Xserve RAID Technology Overview February 2007
Technology Overview Xserve RAID Contents Page 3 Introduction Page 4 Product Overview Key Features High-Availability Design Page 7 Deploying Xserve RAID Xserve RAID Applications Page 9 Management and Monitoring Setting Up and Managing Arrays Monitoring Xserve RAID Systems Managing Volumes Managing Volumes with Xsan Page 14 System Architecture Drive Technology and Capacity Passive Midplane Data Path RAID Controllers Fibre Channel Interconnect High-Availability Features Page 20 Service, Support, a
Technology Overview Xserve RAID Introduction Features at a glance • Larger, 750GB drive modules for even more capacity—up to 10.
Technology Overview Xserve RAID Product Overview Key Features Xserve RAID Xserve RAID combines leading-edge storage technologies for massive capacity, fast performance, and superior data protection. Xserve Xserve RAID works seamlessly with Xserve, Apple’s high-density 1U rack-optimized server. Equipped with Dual-Core Intel Xeon processors, Xserve packs phenomenal power and a rich feature set into an affordable, easy-to-deploy system.
Technology Overview Xserve RAID High-Availability Design Apple Fibre Channel PCI cards Xserve RAID connects to a host Xserve, Mac Pro, or Power Mac system using Apple dual- or quad-channel 2Gb or 4Gb Fibre Channel PCI cards (sold separately) with throughput of up to 1600MB/s.3 Xserve RAID boasts an average read throughput of up to 380MB/s6 and write throughput of up to 301MB/s.
Technology Overview Xserve RAID Back View 1 5 Convenient replacement modules Problem resolution is fast with the AppleCare Service Parts Kits for Xserve RAID (sold separately). Each kit has an Apple Drive Module, power supply module, cooling module, and RAID controller module. 2 3 4 5 7 6 1 RAID controller modules. Two independent storage processor units manage RAID functions, data transfers, and failure protection for each set of seven drives.
Technology Overview Xserve RAID Deploying Xserve RAID Exponential growth in the creation and distribution of digital content is driving demand for high-capacity storage solutions. Large databases, digital video footage, immense scientific data sets, and expanding archives of financial information and employee records require terabytes of storage. At the same time, data protection and near-instant data access are crucial to many organizations.
Technology Overview Xserve RAID • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Third-party certifications Leading storage infrastructure vendors have certified Xserve RAID for integration with existing Fibre Channel hardware and data management solutions, including: QLogic Brocade LSI Logic Cisco VERITAS ATTO Technology Emulex McData In addition to Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server, Xserve RAID has been qualified for use on these operating systems: Windows Server 2003 Family Windows 2000 Professional Edition Windows 200
Technology Overview Xserve RAID Management and Monitoring Xserve RAID comes with RAID Admin, a powerful remote management application that dramatically simplifies setup and monitoring of multiple Xserve RAID systems. This Java-based tool provides an intuitive interface for creating protected storage volumes, managing preferences, and monitoring storage hardware. To protect storage systems from unauthorized access, RAID Admin uses robust, multilevel password authentication.
Technology Overview Xserve RAID 10 Expanding arrays Adding more disks to an existing array is accomplished using RAID Admin. Expanding an array preserves the existing array while making available the capacity of the added drives. Expansion in RAID Admin restripes the data across the entire set of new disks to provide optimal performance and capacity utilization.8 Slicing arrays To share a single RAID set across multiple servers, RAID Admin allows you to divide it into smaller segments, or “slices.
Technology Overview Xserve RAID 11 Monitoring Xserve RAID Systems Xserve RAID features robust self-monitoring technology that maximizes storage availability while minimizing the pressure on system administrators. RAID Admin software reports at-a-glance information about all Xserve RAID systems on the network, with green, yellow, or red icons indicating the health of each subsystem. Administrators can easily “drill down” for detailed information about the status and performance of each component.
Technology Overview Xserve RAID 12 Managing Volumes Administrators can use host-based volume management tools to mount storage volumes on host systems. In Mac OS X or Mac OS X Server, they can use Disk Utility to initialize arrays in Mac OS X, turn on file system journaling, and set up software RAID arrays. Disk Utility makes it easy to use software RAID to create hybrid RAID levels 10, 30, and 50. Managing Volumes with Xsan Together, Xserve RAID and Xsan provide enterprise-class storage management.
Technology Overview Xserve RAID Xsan Admin includes real-time monitoring of Xsan systems and notifies the Xsan administrator of various events using email or pager.
Technology Overview Xserve RAID System Architecture Fast throughput and data availability are paramount for dedicated storage systems. That’s why Xserve RAID combines leading-edge Fibre Channel, RAID, and Ultra ATA technologies in an innovative architecture designed for superior performance and reliability.
Technology Overview Xserve RAID 15 Drive Technology and Capacity Instead of relying on expensive SCSI or Fibre Channel hard drives, Apple developed a high-throughput ATA to Fibre Channel storage architecture that delivers superior performance and reliability at a much lower cost. Xserve RAID achieves its massive 10.5TB capacity with 14 hot-swappable 750GB Apple Drive Modules.
Technology Overview Xserve RAID 16 Monitoring of drive health Xserve RAID hardware and remote management software work together to provide industry-leading monitoring and alerting capabilities. The RAID controller automatically reads Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology (SMART) data, which allows each hard drive to report its health.
Technology Overview Xserve RAID 17 Controller cache memory Each RAID controller is equipped with 512MB of cache memory for enhanced storage throughput. For optimal read performance, streaming data can be queued into cache, and sophisticated algorithms measure data traffic patterns and reallocate read cache dynamically. Depending on write performance and data protection requirements, cache memory can be configured as “write-back” or “write-through.
Technology Overview Xserve RAID 18 Fibre Channel Interconnect Apple Fibre Channel PCI cards Xserve RAID connects to an Xserve, Mac Pro, or Power Mac host system using Apple dual- or quad-channel 2Gb or 4Gb Fibre Channel PCI cards (sold separately). Two or four 2.9-meter copper cables are included with the card for connecting to the two RAID controllers in the Xserve RAID system.
Technology Overview Xserve RAID 19 UPS support A single Xserve RAID power supply can sustain the system in the event of a power outage or electrical surge. Each RAID controller has its own DB-9 serial port, allowing Xserve RAID to connect to and monitor up to two UPS sources. When the system detects that input power has been switched to a UPS source, it changes the cache mode from high-performance write-back to safer write-through cache—protecting data transactions should the UPS fail.
Technology Overview Xserve RAID 20 Service, Support, and Training Options Every Xserve RAID comes with a one-year limited warranty and 90 days of up-andrunning telephone support. In addition, the AppleCare website publishes in-depth product information, training on hardware and software installation and configuration, and technical resources, including the AppleCare Knowledge Base, discussions, and downloadable software on Apple’s Featured Software site.
Technology Overview Xserve RAID 21 AppleCare Service Parts Kit Xserve RAID is designed for quick and easy swapping of crucial parts; no special tools or training certifications are needed. AppleCare Service Parts Kits let system admin istrators keep key components handy to address the most common hardware failures. Each kit has an Apple Drive Module, a power supply, a cooling module, and a RAID controller module.
Technology Overview Xserve RAID Purchasing Information Standard Configurations The following standard Xserve RAID configurations are available. You can also order custom-configured systems. Order number M9721LL/A MA208LL/A* Total available storage—RAID 0 1TB1 3.5TB1 MA209LL/A* 7TB1 Usable storage—RAID 1 500GB1 1.
Technology Overview Xserve RAID Related Products • Apple Dual Channel 2Gb Fibre Channel PCI-X Card with two copper SFP-to-SFP cables • Apple Dual Channel 2Gb Fibre Channel PCI Express Card with two copper SFP-to-SFP cables • Apple Dual Channel 4Gb Fibre Channel PCI Express Card with two copper SFP-to-SFP cables • Apple Quad Channel 4Gb Fibre Channel PCI Express Card with four copper SFP-to-SFP cables • 250GB Ultra ATA Apple Drive Module • 500GB Ultra ATA Apple Drive Module • 750GB Ultra ATA Apple Drive Mod
Technology Overview Xserve RAID 24 Technical Specifications Storage • Fourteen drive bays on independent Ultra ATA channels supporting up to 10.
Technology Overview Xserve RAID 25 Electrical • Redundant, load-sharing hot-swappable power supplies (450W); universal input (100V to 240V AC), power factor corrected • Maximum input current: 7.6A (100V to 127V) or 3.
