[gpfsug-discuss] Best Practices using GPFS with SVC (and XiV)

[Oesterlin, Robert]

IBM in general doesn’t have a comprehensive set of best practices around Spectrum Scale (trying to get used to that!) and SVC or storage system like XIV (or HP 3PAR). From my IBM days (a few years back) I used both with GPFS successfully. I do recall some discussion regarding a larger block size, but haven’t seen any recent updates. (Scott Fadden, are you listening?) Larger block sizes are problematic for file systems with lots of small files. (like ours)

- Since SVC is striping data across multiple storage LUNs, and GPFS is striping as well, what’s the possible impact? My thought would be to use image mode vdisks, but that sort of defeats the purpose/utility of SVC.
- IBM specifically points out not to use compression on the SVC/V9000 with GPFS metadata, so if you use these features be careful.

Bob Oesterlin
Sr Storage Engineer, Nuance Communications
507-269-0413


From: <gpfsug-discuss-bounces at gpfsug.org<mailto:gpfsug-discuss-bounces at gpfsug.org>> on behalf of Christoph Krafft
Reply-To: gpfsug main discussion list
Date: Thursday, August 27, 2015 at 4:36 AM
To: "gpfsug-discuss at gpfsug.org<mailto:gpfsug-discuss at gpfsug.org>"
Subject: [gpfsug-discuss] Best Practices using GPFS with SVC (and XiV)


Dear GPFS folks,

I know - it may not be an optimal setup for GPFS ... but is someone willing to share technical best practices when
using GPFS with SVC (and XiV).

From the past I remember some recommendations concerning the nr of vDisks in SVC and certainly block size (XiV=1M)
could be an issue.

Thank you very much for sharing any insights with me.


Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Sincerely

Christoph Krafft

Client Technical Specialist - Power Systems, IBM Systems
Certified IT Specialist @ The Open Group
________________________________


Phone:  +49 (0) 7034 643 2171   IBM Deutschland GmbH
[cid:2__=8FBBF43DDFA7F6638f9e8a93df938690918c8FB@]

Mobile: +49 (0) 160 97 81 86 12 Hechtsheimer Str. 2
Email:  ckrafft at de.ibm.com<mailto:ckrafft at de.ibm.com>   55131 Mainz
                Germany
________________________________

IBM Deutschland GmbH / Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: Martin Jetter
Geschäftsführung: Martina Koederitz (Vorsitzende), Susanne Peter, Norbert Janzen, Dr. Christian Keller, Ivo Koerner, Markus Koerner
Sitz der Gesellschaft: Ehningen / Registergericht: Amtsgericht Stuttgart, HRB 14562 / WEEE-Reg.-Nr. DE 99369940


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://gpfsug.org/pipermail/gpfsug-discuss_gpfsug.org/attachments/20150827/b062ce77/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: ecblank.gif
Type: image/gif
Size: 45 bytes
Desc: ecblank.gif
URL: <http://gpfsug.org/pipermail/gpfsug-discuss_gpfsug.org/attachments/20150827/b062ce77/attachment.gif>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 06057114.gif
Type: image/gif
Size: 1851 bytes
Desc: 06057114.gif
URL: <http://gpfsug.org/pipermail/gpfsug-discuss_gpfsug.org/attachments/20150827/b062ce77/attachment-0001.gif>