• The silos of Compute, Networkd and Storage are virtualized
  • VMware's approach: Abstract resources -> pool resources and build features like HA -> automate management (on-demand access, automated operations)

[[https://github.com/cskrushika/javawb/blob/master/docs/_static/vsan-3-sddc.jpeg|alt=VMware's Software Defined Data Center]]

Introdution to Convergence

Convergence is the combination of two, previously silo'ed datacenter infrastructure services * Compute and storage convergence * Network and storage convergence

Benefits * Greater efficiency - resource wastage limited * Greater performance - live migration of VM, HA, * All-new performance - read/write caching, deduplication etc

Terms * Hyperconvergence * ServerSAN * Hypervisor-converged storage * Software defined X (Storage)

##### Why do you need SDS (Software defined storage) SDS is the intelligent software that makes Hyperconvergence possible.

Today's storage is: * Difficult to align with applications * Provides unreliable performance - IO typicall goes to controller->LUN and then to storage leading to bottlenecks * Lacks end-to-end visibility - storage knows nil about applications running * Provisioning is too slow and is manual * Managed separately, in its own silo * Requires specialized hardware - and specific types of operational skills

#Comparing SDS Options

Virtual Storage Appliance - Virtualized storage running inside a VM * Lefthand/HP * VMware VSA * Openfiler in a VM * Virtual EMC arrays, for testing They do provide some level of SDS and better level of efficiency

Hypervisor converged
* VMware vSAN

Hyperconvergance solutions(compute and storage) * Nutanix, Simplivity and Pivot3 * Maxta * Scale Computing HC3 for KVM Hypervisor

#Hardware vs Software based storage
  • Hardware based are scale-up storage -> purchase SAN -> add more disks and controllers to scale.
  • They are multipurpose - virtual infrastructures, physical servers, NAS head in front of SAN as file servers.

  • Costly and complex.

  • Software-based storage are scale-out - add more physical servers easily, similar to lego blocks

  • Its mostly for single purposes - like virtualization. But applications in VM can run anything.
  • Easy and quick to deploy, flexible, cheaper and easy to manage.
#VMware's view of SDS
  • Keep traditional NAS or SAN
  • Add SSD to existing hosts
  • VM-centric snapshots, clones, replications etc
  • VM-centric policies for placement, protection and performance
  • Bringing the efficient operational model of virtualization to storage [[https://github.com/cskrushika/javawb/blob/master/docs/_static/vsan-3-sds.jpeg|alt=VMware's view of SDS]]
Additional info on SPBM and SDS
  • Storage Policy Based Management (SPBM) is the foundation of the SDS Control Plane and enables vSphere administrators to over come upfront storage provisioning challenges, such as capacity planning, differentiated service levels and managing capacity headroom.
  • Storage Policy Based Management (SPBM) is a storage policy framework that provides a single unified control plane across a broad range of data services and storage solutions. The framework helps to align storage with application demands of your virtual machines. First Class Disk (FCD) is a named virtual disk unassociated with a VM.
  • Through defining standard storage Profiles, SPBM optimizes the virtual machine provisioning process by provisioning datastores at scale and eliminating the need to provision virtual machines on a case-by-case basis.
  • PowerCLI, VMware vRealize Suite, vSphere API, Open Stack and other applications can leverage the vSphere Storage Policy Based Management API to automate storage management operations for the Software-Defined Storage infrastructure.
#Three types of automation.
  • Script – programs written for a special runtime environment that can interpret and automate the execution of tasks which could alternatively be executed one-by-one by a human operator. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Script_(computing))
  • Orchestration – describes the automated arrangement, coordination, and management of complex computer systems, middleware, and services. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchestration_(computing)). Example: VPS
  • Policy – Policy-based management is an administrative approach that is used to simplify the management of a given endeavor by establishing policies to deal with situations that are likely to occur. (http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/policy-based-management) at