This IBM® Redbooks® publication captures several of the preferred practices and describes the performance gains that can be achieved by implementing the IBM System Storage® SAN Volume Controller and IBM Storwize® V7000 powered by IBM Spectrum Virtualize™ V8.2.1. These practices are based on field experience.

This book highlights configuration guidelines and preferred practices for the storage area network (SAN) topology, clustered system, back-end storage, storage pools and managed disks, volumes, remote copy services, and hosts. Then it provides performance guidelines for SAN Volume Controller, back-end storage, and applications. It explains how you can optimize disk performance with the IBM System Storage Easy Tier® function. It also provides preferred practices for monitoring, maintaining, and troubleshooting SAN Volume Controller and Storwize V7000.

This book is intended for experienced storage, SAN, and SAN Volume Controller administrators and technicians. Understanding his book requires advanced knowledge of the SAN Volume Controller and Storwize V7000 and SAN environments.

Important: On 11th February 2020 IBM announced the arrival of SAN Volume Controller SA2 and SV2, and IBM FlashSystem® 7200 to the family.

This book was written specifically for prior versions of SVC and Storwize V7000; however, most of the general principles will apply.

If you are in any doubt as to their applicability then you should work with your local IBM representative.

This book will be updated to comprehensively include SAN Volume Controller SA2 and SV2 and FlashSystem 7200 in due course.

Chapter 1. Storage area network

Chapter 2. Back-end storage

Chapter 3. Storage pools and managed disks

Chapter 4. Volumes

Chapter 5. Copy Services

Chapter 6. Hosts

Chapter 7. IBM Easy Tier function

Chapter 8. Monitoring

Chapter 9. Maintenance

Chapter 10. Troubleshooting and diagnostics

Chapter 11. IBM Real-time Compression

Appendix A. IBM i considerations

Appendix B. Business continuity