Infortrend Advanced Storage Management

SANWatch

2007 Infortrend Corporation. All rights reserved.

Table of Contents
Executive Summary .................................................................................................... 3
Introduction................................................................................................................. 3
Business Needs ........................................................................................................... 3
Complete Array Management ..................................................................................... 3
Integrated Data Services ............................................................................................. 5
Modular Software Platform ........................................................................................ 6

Infortrend Advanced Storage Management-SANWatch

Page 2

Executive Summary
This paper explores the current data manipulation requirements for business and shows how
SANWatch, Infortrends proprietary integrated storage management software designed
exclusively for its EonStor RAID arrays, can solve many companies storage dilemmas.
Introduction
IT infrastructures are complex and difficult to manage. Enterprises invest much time and many
resources to keep critical services available and performing efficiently. Infortrends storage
management software helps manage demanding applications, and offers integrated services and
related storage applications so that IT managers can focus on issues other than storage
maintenance.
SANWatch is Infortrends proprietary software for configuring and managing EonStor arrays. It
includes a major graphic user interface (GUI), command line interface (CLl), and all necessary
drivers/agents running at the host side to enable online storage configuration, expansion, and
maintenance. Its powerful functionalities are easy to use across all operating systems, allowing
Infortrend arrays to be managed or monitored from any place via the network. In addition to array
management, SANWatch also includes the Data Service software module which integrates with
data protection applications such as backup/restore, data replication, and migration. Data Service
offers useful and flexible capabilities with minor host intervention, helps IT maintain business
continuity, and reduces operational costs by increasing staff efficiency and application availability.
Business Needs
With enterprise data growing rapidly, greater utilization is needed to improve data management,
protection, and availability. IT managers are challenged to:
Improve service for users by enhancing application availability
Reduce IT overhead by controlling growing storage needs
Ensure continuity of operations by increasing data protection
The main technology challenges are to:
Implement failover and improve storage reliability to improve availability of key
applications
Simplify and streamline storage management in a multiplatform environment
Decrease the backup window via annual data growth
Storage solutions that address these challenges must also meet the particular needs of an
organization; enable complete protection, high availability, reliability, and, most importantly, low
total cost of ownership. An integrated solution can fulfill the requirements of storage management
and data protection.
Complete Array Management
Java-based SANWatch array management software supports all RAID configurations and
provides unprecedented levels of performance, availability, and flexibility. Product highlights
include:
An intuitive, user-friendly view of the enclosure, components, and related configurations
Array initialization, configuration, partitioning, and host LUN mapping
Online array expansion

Infortrend Advanced Storage Management-SANWatch

Page 3

Flexible configuration tuning and optimization settings

Enclosure component monitoring
Real-time array status via centralized management with event monitoring and status
notification
Management of multiple arrays through secure IP sessions

Figure 1: Intuitive View for Enclosure, Components, and Configuration

Figure 2: Easy-to-Use Interface for Capacity Planning and Array Management

Infortrend Advanced Storage Management-SANWatch

Page 4

Integrated Data Services

Data protection is another critical IT issue. There are many similar solutions on the market to help
keep data safe and available, e.g., additional host-side software or hardware to implement jobs
such as backup/restore, remote replication, and data migration. However, these solutions
increase the total cost and management complexity, and may also impact host performance and
array efficiency.
SANWatch combines storage management with data-related applications and services to provide
a more integrated solution for user data. Called Data Service, these applications include
snapshot, volume copy, remote replication, and other advanced features for data protection in the
future.
Data Service is an embedded, expandable software module in SANWatch. Each service is
independent yet integrated with management functions under the SANWatch platform to provide
native support for Infortrends array-based data protection implementations. Its functionalities can
be configured to meet user requirements by enabling or disabling specific functions using a
dedicated license key before installing the software.
One of the applications in Data Service is Snapshot. Snapshot files look and behave like
complete backups and can be mounted as real volumes, read without affecting the original
volume or system performance, easily recovered when necessary, and deleted to free disk space.
Infortrends Snapshot acts with native hardware support to incur the least host intervention and
deliver the best performance. System administrators will appreciate the ease and flexibility of
these operations, including the schedule and policy configurations that automate backup and can
customize the backup window to provide an instant, economic, and convenient solution for data
protection.
For information on the Snapshot function, please refer to Infortrends technical white paper
Snapshot Technology: Improving Data Availability and Redundancy.
(http://www.infortrend.com/main/3_support/technicalmenu.asp

Figure 3: Snapshot Functions in the Data Service Module Offer Data Protection

Infortrend Advanced Storage Management-SANWatch

Page 5

With SANWatch and Infortrends feature-rich arrays, users do not have to install several, separate
software applications in order to manage their storage systems and handle data operations. This
integrated solution provides better efficiency with minor system impact to meet the challenge of
data manipulation, and allows businesses to reduce administration cost and complexity.
Modular Software Platform
SANWatch is a modular software platform, which includes the SANWatch GUI, CLI,
drivers/agents and license control mechanism. The license control module directly communicates
with the array firmware to determine how many Data Service functions should be enabled with
the user's license key. Then the GUI, CLI and other assistant utilities gain access to those
functions. Each software module works independently while being integrated under the
management platform.

Infortrend Array

SANWatch

Host

License Control
SANWatch GUI
Data Service
Array
Management

Snapshot

CLI

Volume Copy

Others

Host agents

Host drivers

Figure 4: SANWatch Modular Software Architecture

The Next Generation of Storage Management
Downtime is not acceptable in todays global economy where customers expect 24x7 operations
and can readily take their business elsewhere. Effective storage management and robust data
protection are essential to ensuring that business-critical data is always available. Companies
need a powerful, consolidated management solution for storage device configuration and
advanced data protection.
Infortrends SANWatch successfully combines a modular software platform, equipped with

Infortrend Advanced Storage Management-SANWatch

Page 6

complete array management and integrated data services that satisfies current business needs
for data. A flexible license fee model allows customers to choose dedicated functionalities tailored
to their own requirements and cost considerations, thereby simplifying management and meeting
any budget limitations. Infortrend's solution is arguably one of the best implementations in the
industry and enables the next generation of storage management requirements.

###

www.infortrend.com

Infortrend Advanced Storage Management-SANWatch

Page 7