Performance Acceleration Module

1. Performance Acceleration Module Tech ONTAP Live August 6th, 2008

2. Introducing the Performance Acceleration Module New Way to Optimize the Performance of Your Storage System • Intelligent read cache improves throughputand reduces latency • Suitable for file services and other workloadsthat are random read intensive Grow Without Straining Your Infrastructure • Use instead of one or moredisk shelves to optimize performance • Consumes 95% less power than a shelf of Fibre Channel disks and no rack space

3. Performance Acceleration Module (PAM)Overview • What is the Performance Acceleration Module? • A PCIe expansioncard and software license for FAS and V-Series 60x0 and 3xx0 systems running Data ONTAP 7.3 • What does PAM do? • Improves read performance by extending cache memory and applying intelligent caching options • Where should PAM be used? • With application workloads that have high percentage of small-block random reads

4. Relative Latency Disk Drives Storage Controller PAM Latency (ms) Memory PAM cache hits reducelatency by a factor or 10! CPUs Disk PAM Memory Reduce Latency with thePerformance Acceleration Module (PAM)

5. File Services Workload 1.7x 2.0x 2.2x Improve Throughput for File Services Throughput doubled for this spindle-bound FAS3040 system with the addition of a Performance Acceleration Module

6. Alternative to Using More Disk Drives • Conventional approach to optimize performance for workloads that are random read intensive is to add fast-spinning disks • Our Performance Acceleration Module is more cost-effective • Costs less than adding multiple disk shelves • Efficient use of your existing storage capacity • Ideal for environments with limited power and space • Uses no additional rack space (plugs into storage controller) • Consumes very little power (18 watts) Use instead of one or more shelves.

7. Grow Without Straining Your Infrastructure Power Savings • Performance Acceleration Module consumes 95% less electricity than a shelf containing 14 15k RPM Fibre Channel disk drives • Savings of ~3,000 kWh/year for each disk shelf not used Space Savings • Module uses I/O slot in the storage controller – no extra rack space • Savings for each disk shelf not used are 3U of rack space and about 1 ft2 (0.1 m2) of floor space in the data center

8. Predictive Cache Statistics (PCS) • Use PCS for simulated caches to extrapolate behavior of Performance Acceleration Module in your workload before you buy • Simulates three virtual caches on the system • One at 2x system memory • A second at 4x system memory • A third at 8x system memory Example: FAS3070 with 8GB of system memory simulates with 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB memory

9. Predictive Cache Statistics Determine if your workload will benefit from PAM before you purchase PCS simulates three victim cache sizes: 2X, 4X, and 8X the size of main memory. The outcome of the analysis is a statement about the number of 16GB PAM cards that would help offload disk read IOPS and the amount of benefit. *Cache Used* *Chain Length* *Disk IOs* *Hits in MB/s* *Raw Hits* *Raw Misses* *Meta Hits* *Meta Misses* 64 1.510 1950 15.113 2946 15405 2873 1919 128 1.510 442 0 669 390 713 1257 256 1.510 261 0 395 0 379 878 Chart that shows 5 cards will absorb >2000 IOPS from the 5847 disk reads.

10. PAM’s Intelligent Caching Options • PAM is more than just additional read cache memory • Caching options make it useful for more applications • There are 3 modes of operation: • Default • Caches both user and metadata – same as main memory cache • Used when one dataset is being actively read • Metadata • Preferentially caches only metadata • Most useful when many datasets are being read simultaneously • Low Priority • Caches user data, metadata, and data that is quickly ejected from main memory • Useful with repeat sequential reads or when reading recently written data

11. Modules per Controller • Supported on Data ONTAP 7.3 • Scale-out mode (GX-like) support targeted for Data ONTAP 8.0

12. Comparison of the Performance Acceleration Module (PAM) to Solid State Drives (SSDs) Similarities • Both are alternatives to adding disk drives as a means of optimizing storage system performance • Both make their strongest contribution with workloads that are random read intensive Distinctions • SSDs for enterprise storage are currently expensive and positioned for niche applications • NetApp® PAM is more cost-effective and positioned for a mainstream workload

13. Summary – Performance Accelerator Module • Gives you a new way to optimize performance for storage workloads that are random read intensive • Demonstrated benefits for file services and similar workloads • Lets you grow cost-effectively and without straining your infrastructure

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