Storage Technology in the Windows platform

1. Storage Technology in the Windows platform Mat Young – Storage Technology Architect, Microsoft EMEA Justin Alderson – Storage Specialists Manager, Microsoft EMEA

2. Agenda • What’s driving Microsoft Storage innovation • APIs - VDS, VSS, MPIO and what they do • iSCSI – initiator and target • File System / Redirector improvements • Branch Office

3. Microsoft’s Storage Charter • Make Windows the best Storage platform • Work with a partner ecosystem to address customer needs • Introduce new storage solutions

4. Microsoft’s Role In Storage • Better understand and address customer challenges • Leadership with storage technology building blocks • Enable innovation for applications • Work with partners to provide cost-effective solutions

5. Making Windows The Best Storage Platform New Technology in Windows Server 2003 and Storage Server 2003 to help NAS, DAS and SAN • Disk Services - VDS • Multipathing framework - MPIO • Copy Services – VSS • SAN connectivity improvements • Interconnect - iSCSI • File system Improvements • Enhanced DFS and SMB/CIFS redirector

6. Virtual Disk Service (VDS) • Single interface for managing block storage virtualization, regardless of • OS software • RAID storage hardware • other storage virtualization engines • Hardware subsystem neutral • Interconnect neutral Focus is innovation to allow automated hardware management

7. VDS Example – the “Simple SAN” • Solution for SMB business with no SAN expertise • Entry level SAN bundle • Windows Server System (using VDS) • QLogic SAN Surfer (VDS Management tool) • QLogic HBAs • HP MSA array • VDS simplifies management so that storage, interconnected, HBA and LUNs are managed from single console • Result – reduce installation time from 221 minutes / 78 steps to 35 minutes / 3 steps Similar solutions from HDS, Engenio, XIOtech etc

8. Drivers/software HBA HBA Array SAN/Array MPIO – Multi-Path I/O • Problem: • Historically, every Storage Vendor had a Multipath solution specific to an OS, Patch, HBA, and array. • Expensive to manage, not always stable • Solution – Microsoft MPIO program: • Hardware independent Multi-pathing API. • A Driver Development Kit (DDK) for storage vendors to create interoperable multipathing solutions. • HBA and path (FC, iSCSI etc) agnostic • Does not replace multipath products like Secure Path - they become “MPIO compliant” – and therefore highly interoperable • VDS and MPIO • improve interoperability and stability for end users • Enable vendors to develop more interoperable tools

9. Volume Shadow Services • Common infrastructure for point-in-time backups • Snapshots/Clones/PIT copies etc • Solve today‘s problems • Every hardware vendor has their own solution (Timefinder, Business Copy etc) • Difficult to get support across multiple storage vendors • Difficult to guarantee data integrity • No easy way for applications to describe their data to backup apps. • Excessive number of APIs to deal with. • An application can modify a file while it is being backed-up causing data corruption or a file open error

10. VSS: How does it work?

11. Shadow Copies of Shared Folders • Shadow Copies of Share Folders is a VSS application • Enables software based snapshots of file systems, and end user recovery • Does NOT manage / replace hardware snapshots or archive backup • eg – Exchange rapid recovery solution • Server side – 2003 platform • Client availble – Win2000, WinXP / 2003 platforms • Client included in XPSP2 • New with Windows 2003 SP1 – Volume restore (for administrators) • Volume offline during restore – not for system drives

12. Other SAN Support features • Boot from SAN supported • Get your hardware vendor support statement! • Read article 305547 • http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;305547 • Consider latency – especially on pagefiles • Flexible volume mounting in SANs • Allows control of LUN visibility to an individual server • Works complimentarily with Switch Zoning • Auto mount disabled by default in Enterprise Edition, enabled in Standard Edition • diskpart automount enable | disable • Storport • Redesigned driver model optimized for FC SANs • Supplements SCSIport driver • SCSIport is optimized for direct attach storage • Storport tuned for Fabric storage and HBA RAID • Smooth expansion path for future interconnect standards • SNIA HBA Management • Enabler for tools such as the Fibre Channel Information Tool (fcinfo) • Download the tool from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=73d7b879-55b2-4629-8734-b0698096d3b1&displaylang=en • Can trace the path from HBA through the switch to the end point Bus, Target and LUN. Windows 2003 - a much better SAN citizen

13. Windows in iSCSI SANs INITIATOR The device (normally a server) that requests the disks TARGET The device that “presents” target disks • Interconnect • SCSI • Fibre Channel • iSCSI SCSI Protocols • Scenarios to consider: • Windows servers on iSCSI SANs • Windows as a provider of iSCSI Storage blocks

14. INITIATOR The device (normally a server) that requests the disks TARGET The device that “presents” target disks • Interconnect • SCSI • Fibre Channel • iSCSI SCSI Protocols Windows in iSCSI SANs • Microsoft delivers an iSCSI initiator • This enables Windows 2000 / 2003 systems to use Storage delivered by iSCSI targets. • Similar to a traditional SAN, but using IP • Third party delivers iSCSI targets • These enable Windows 2003 systems to act as Storage devices, delivering iSCSI targets. • Similar to a Storage array

15. iSCSI • Adds support for native iSCSI for Windows • iSCSI Support for Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003 • iSCSI initiator and iSNS Server package • Targets • Hardware (check for Windows Catalog listing) • 3rd party Software for Windows Server (Stringbean, Falconstor) – also check Catalog • Cluster support – interim support for Catalog’ed hardware until 9 months after SP1, then need a full cluster-certified Catalog entry. • Positioning • Complements Fibre Channel • Enable scaling of existing Network Storage investments at low cost through gateways / iSCSI ports on arrays • Option for connection Exchange / SQL etc • Where to get it • iSCSI initiator (v1.06) - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=12cb3c1a-15d6-4585-b385-befd1319f825&DisplayLang=en • White papers at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/storage/sansupport.mspx • iSNS Server RTM version available from • http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0dbc4af5-9410-4080-a545-f90b45650e20&displaylang=en

16. iSCSI Initatior V2.0 (Osaka)Coming soon… • x64 support • Improved error messages, WMI Management • Improved setup and management • Auto discovery of iSNS server using DHCP • IPv6 • High availability • Integrated Microsoft MPIO multipathing solution supports logo’d block storage devices • Designed to work with all SPC-2 or later compliant targets • Additionally, MS MPIO DDK includes iSCSI DSM source • Multiple connections per session • Multiple load balance policies and failover policies • Persistent ISID • Portal Hopping • Attempt connection to alternate portals • Error Recovery Levels 1 & 2

17. New Combination DevicesAdding iSCSI to the mix • Windows Storage Server OEMs are adding iSCSI Target options to their devices • Fujitsu-Siemens FibreCat (included as standard) • Maxxan SG series • HP Proliant Storage Server • Other vendors to follow soon

18. NTFS as a file system Capabilities and features NTFS (Theory) NTFS (Tested) Max File Size Max Volume Size Max Number files Directory Size 16 TB 240 TB 4.2 Billion No Limit 15.9TB 17TB 20M 20M Encryption and Compression are part of the file system

19. File System changes with SP1 Breaking the 2TB basic disk limit • Until SP1 • 32 bit system used MFT only • 64 bit could use MFT or GPT • No support for 64 bit block numbering in lower Storage stack • Result – 2TB Basic disk size limit. • With Windows Server 2003 SP1 • “SCSI-3 Block Commands-2” support for 64 bit block numbering • Added GPT disk support to all Windows Server platforms (also 32 bit – previously only 64 bit) • Result • 9 EB limit in theory for basic disks • NTFS File System currently limited to 256TB. • Only for SCSI command set – not yet for USB / 1394 • You need an array that can present a >2TB LUN • Good layout planning is still essential

20. DFS and RedirectionBringing further benefits in File Serving • Today - DFS – Root consolidation hotfix • Enables legacy NetBIOS names to be hosted on DFS roots • Toolkit at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/upgrading/nt4/tooldocs/msfsc.mspx • SP1 – Access Based Directory Enumeration • Users see only files in a share, to which they have rights – other files / folders not visible • Set at share level – legacy-style also possible (users see everything) • Requires tool or small piece of code to set flag – no UI (yet) • R2 – DFSR • Completely rewritten replication system – better integrated with DFS

21. Branch Office technology • Challenges around Branch Office management • Consolidate / centralise – what is the cost of service levels / productivity? • Distribute – what is the cost of management? • Choice of approach: Replication or Cache • Replication • Today - 3rd party tools – NSI / Legato etc • Coming - Data Protection Manager, R2-DFSR • Caching • 3rd party solutions – eg Tacit Networks • Choice • Cache vs replication depends on many factors • Look for a solution which reduces management overhead and reuses existing platforms, not adds complexity

22. Summary • APIs and their role • iSCSI – Initiator and Target • File System and File Server technology • Branch Office Making Windows the best storage platform http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/storage/default.mspx