User's Manual

Chapter 4. Virtualization concepts 81
Figure 4-12 Optimal distribution of data
4.3 Benefits of virtualization
The DS6000 physical and logical architecture defines new standards for enterprise storage
virtualization. The main benefits of the virtualization layers are:
򐂰 Flexible LSS definition allows maximization/optimization of the number of devices per
LSS.
򐂰 No strict relationship between RAID ranks and LSSs.
򐂰 No connection of LSS performance to underlying storage.
򐂰 Number of LSSs can be defined based upon device number requirements:
– With larger devices significantly fewer LSSs might be used.
– Volumes for a particular application can be kept in a single LSS.
– Smaller LSSs can be defined if required (for systems/applications requiring less
storage).
– Test systems can have their own LSSs with fewer volumes than the production
systems.
򐂰 Increased number of logical volumes:
– Up to 8192 (CKD)
– Up to 8192 (FB)
– Up to 4096 CKD and up to 4096 FB
򐂰 Increased logical volume size:
– CKD: 55.6 GB (65520 cylinders), architected for 219 TB
– FB: 2 TB, architected for 1 PB
򐂰 Flexible logical volume configuration:
– Multiple RAID types (RAID-5, RAID-10)
– Storage types (CKD and FB) aggregated into extent pools
– Volumes allocated from extents of extent pool
Server0 Server1
Extent Pool FB-1a
Extent Pool FB-0a
DA pair
DA pair
Host LVM volume
Extent Pool FB-1bExtent Pool FB-0b
Loop 1
Loop 2 Loop 2
Loop 1
LSS 00 LSS 01