InfoScale™ 9.0 Solutions Guide - AIX

Last Published:
Product(s): InfoScale & Storage Foundation (9.0)
Platform: AIX
  1. Section I. Introducing InfoScale
    1. Introducing InfoScale products, components, and solutions
      1.  
        About the InfoScale product suite
      2.  
        Components of the InfoScale product suite
  2. Section II. Solutions for InfoScale products
    1. Solutions for InfoScale products
      1.  
        Use cases for InfoScale products
      2.  
        Feature support across InfoScale 9.0 products
      3.  
        Using SmartMove and Thin Provisioning with Sybase databases
      4.  
        Finding InfoScale product use cases information
  3. Section III. Stack-level migration to IPv6 or dual stack
    1. Stack-level migration to IPv6 or dual stack
      1.  
        Migrating InfoScale products to support IPv6/dual-stack
  4. Section IV. Improving database performance
    1. Overview of database accelerators
      1.  
        About InfoScale product components database accelerators
    2. Improving database performance with Quick I/O
      1. About Quick I/O
        1.  
          How Quick I/O improves database performance
      2.  
        Tasks for setting up Quick I/O in a database environment
      3.  
        Creating DB2 database containers as Quick I/O files using qiomkfile Creating Sybase files as Quick I/O files using qiomkfile
      4.  
        Preallocating space for Quick I/O files using the setext command
      5.  
        Accessing regular VxFS files as Quick I/O files
      6.  
        Extending a Quick I/O file
      7.  
        Disabling Quick I/O
    3. Improving database performance with Cached Quick I/O
      1. About Cached Quick I/O
        1.  
          How Cached Quick I/O works in a Sybase environment
      2.  
        Tasks for setting up Cached Quick I/O
      3. Enabling Cached Quick I/O on a file system
        1.  
          Enabling and disabling the qio_cache_enable flag
        2.  
          Making Cached Quick I/O settings persistent across reboots and mounts
        3.  
          Using vxtunefs to obtain tuning information
      4. Determining candidates for Cached Quick I/O
        1.  
          About I/O statistics
        2.  
          Collecting I/O statistics
        3.  
          Effects of read-aheads on I/O statistics
        4.  
          Other tools for analysis
      5. Enabling and disabling Cached Quick I/O for individual files
        1.  
          Setting cache advisories for individual files
        2.  
          Making individual file settings for Cached Quick I/O persistent
        3.  
          Determining individual file settings for Cached Quick I/O using qioadmin
    4. Improving database performance with Concurrent I/O
      1. About Concurrent I/O
        1.  
          How Concurrent I/O works
      2. Tasks for enabling and disabling Concurrent I/O
        1.  
          Enabling Concurrent I/O for Sybase
        2.  
          Disabling Concurrent I/O for Sybase
  5. Section V. Using point-in-time copies
    1. Understanding point-in-time copy methods
      1. About point-in-time copies
        1.  
          Implementing point-in time copy solutions on a primary host
        2.  
          Implementing off-host point-in-time copy solutions
      2.  
        When to use point-in-time copies
      3. About Storage Foundation point-in-time copy technologies
        1. Volume-level snapshots
          1.  
            Persistent FastResync of volume snapshots
          2.  
            Data integrity in volume snapshots
        2.  
          Storage Checkpoints
    2. Backing up and recovering
      1.  
        Storage Foundation and High Availability solutions backup and recovery methods
      2. Preserving multiple point-in-time copies
        1.  
          Setting up multiple point-in-time copies
        2.  
          Refreshing point-in-time copies
        3.  
          Recovering from logical corruption
        4.  
          Off-host processing using refreshed snapshot images
      3. Online database backups
        1. Making a backup of an online database on the same host
          1.  
            Preparing a full-sized instant snapshot for a backup
          2.  
            Preparing a space-optimized snapshot for a database backup
          3.  
            Backing up a Sybase database on the same host
          4.  
            Resynchronizing a volume
        2. Making an off-host backup of an online database
          1.  
            Making an off-host backup of an online Sybase database
          2.  
            Resynchronizing a volume
      4. Backing up on an off-host cluster file system
        1.  
          Mounting a file system for shared access
        2.  
          Preparing a snapshot of a mounted file system with shared access
        3.  
          Backing up a snapshot of a mounted file system with shared access
        4.  
          Resynchronizing a volume from its snapshot volume
        5.  
          Reattaching snapshot plexes
      5. Database recovery using Storage Checkpoints
        1.  
          Creating Storage Checkpoints
        2.  
          Rolling back a database
    3. Backing up and recovering in a NetBackup environment
      1.  
        About NetBackup
      2. Using NetBackup in an InfoScale product environment
        1.  
          Clustering a NetBackup Master Server
        2.  
          Backing up and recovering a VxVM volume using NetBackup
        3.  
          Recovering a VxVM volume using NetBackup
    4. Off-host processing
      1.  
        Off-host processing methods with InfoScale storage components
      2. Using a replica database for decision support
        1. Creating a replica database on the same host
          1.  
            Preparing for the replica database
          2.  
            Creating a replica database
        2. Creating an off-host replica database
          1.  
            Setting up a replica database for off-host decision support
          2.  
            Resynchronizing the data with the primary host
          3.  
            Updating a warm standby Sybase ASE 12.5 database
          4.  
            Reattaching snapshot plexes
      3.  
        What is off-host processing?
      4.  
        About using VVR for off-host processing
    5. Creating and refreshing test environments
      1.  
        About test environments
      2.  
        Creating a test environment
      3.  
        Refreshing a test environment
    6. Creating point-in-time copies of files
      1. Using FileSnaps to create point-in-time copies of files
        1.  
          Using FileSnaps to provision virtual desktops
        2.  
          Using FileSnaps to optimize write intensive applications for virtual machines
        3.  
          Using FileSnaps to create multiple copies of data instantly
  6. Section VI. Maximizing storage utilization
    1. Optimizing storage tiering with SmartTier
      1.  
        About SmartTier
      2.  
        About VxFS multi-volume file systems
      3.  
        About VxVM volume sets
      4.  
        About volume tags
      5.  
        SmartTier use cases for Sybase
      6.  
        Setting up a filesystem for storage tiering with SmartTier
      7.  
        Relocating old archive logs to tier two storage using SmartTier
      8.  
        Relocating inactive tablespaces or segments to tier two storage
      9.  
        Relocating active indexes to premium storage
      10.  
        Relocating all indexes to premium storage
    2. Optimizing storage with Flexible Storage Sharing
      1. About Flexible Storage Sharing
        1.  
          Limitations of Flexible Storage Sharing
      2.  
        About use cases for optimizing storage with Flexible Storage Sharing
      3.  
        Setting up an SFRAC clustered environment with shared nothing storage
      4.  
        Implementing the SmartTier feature with hybrid storage
      5.  
        Configuring a campus cluster without shared storage
  7. Section VII. Migrating data
    1. Understanding data migration
      1.  
        Types of data migration
    2. Offline migration of native volumes and file systems to VxVM and VxFS
      1.  
        About converting LVM, JFS and JFS2 configurations
      2.  
        Initializing unused LVM physical volumes as VxVM disks
      3. Converting LVM volume groups to VxVM disk groups
        1.  
          Volume group conversion limitations
        2.  
          Conversion process summary
        3. Conversion of JFS and JFS2 file systems to VxFS
          1.  
            Conversion limitations
        4. Conversion steps explained
          1.  
            Identify LVM disks and volume groups for conversion
          2.  
            Analyze an LVM volume group to see if conversion is possible
          3.  
            Take action to make conversion possible if analysis fails
          4.  
            Back up your LVM configuration and user data
          5.  
            Plan for new VxVM logical volume names
          6.  
            Stop application access to volumes in the volume group to be converted
          7.  
            Conversion and reboot
          8.  
            Convert a volume group
          9.  
            Take action if conversion fails
          10.  
            Implement changes for new VxVM logical volume names
          11.  
            Restart applications on the new VxVM volumes
          12.  
            Tailor your VxVM configuration
      4.  
        Restoring the LVM volume group configuration
      5. Examples of using vxconvert
        1.  
          Displaying the vxconvert main menu
        2.  
          Listing disk information
        3.  
          Listing LVM volume group information
        4. Analyzing LVM volume groups, JFS and JFS2 for conversion
          1.  
            Example of failed analysis for LVM volumes
        5. Converting LVM volume groups, and JFS or JFS2 file systems
          1.  
            Example of a failed JFS conversion
          2.  
            Example of a failed LVM conversion
        6. Sample output before and after conversion
          1.  
            Example output after conversion
      6. About test cases
        1.  
          Test case configuration
        2.  
          Factors that impact conversion time
        3. Test case: file number and size, file system size
          1.  
            Inference
        4. Test case: file number, file system size
          1.  
            Inference
        5. Test case: average file size
          1.  
            Inference
        6. Test case: number of logical volumes
          1.  
            Inference
        7. Test case: number of physical volumes
          1.  
            Inference
      7. Converting LVM, JFS and JFS2 to VxVM and VxFS
        1.  
          Estimating system down time
        2.  
          General information regarding conversion speed
    3. Online migration of native LVM volumes to VxVM volumes
      1.  
        About online migration from Logical Volume Manager (LVM) volumes to VxVM volumes
      2. Online migration from LVM volumes in standalone environment to VxVM volumes
        1.  
          Administrative interface for online migration from LVM in standalone environment to VxVM
        2.  
          Preparing for online migration from LVM in standalone environment to VxVM
        3.  
          Migrating from LVM in standalone environment to VxVM
        4.  
          Reconfiguring the application to use VxVM volume device path
        5.  
          Backing out online migration of LVM in standalone environment to VxVM
        6.  
          Do's and Don'ts for online migration from LVM in standalone environment to VxVM
        7.  
          Scenarios not supported for migration from LVM in standalone environment to VxVM
      3. Online migration from LVM volumes in VCS HA environment to VxVM volumes
        1.  
          About online migration from LVM in VCS HA environment to VxVM
        2.  
          Administrative interface for online migration from LVM in VCS HA environment to VxVM
        3.  
          Preparing for online migration from LVM in VCS HA environment to VxVM
        4.  
          Migrating from LVM in VCS HA environment to VxVM
        5.  
          Migrating configurations with multiple volume groups
        6.  
          Backing out online migration of LVM in VCS HA environment to VxVM
        7.  
          Do's and Don'ts for online migration from LVM in VCS HA environment to VxVM
        8.  
          Scenarios not supported for migration from LVM VCS HA environment to VxVM
    4. Online migration of a native file system to the VxFS file system
      1.  
        About online migration of a native file system to the VxFS file system
      2.  
        Administrative interface for online migration of a native file system to the VxFS file system
      3.  
        Migrating a native file system to the VxFS file system
      4. Migrating a source file system to the VxFS file system over NFS v3
        1.  
          Restrictions of NFS v3 migration
      5.  
        Backing out an online migration of a native file system to the VxFS file system
      6. VxFS features not available during online migration
        1.  
          Limitations of online migration
    5. Migrating storage arrays
      1.  
        Array migration for storage
      2.  
        Overview of storage mirroring for migration
      3.  
        Allocating new storage
      4.  
        Initializing the new disk
      5.  
        Checking the current VxVM information
      6.  
        Adding a new disk to the disk group
      7.  
        Mirroring
      8.  
        Monitoring
      9.  
        Mirror completion
      10.  
        Removing old storage
      11.  
        Post-mirroring steps
    6. Migrating data between platforms
      1. Overview of the Cross-Platform Data Sharing (CDS) feature
        1.  
          Shared data across platforms
        2.  
          Disk drive sector size
        3.  
          Block size issues
        4.  
          Operating system data
      2. CDS disk format and disk groups
        1. CDS disk access and format
          1. CDS disk types
            1.  
              Private and public regions
            2.  
              Disk access type auto
            3.  
              Platform block
            4.  
              AIX coexistence label
            5.  
              HP-UX coexistence label
            6.  
              VxVM ID block
          2. About Cross-platform Data Sharing (CDS) disk groups
            1.  
              Device quotas
            2.  
              Minor device numbers
        2.  
          Non-CDS disk groups
        3. Disk group alignment
          1. Alignment values
            1.  
              Dirty region log alignment
          2.  
            Object alignment during volume creation
      3. Setting up your system to use Cross-platform Data Sharing (CDS)
        1. Creating CDS disks from uninitialized disks
          1.  
            Creating CDS disks by using vxdisksetup
          2.  
            Creating CDS disks by using vxdiskadm
        2. Creating CDS disks from initialized VxVM disks
          1.  
            Creating a CDS disk from a disk that is not in a disk group
          2.  
            Creating a CDS disk from a disk that is already in a disk group
        3. Creating CDS disk groups
          1.  
            Creating a CDS disk group by using vxdg init
          2.  
            Creating a CDS disk group by using vxdiskadm
        4.  
          Converting non-CDS disks to CDS disks
        5.  
          Converting a non-CDS disk group to a CDS disk group
        6.  
          Verifying licensing
        7.  
          Defaults files
      4. Maintaining your system
        1. Disk tasks
          1.  
            Changing the default disk format
          2.  
            Restoring CDS disk labels
        2. Disk group tasks
          1.  
            Changing the alignment of a disk group during disk encapsulation
          2.  
            Changing the alignment of a non-CDS disk group
          3.  
            Splitting a CDS disk group
          4.  
            Moving objects between CDS disk groups and non-CDS disk groups
          5.  
            Moving objects between CDS disk groups
          6.  
            Joining disk groups
          7.  
            Changing the default CDS setting for disk group creation
          8.  
            Creating non-CDS disk groups
          9.  
            Upgrading an older version non-CDS disk group
          10.  
            Replacing a disk in a CDS disk group
          11.  
            Setting the maximum number of devices for CDS disk groups
          12.  
            Changing the DRL map and log size
          13.  
            Creating a volume with a DRL log
          14.  
            Setting the DRL map length
        3. Displaying information
          1.  
            Determining the setting of the CDS attribute on a disk group
          2.  
            Displaying the maximum number of devices in a CDS disk group
          3.  
            Displaying map length and map alignment of traditional DRL logs
          4.  
            Displaying the disk group alignment
          5.  
            Displaying the log map length and alignment
          6.  
            Displaying offset and length information in units of 512 bytes
        4.  
          Default activation mode of shared disk groups
        5.  
          Additional considerations when importing CDS disk groups
      5. File system considerations
        1.  
          Considerations about data in the file system
        2.  
          File system migration
        3. Specifying the migration target
          1.  
            Examples of target specifications
        4. Using the fscdsadm command
          1.  
            Checking that the metadata limits are not exceeded
          2. Maintaining the list of target operating systems
            1.  
              Adding an entry to the list of target operating systems
            2.  
              Removing an entry from the list of target operating systems
            3.  
              Removing all entries from the list of target operating systems
            4.  
              Displaying the list of target operating systems
          3.  
            Enforcing the established CDS limits on a file system
          4.  
            Ignoring the established CDS limits on a file system
          5.  
            Validating the operating system targets for a file system
          6.  
            Displaying the CDS status of a file system
        5.  
          Migrating a file system one time
        6. Migrating a file system on an ongoing basis
          1.  
            Stopping ongoing migration
        7.  
          When to convert a file system
        8. Converting the byte order of a file system
          1.  
            Importing and mounting a file system from another system
      6.  
        Alignment value and block size
      7.  
        Migrating a snapshot volume
  8. Section VIII. InfoScale 4K sector device support solution
    1. InfoScale 4k sector device support solution
      1.  
        About 4K sector size technology
      2.  
        Unsupported InfoScale features
      3.  
        Migrating VxFS file system from 512-bytes sector size devices to 4K sector size devices

About 4K sector size technology

Over the years, the data that is stored on the storage devices such as the hard disk drives (HDD) and Solid State Devices (SSD) has been formatted into a small logical block which is referred to as Sector. Despite of increase in storage densities over a period of time, the storage device sector size has remained consistent - 512 bytes. But, this device sector size proves to be inefficient for Solid State Devices (SSD).

Benefits of transition from 512 bytes to 4096 bytes or 4K sector

The 4K sector disks are the first advanced generation format devices. They help with the optimum use of the storage surface area by reducing the amount of space that is allocated for headers and error correction code for sectors. They are considered to be more efficient for larger files as compared to smaller files.

The advanced format devices with 4K sector size are considered to be beneficial over 512-bytes sector size for following reasons:

  1. Improves the format efficiency

  2. Provides a more robust error correction

Considering the benefits, many storage device manufacturers such as Hitachi, NEC, Fujitsu have started shipping 4K sector devices.

However, many aspects of modern computing still assume that the sectors are always 512-bytes. The alternative is to implement 4K sector transition that is combined with the 512-bytes sector emulation method. The disadvantage of 512-bytes sector emulation method is that it reduces the efficiency of the device.

InfoScale uses the Veritas Volume Manager (VxVM) and Veritas File System (VxFS) storage components to provide a solution that supports 4K sector devices (formatted with 4KB) in storage environment. Earlier, you were required to format 4K devices with 512-bytes. You can now directly use the 4K sector devices with InfoScale without any additional formatting.

Supported operating systems

You can use 4k sector devices with InfoScale 7.2 or later versions only on Linux (RHEL, SLES, and supported RHEL-compatible distributions) and Solaris 11 operating systems.

See Unsupported InfoScale features.

See Migrating VxFS file system from 512-bytes sector size devices to 4K sector size devices.