HP XP Auto LUN Software - Manual (Page 14)

14 Auto LUN XP for the XP12000/XP10000
group B will probably decrease and I/O response time for parity group A might increase, while the overall
throughput might increase or decrease.
From an open-system host, you can also use RAID Manager command to perform manual volume
migration. To use RAID Manager to perform Auto LUN XP migration, install Auto LUN XP on the
XP12000/XP10000. For more information, see ” Using RAID Manager for manual Auto LUN XP
migrations ” on page 44.
Automatic migration
Auto migration is the primary tuning method for disk arrays. Auto migration analyzes data and executes
migration plans automatically based on user-specified parameters. Use Auto LUN XP to schedule auto
migration operations, select data to be analyzed, and specify maximum time and performance impact of
auto migration operations. Auto LUN XP displays a detailed log of auto migration activities.
Auto migration operations are based on the following major parameters:
• Hierarchy of parity groups. Auto LUN XP arranges parity groups in the XP12000/XP10000 in a
hierarchy based on HDD type, and assigns each parity group to a class based on performance of its
HDD type. Classes are ordered from highest performance drive (class A) to lowest performance drive
(class B, C, or higher depending on number of HDD types available). The auto migration function uses
this hierarchy to identify target volumes for auto migration operations.
The auto migration function can also specify “fixed” parity groups that are excluded from auto
migration operations.
• Maximum disk usage. The auto migration function specifies the maximum disk usage rate for each HDD
class in the XP12000/XP10000, and uses these limits to identify source volumes for auto migration
operations.
You must identify and specify disk usage limits for your environment. When you use the same maximum
disk usage rate for all HDD classes, HDD performance is the only factor used in determining auto
migration plans. When you specify different usage limits for HDD classes, you can bias the auto
migration function to favor (or avoid) certain HDD types. Migrating high-usage volumes to higher HDD
classes should significantly improve host access to volumes, which can also have a large effect on disk
array performance.
The auto migration function also specifies the maximum disk usage rate during auto migration
operations, so you can control the impact of Auto LUN XP copy operations on disk array performance.
If source or target parity group usage exceeds the specified limit during migration, the auto migration
operation is canceled.
Do not perform manual migration operations while the auto migration function is active. Always turn off the
auto migration function and cancel any existing auto migration plan before performing manual migration
operations.
Storage management by maximum disk usage
Use the auto migration function to specify maximum usage rate for each HDD class in an
XP12000/XP10000. When a parity group exceeds this limit, the auto migration function makes a plan to
migrate one or more volumes in this parity group to a parity group in a higher HDD class or to a parity
group in the same HDD class with lower usage.
This storage tuning method addresses and can eliminate disk drive activity bottlenecks. Auto LUN XP uses
its estimated usage rates to verify each proposed auto migration, and will not perform a migration
operation that might result in a target parity group exceeding the user-specified maximum disk usage rate.
The auto migration function identifies parity groups that exceed the user-specified usage limit, and selects
high-usage volumes as source volumes to be migrated to parity groups in higher HDD classes or to other
parity groups in the same HDD class with lower usage.
Keep reserved volumes in high HDD classes
When parity groups in the highest HDD classes start to run out of reserved (empty) volumes, Auto LUN XP
maintains available reserve volumes by automatically migrating low-usage volumes from higher HDD class
groups to lower HDD class groups.