[linux-lvm] Core questions from a LVM neophyte... [OT]

[Greg Freemyer]

Chris,

GFS can do a block level export to Win2K such that Win2K presents the Virtual Disk as a local disk?

i.e.
create a tiered environment of 
              Win2K servers  <==>  GFS Server  <==>  FC array.

With the end result that Win2K sees the drives as local, and the only SAN infrastructure is between the GFS server and the array.
 
I find that hard to believe, but if so, I really would like to know about that.

Like Steve, I have some Win2K apps I have to support that require local drives, and putting every Win2K box on a SAN is very expensive.

And yes that is exactly what HPs VR product does:

             Win2K servers  <= Ethernet =>  VR Server  <= SAN =>  FC array  

Greg

 >>  Sistina's GFS will do this as well. We employ it here with good results.
 >>  GFS can live happily in LV2.

 >>  --
 >>  Christopher Barry
 >>  Manager of Information Systems
 >>  InfiniCon Systems
 >>  http://www.infiniconsys.com

 >>  -----Original Message-----
 >>  From: Greg Freemyer [mailto:freemyer at NorcrossGroup.com]
 >>  Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2003 6:56 PM
 >>  To: LVM Mailing list
 >>  Subject: re[2]: [linux-lvm] Core questions from a LVM neophyte...


 >>  Just to re-iterate, HPs Virtual Replicator does this.  (IIRC $10K)

 >>  They like you to put a MSA-1000 FC Array behind your VR server (IIRC $15K
 >>  entry), but it supports/exports any FC array or local disk solution.

 >>  It does not provide any RAID aspects.

 >>  If you want to know more, e-mail me off-list.

 >>  Greg
 >>  (HP certified SAN architect)


 >>  >>  I'm interested in a block level export.  The exported space will be
 >>  used
 >>  >>  as the disk part of an Hierarchical Storage Manager that is backed up
 >>  by
 >>  >>  qualstar tape libraries.  We have several such systems and I would
 >>  like
 >>  >>  to try to consolidate the disk portions of each into a "SAN" like
 >>  >>  environment.  At the same time, we are also looking at more customer
 >>  >>  disk based storage.  I have several storage servers (hopefully
 >>  running
 >>  >>  Linux soon but running W2K now) that need access to large areas of
 >>  >>  storage.  I would like to carve and export virtualized chunks for
 >>  this
 >>  >>  as well.  

 >>  >>  The main reason for the block level export is that the software we
 >>  use
 >>  >>  does not support "NAS" type network disks.  They only support
 >>  "locally
 >>  >>  attached" drives.  iSCSI would at least appear as a local SCSI disk.

 >>  >>  For management purposes, I would like to have a single way to export
 >>  >>  everything.  This may or may not be feasible at present.

 >>  >>  - Steve

 >>  >>  > Stephen,
 >>  >>  >     What do you want it for - backups? Why not samba over GigE?
 >>  >>  > 
 >>  >>  > --
 >>  >>  > Christopher Barry
 >>  >>  > Manager of Information Systems
 >>  >>  > InfiniCon Systems
 >>  >>  > http://www.infiniconsys.com
 >>  >>  > 
 >>  >>  > -----Original Message-----
 >>  >>  > From: Stephen Perkins [mailto:perkins at netmass.com]
 >>  >>  > Sent: Monday, March 10, 2003 4:14 PM
 >>  >>  > To: linux-lvm at sistina.com
 >>  >>  > Subject: RE: [linux-lvm] Core questions from a LVM neophyte...
 >>  >>  > 
 >>  >>  > 
 >>  >>  > Hi all,
 >>  >>  >  
 >>  >>  > >     I have built a very cool NAS box, and want to use LVM2 
 >>  >>  > > on it. My machine is as follows:
 >>  >>  > > 
 >>  >>  > > Tyan Thunder i7500 w/ 2-2.4GHz XEON processors.
 >>  >>  > > 2GB RAM
 >>  >>  > > 3ware Escalade 7500-12 IDE RAID controller
 >>  >>  > > 12-160GB Maxtor IDE HDs
 >>  >>  > > System on a separate 20GB Maxtor HD
 >>  >>  > > Floppy, slimline CDROM, and a DVDRW drive.
 >>  >>  > > All in a 12-bay chassis from 
 >>  >>  > > http://www.rackmountpro.com/productpage.cfm?> prodid=1460
 >>  >>  > > 
 >>  >>  > > This 
 >>  >>  > > config gives me 1.8TB of RAID 5 for under 
 >>  >>  > > $8K - not too shabby.
 >>  >>  > 
 >>  >>  > This is a superb value and I'm very interested in your 
 >>  >>  > proposed "how-to"
 >>  >>  > site.
 >>  >>  > 
 >>  >>  > I am wanting to deploy some larger virtualized storage in a mixed
 >>  >>  > Linux/W2K environment.    Is anybody out there exporting
 >>  virtualized
 >>  >>  > volumes to Win2K boxes?  If so, how?  I checked HyperSCSI and they
 >>  do
 >>  >>  > not appear to have a Win2K client (although a beta is supposed to
 >>  be
 >>  >>  > coming soon).  I have not yet found target information for Linux
 >>  along
 >>  >>  > with a known interoperable Win2K initiator.  Anybody doing it?
 >>  >>  > 
 >>  >>  > Disk performance is not so much an issue for me since the disk
 >>  arrays
 >>  >>  > will be replacing large tape libraries.  Even with pathetic 
 >>  >>  > performance,
 >>  >>  > they should behave much faster than large AIT libraries.  
 >>  >>  > 
 >>  >>  > Question 1:  Is it possible today to:
 >>  >>  > 
 >>  >>  > Have a large IDE RAID5 array that is virtualized through LVM and
 >>  then
 >>  >>  > exported to a Dynamic Disk on Win2K over a LAN (not necessarily
 >>  WAN)?
 >>  >>  > 
 >>  >>  > I believe iSCSI and HyperSCSI would both work... However I have not
 >>  >>  > found the approporiate interoperable software drivers.
 >>  >>  > 
 >>  >>  > Question 2: The system that is described above is a linux system
 >>  with
 >>  >>  > direct attached storage.  It is a SPOF.  Any inexpensive 
 >>  >>  > solutions that
 >>  >>  > would allow the Linux portion to be clustered for active/pasive
 >>  >>  > failover?  Is FC the only alternative here?
 >>  >>  > 
 >>  >>  > TIA,
 >>  >>  > 
 >>  >>  > - Steve
 >>  >>  > 
 >>  >>  > 
 >>  >>  > 
 >>  >>  > 
 >>  >>  > _______________________________________________
 >>  >>  > linux-lvm mailing list
 >>  >>  > linux-lvm at sistina.com
 >>  >>  > http://lists.sistina.com/mailman/listinfo/linux-lvm
 >>  >>  > read the LVM HOW-TO at http://tldp.org/HOWTO/LVM-HOWTO/
 >>  >>  > 



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 >>  _______________________________________________
 >>  linux-lvm mailing list
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 >>  http://lists.sistina.com/mailman/listinfo/linux-lvm
 >>  read the LVM HOW-TO at http://tldp.org/HOWTO/LVM-HOWTO/

 >>  _______________________________________________
 >>  linux-lvm mailing list
 >>  linux-lvm at sistina.com
 >>  http://lists.sistina.com/mailman/listinfo/linux-lvm
 >>  read the LVM HOW-TO at http://tldp.org/HOWTO/LVM-HOWTO/