RE: Disk Block Size -- MIDRANGE-L

You can connect your SAN to IBM I either via Fabric (meaning it goes via a switch), or Direct (meaning just that directly connected). The (Storwize) V5000 & V7000 will provide amazing support, and you need to determine the amount of I/Os that you are going to be performing. Those Storwize devices can do Encryption at rest, or easy tier (where it moves hot data to SSDs and cold data to spinning drives) for improved performance. You can also connect a Flash System in the same way to IBM i. You do need to be on 7.2 and TR2 (I think ) for Flash. There are some pretty fast Fibre adapters out there as well.

With all that said, if you are looking for speed, simplicity, and a lower cost, put internal SSDs and they will probably be more than enough for 80% of IBM i shops. Especially running the new SSDs just announced with the EJ14 disk controllers, that is a lot of IOPs there.

Pete

Pete Massiello
iTech Solutions
http://www.itechsol.com
http://www.iInTheCloud.com

Office: 203-744-7854

-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Evan Harris
Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2016 6:24 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Re: Disk Block Size

Hi Paul

I can't say for certain that VIOS is 100% required. I seem to recall you can talk to external storage natively depending on what TR and what configuration, but I have not examined this in detail because our intent is to use VIOS anyway for a variety of reasons.

The SAN guys keep telling me that I will never they the kind of IO a SAN can support natively. My feeling is SSDs might do it but the flexibility and other advantages that a SAN brings to the table make the discussion about more than just performance (IMO).

On Thu, May 5, 2016 at 10:07 AM, Steinmetz, Paul <PSteinmetz@xxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Evan,

Back in 2012, I converted Production LPAR from 15k HDD to 100% 177gb SSD.
Performance was far better than expected, 4x.
In 2015, I migrated all the 177 gb SSD to 775 gb SSD.

R&D LPAR is still on 10k HDD.
I'm looking to improve performance on this LPAR, possibly with my next
upgrade.

I'm looking at external disks as an option.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but external would require VIOS.

Paul

-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Evan Harris
Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2016 5:57 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Re: Disk Block Size

Hi Paul

basically we are analyzing the data as support for a move from
internal disks to SAN storage. Currently we don't have any SSDs and
the disks are a mixture of 140's and 283's.

We are trying to move the discussion away from the "have you decided
on a type" question to a focus on what workload we need to service and
what is the best technical solution. Our preference is a SAN but we
are going to let the data do the talking as to whether that will really work or not.

On Thu, May 5, 2016 at 9:46 AM, Steinmetz, Paul
<PSteinmetz@xxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Evan,

I'd also be interested in the results.
What model disks and controllers are you currently using.
For your replacement, have you decided on a type.
HDD, SSD, or flash.

Paul

-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Evan Harris
Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2016 3:44 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Re: Disk Block Size

That the san guys can import the data.... seriously they went off to
do some modelling. But it should help in understanding debate re
internal vs san disk On 5/05/2016 6:25 AM, "Vernon Hamberg"
<vhamberg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Hmm - glad it worked - what was the outcome? What did you find out?

Vern

On 5/4/2016 1:20 PM, Evan Harris wrote:

Thanks Sue and Marc

the advice re PDI and Disk Magic 16.4.0 worked like a champ.

For the archives the 16.3.0 version of Disk Magic did NOT work.

On Tue, May 3, 2016 at 7:12 AM, Sue Baker <smbaker@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Evan Harris

<auctionitis@xxxxxxxxx> wrote on Mon, 02 May 2016 18:38:06 GMT:

thanks for that - will try it out today if possible. Do you

happen to know which file you would need to export or have a
link I could look at ?

Navigate to

https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/community/wikis/home?lang=en#
!/
wi
ki/IBM%20i%20Technology%20Updates/page/Disk%20Reads%20and%20Writ
es
%2
0Detail

IBM i Technology Updates - Disk Reads and Writes Detail is the
name of the page.

--
Sue
IBM North America Advanced Technical Sales Support (ATS) Power
Systems Rochester, MN

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Regards
Evan Harris
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