Abstracts of Magazine FUJITSU 2001-3 (VOL.52, NO.2)

Special Issue : Storage System

• Fujitsu's Storage Area Network (SAN) Technologies

The information systems of the Internet era must be able to handle the explosively increasing amount of data; provide nonstop and stable access to that data; and reduce the cost of data utilization, distribution, operation, and management. To satisfy these requirements, Fujitsu offers features that do the following: connect servers and storage using a network topology called the Storage Area Network （SAN）; increase connectivity and storage capacity; and enable data sharing, nonstop operation, and storage integration （including operation and management） in the environment. This paper introduces three of Fujitsu's SAN technologies: the SN200 fiber channel switch, which is hardware for supporting SAN; multipath disk control for high availability in a SAN environment; and a security function called "host affinity."

• Storage Management Solution in the SAN Environment

Storage is rapidly being integrated as the Storage Area Network （SAN） environment comes into wider use. In the SAN environment, multiple storage devices are connected to multiple servers via the FC （Fibre Channel） switch. Some important requirements are operation management functions for easy management of the storage network configuration, early fault detection, quick corrective action, and security through appropriate access control. Also, there is increasing demand for a mechanism that enables backup data to be obtained without stopping system operation. This paper introduces the functions and features of Solaris SystemWalker/StorageMGR Enterprise Edition 5.1, which supports the operation management of SAN and fast and highly reliable backup operation.

• New Concept of Storage Management

The Storage Area Network （SAN） is a new type of storage connection configuration. Unlike conventional configurations, which connect a storage to a single server, SAN enables a storage to be shared by multiple servers having different platforms. It also enables a much larger storage capacity. In a SAN environment, a storage defect that occurs in one server affects the operation of many other servers. This makes it necessary to introduce a new concept of storage management because conventional methods operate on individual servers only. This paper discusses the problems of operation management in a SAN environment and inadequacies of conventional storage management methods. This paper also describes the SP500 storage management processor Fujitsu has developed and marketed to solve these problems and outlines the concept of operation management, the incorporated technology, and future activities in the area of storage management.

• Solution for Data Sharing

In the 21st century, society will increasingly be based on the Internet, and a major challenge will be how to quickly process the enormous amounts of data the Internet will be asked to circulate. To meet this challenge, Fujitsu is providing Storage Area Network （SAN） environments based on multi-server systems and is improving data processing speeds by applying a data sharing solution. This paper explains the mechanism and effectiveness of direct data sharing and high-speed data exchange between the servers that implement this data sharing solution in a SAN environment.

• Global RAID Systems

The storage systems of information processing systems are now a key requirement for accumulating, using, and distributing information, and the systems continue to grow in capacity and become more integrated. In this environment, Fujitsu has developed and marketed the GR series of global RAID （Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks） for higher reliability, performance, and functionality. Various redundancy and data guarantee methods have been used to improve the reliability of these new RAID. Also, advanced technologies and a new performance tuning method have been used to increase their processing capability. The new series also features an advanced copy function, an enhanced software linkage function, and a storage management processor to support higher functionality. This paper introduces the GR series.

• Network Attached RAID Systems

The recent trend toward storage integration has stimulated a demand for configurations in which storage is shared by many servers. One of the systems developed to meet this demand is the network attached RAID system. This new system, also called a Network Attached Storage or NAS, originates from the RAID technology introduced in the 1990s to provide redundancy in disk storage. Recent NAS products have several major features that make them superior to conventional file servers. This paper describes the concept, history, and current technological requirements of network attached RAID systems. Then, it describes the structure and functions of a network attached RAID system developed and marketed by Fujitsu, the NR1000. The last part of this paper describes how the NR1000 is used in actual applications.

• Integration Service for Data Storage Business

The increasingly widespread use of the Storage Area Network （SAN） and Network Attached Storage （NAS） is significantly changing the role of storage systems. Conventionally, storage is a data warehouse accessed by a single server. In the SAN/NAS environment, however, storage is shared by multiple heterogeneous servers and plays a key role in the use and maintenance of information, for example, during data exchange and backup. As a result, the conventional server-oriented viewpoint of storage has become insufficient and a new storage-oriented viewpoint is needed. This paper introduces some integrated hardware/software solutions and various integration services related to system construction. It also makes some suggestions for promoting a storage-oriented business. Then, this paper introduces work being done at the Interoperability Center （IOC） to evaluate connectivity with heterogeneous servers and connectivity with various software products of independent software vendors （ISVs）. Guaranteed connectivity with these components is a key requirement for constructing a SAN/NAS environment.

• APWORKS and Java VM Integrated Development Environments for e-Business Systems

The application of Java/Web technologies to in-business, business-to-business, and business-to-customer systems is rapidly increasing. Before Java/Web technologies can be applied to these systems, linkages must be made with the enterprise system so that existing resources can be used. Also required are 1） facilities for efficient development of Java/Web-based systems so that new businesses can be quickly started and 2） a robust and fast Java execution environment for providing responsive and stable services. Fujitsu's INTERSTAGE APWORKS V3.0 meets these requirements by providing enhanced facilities for linkage with the enterprise system and support of Web application development. This paper describes the enhanced facilities of INTERSTAGE APWORKS V3.0 and the high-performance Java VM which is being planned for the future.

• BtoB Operation Management Solution: SystemWalker

As Internet technology comes into wider use, more and more business-to-business transactions （BtoB transactions） are being conducted over the Internet. For BtoB operation to succeed, business systems must be made more stable and efficient without increasing the operation cost of a corporate group or the costs to its customers. This paper discusses some issues of BtoB operation management. Also, it explains how SystemWalker, a Fujitsu Enterprise Management software product, approaches these issues and the solutions it provides for BtoB operation management.