Specialized Section
Storage Performance Analysis
05.12.2012, 11:20
of Hitachi Modular Disk Systems
Why Analyze Storage Performance?
- provides intelligent analysis of workload of disk array instruments
- enables to isolate and diagnose narrow necks of infrastructure and proactively offers configuration recommendation
- simplifies effective planning and assigning disk sources based on disk systems’ workload reserves detection
- reveals eventual configuration deficiencies by analysis of mutual links between disk array and server’s infrastructure
Correlation and Analysis of Disk Array Devices
IT managers usually pay attention to dimensioning of disk system at the purchase. But there is an increase of service volume provided by IT department during operation because of increasing firm’s demands.
Disk systems configurations, which used to be satisfying at the beginning, now may become undersized over time. Underestimating of this aspect may have negative impact on speed and stability of applications.
Professional service Storage Analytics gives IT manager an efficient tool to isolate and diagnose eventual performance problems. It enables IT managers to foresee system’s reserves and to plan effectively on the basis of load of disk arrays individual entities.
Analyzed Entities
Entity is the article of disk array, where performing of operation analysis is possible. Those entities are:
- Disk array ports LUNs
- Processors
- Back-end buses
- Raid groups
- Cache
- Disks
Above these entities it is possible to perform in-depth analysis examining the running in light of Input / Output operations, transfer speed, latency, consecutive and random operations, component utilization, cache usage and other.
Topology Management
Disk array configuration with many servers containing multi-way HA architecture is accuracy-intensive for a storage administrator.
Eventual configuration mistake i.e. multipath attachment does not have to show immediately but when primary data path fails. The control of links between disk array entities and WWN server identifier is part of Storage Analytics.
Business Benefits
Storage Analytics helps correctly optimize and control performance of Hitachi disk array. It creates groundwork for efficient sources assigning to key firm applications such as Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Exchange and virtualization layer VMware/Hyper-V. It enables to save disk array operating costs by maximizing of its utilization while keeping required standard of service.
Thanks to archiving of data performance it is possible to perform time analysis of disk array load trends and to plan and take solutions based on the data.