or both.
RAID is classified into different RAID levels based on Two different RAID levels can be combined to form a new
the combination methods. RAID level.
RAID 0 Known as a stripe set or striped volume, it splits data evenly RAID 0+1 RAID 01, also called RAID 0+1, is a RAID level using a
across two or more disks, without parity information, mirror of stripes, achieving both replication and sharing
redundancy, or fault tolerance. of data between disks.
RAID 1 It consists of an exact copy (or mirror) of a set of data on two
or more disks; a classic RAID 1 mirrored pair contains two
RAID 10 RAID 10, also called RAID 1+0 and sometimes RAID
disks. This configuration offers no parity, striping, or spanning
1&0, is similar to RAID 01 with an exception that two
of disk space across multiple disks, since the data is mirrored
used standard RAID levels are layered in the opposite
on all disks belonging to the array, and the array can only be
order; thus, RAID 10 is a stripe of mirrors.
as big as the smallest member disk.
RAID 3 It is rarely used in practice. It consists of byte-level striping
with a dedicated parity disk.
RAID 5 It consists of block-level striping with distributed parity. RAID 50 RAID 50, also called RAID 5+0, combines the straight
block-level striping of RAID 0 with the distributed parity
RAID 6 RAID 6 extends RAID 5 by adding another parity block; thus, it
of RAID 5.
uses block-level striping with two parity blocks distributed
across all member disks.
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SCM — Next-Generation Storage Media
Storage Class Memory (SCM) is a new storage High-performance SSDs provide the following
medium popular in the industry. SCM is similar to application forms in a storage system:
storage in its persistence and to memory in its Metadata cache: As metadata cache of AFA, SCM
byte-level access. SSDs work with the DRAM to build a memory +
SCM SSD two-tier cache, which avoids
The SCM SSD, which uses NVMe block interface bottlenecks in memory capacity and supports
and is compatible with the native architecture, is larger user capacity with stable performance.
the primary application form of SCM. Optane
P4800X series launched by Intel is an example. Data cache: SCM SSDs serve as the acceleration
This product has little impact on the system layer of user data and improves performance in
architecture but provides better performance than typical application scenarios.
that of flash SSDs. In addition, SCM SSDs do not
require garbage collection, which prevents Main storage: SCM SSDs serve as the storage
performance deterioration similar to that of NAND layer of user data and provides a high-
SSD after long-time running, and curbs latency at performance storage system to meet the
an appropriate level. This type of storage products performance requirements of some scenarios.
is springing up in the industry, and Huawei is also
working on the R&D of relevant products.
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Disk Arrays
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Disk Array Composition
Separation of the controller
enclosure and disk enclosure
+ =
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Controllers
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Controller Enclosures
Chassis
Power module
Control module
BBU
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Disk Enclosures
3.5-inch disk enclosure
24 x 3.5-inch disks
Power modules
2 + 2 redundancy
efficiency
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High-Density Enclosures
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I/O Modules and HBAs
An I/O module connects a storage system to a server or switch for data transmission. The I/O
module includes field pluggable units with several interfaces.
HBA is short for Host Bus Adapter. An HBA is a circuit board that enables a computer to provide I/O
processing and physical connections between a server and a storage device.
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What Are the Basic Concepts of
Storage Protocols?
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SCSI
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iSCSI
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Fibre Channel
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SAS
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NVMe
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What Are the Other Basic Storage
Concepts?
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RAID
The term RAID was invented by David Patterson, Garth A. Gibson, and Randy Katz at
the University of California, Berkeley in 1987. It combines multiple independent physical
disks into a virtual logical disk using related algorithms to provide larger capacity, higher
performance, and better error tolerance capabilities.
RAID 0 RAID 5
RAID 1 RAID 6
RAID 10
RAID 50
RAID DP RAID MP
RAID 1E RAID 5EE
RAID 5E RAID ADG
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LUN
One or multiple logical volumes can be created for RAID based on the specified
capacity. A logical volume is identified by logical unit number (LUN).
RAID 10 RAID 5
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Multipathing
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File System
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Local File System
File systems and application programs are on a same server.
Storage silos
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Network File System
File system client File system client File system client File system client
Network protocol
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CIFS
The Common Internet File System (CIFS) is a mainstream
share file system developed by Microsoft for serving
heterogeneous platforms and is mainly applied in Windows.
Client systems use the TCP or IP protocol to request file
access services from server systems over a network.
CIFS share authentication provides two types of shared file
access permissions: user and Active Directory Server
(ADS).
The CIFS normal share means that the file system is shared
as a directory and all users can access the directory.
The CIFS homedir share is a file sharing mode provided by
file engines. The CIFS homedir share only allows a user to
access the directory named with the user name and each
user can only access a directory that belongs to the user's
directory.
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NFS
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IOPS
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OPS
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Performance Indicators and Evaluation Methods of Storage Devices
Performance indicators
IOPS is the number of I/Os that can be processed by a storage device per second. It is used to measure the response
capability of a storage device. IOPS is the most important measurement indicator for a large number of small I/Os.
Bandwidth is also called throughput that indicates the total amount of data that can be processed per second. It is used to
measure the storage throughput. Bandwidth is useful for measuring large I/Os, especially for measuring the time required
for processing a large amount of data.
Bandwidth = IOPS x Average I/O size
Latency refers to the time consumed for processing I/Os. It is used to measure the processing speed of storage devices.
Latency is classified into host latency and storage latency. Storage latency refers to the period from the time when I/Os
arrive at the storage device to the time when the storage device returns a processing completion message to the host.
Host latency is the sum of the storage latency, link transmission time, and host queuing time. Users focus on the host
latency.
IOPS = Number of concurrent requests/Average latency
Performance evaluation
IOPS and bandwidth are the two most important indicators for performance evaluation.
The IOPS assessment focuses on the I/O sequence, cache hit ratio, and IOPS of a single disk. The major bottleneck of
the maximum IOPS of a storage system is the CPU processing capability.
The bandwidth assessment focuses on the I/O size, bandwidth of a single disk, and storage hardware bandwidth. For the
maximum bandwidth of a storage system, the major bottleneck is the front-end and back-end channel bandwidth and
mirroring bandwidth.
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What Are the Basic Concepts of
Data Protection?
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Backup
Online application information is extracted to create one or more copies based on certain
policies, and the copies are stored on preset storage media for recovery in case of an
online system fault.
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Three Elements of a Backup System
RPO
Backup Backup Point in time to An error or Recovery Recovery Application
started completed which data is disaster startup completed recovery
recovered occurs.
12:00
BW + RTO
00:00 = Economic loss
06:00
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Disaster Recovery
Disaster recovery is a higher-level data protection.
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Disaster Recovery and Its Tiers
Disaster recovery refers to establishing a systematic data emergency response mode in advance by using scientific
technical means and methods to cope with disasters. The content includes data backup and system backup, business
continuity planning, personnel architecture, communication assurance, crisis management, disaster recovery planning,
disaster recovery schemes, business recovery schemes, emergency response, third-party cooperation organizations, and
supply chain crisis management. The disaster recovery levels range from the module level to system-level and solution-level.
SHARE's seven tiers of disaster recovery released in 1992, were updated in 2012 by IBM as an eight tier model.
(Generally, data backup is usually applied to tier 1 to tier 4, and data disaster recovery is usually applied to tier 4 to tier 7.)
TCO
Tier 7: highly automated, business-integrated solution
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Snapshot (HyperSnap)
a b c a b c
08:00 am d e f Snapsh d e f
g h i ot g h i
j k l j k l
a b c a b c
d m f d e f
09:00 am
g h n g h i
j k l j k l
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Mirroring (HyperMirror)
1. Function: Data is stored concurrently on two independent storage areas (commonly
logical volumes) through the same I/O operations.
2. Benefit
• The two mirror volumes are identified by the host or storage controlled as the
same production volume. Services can be switched over between the two
volumes to improve system reliability.
• Concurrent operations on mirror volumes can improve system performance.
I/O
LUN 1 LUN 2
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Clone (HyperClone)
A clone is a copy or multiple copies of source data at a specific point in time.
A snapshot is similar to a stereotyped shadow at a certain point in time, while a clone is
a stereotyped entity at a certain point in time.
4
2
1 3
Implementation process
Primary LUN Secondary LUN Primary LUN Secondary LUN
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Enable the clone function. After data synchronization After splitting is completed, The secondary LUN can
Start data synchronization. is complete, data on the the primary and secondary be mapped to the host. It
primary LUN is the same LUNs become can be used for data
as that on the secondary independent LUNs. analysis and query.
LUN.
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