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@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@netmass.com]
>> >> > Sent: Monday, March 10, 2003 4:14 PM
>> >> > To: linux-lvm@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@sistina.com
>> >> > http://lists.sistina.com/mailman/listinfo/linux-lvm
>> >> > read the LVM HOW-TO at http://tldp.org/HOWTO/LVM-HOWTO/
>> >> >
>> >> -- NextPart --
>> >> Attached File: c:\program
>> files\goldmine\MailBox\Attach\gaf\smime(2).p7s
>> _______________________________________________
>> linux-lvm mailing list
>> linux-lvm@sistina.com
>> 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@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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