Solving VM Storage Challenges with VMware vSphere Virtual Volumes and Hitachi Storage
by Russ Fellows
Executive Overview
Managing IT infrastructure is a continuing challenge, due in part to the rapid pace of change and innovation in the IT industry. IT architects and administrators know that maintaining existing operations can provide stability and high availability. However, old technology and processes are unable to provide cost effective IT resources necessary to maintain a competitive position.
Server virtualization has been one of the most significant technology changes that have occurred over the past decade, leading to today’s ability to create and consume virtual IT resources on demand, in both private and public hybrid cloud environments. However, policy based control and dynamic creation of virtualized storage, network and server resources is necessary to complete the transition to a fully virtualized IT infrastructure, capable of delivering efficient operations at any scale
One of the most innovative technologies for managing virtualized server and storage resources are policy based management capabilities. VMware and storage vendors have developed a new management paradigm for storage resources, known as VMware vSphere Virtual Volumes (VVol). The new VVol interface enable both block storage and NAS file storage systems to interact with the VMware management interfaces at the VM level, providing administrators the ability to choose storage resources based upon their underlying capabilities, such as performance and data protection features.
This new policy-based framework enables IT organizations to align IT resources more efficiently, dynamically and accurately with business and operational needs of applications and IT services. It also provides a foundation for cloud management portals that match IT resource requests with underlying IT infrastructure to align cost and performance requirements.
VVol technology is an important new development not only for virtual infrastructures, but also for IT architects and CIOs as it allows individual applications to utilize the most appropriate IT resources available, with minimal administrative intervention. In this paper, Evaluator Group explores some of the rationale and benefits available when using VVol storage for general use, as well as some of the specific benefits achieved when using VVol-enabled storage systems from HDS storage systems.
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