Chapter 6 Optional Functions; Streamlined Operations In The Virtual Environment; Thin Provisioning - Fujitsu ETERNUS DX80 S2 Overview

Chapter 6
Optional Functions
This chapter explains the optional functions of the ETERNUS DX Disk storage system.
"Thin Provisioning", "Flexible Tier (automatic storage layering)", and "Advanced Copy" are available as
optional functions. The relevant license must be purchased to use these optional functions.
6.1

Streamlined Operations in the Virtual Environment

The Thin Provisioning function and the Flexible Tier (automatic storage layering) function create virtual disks
to optimize the usability of physical capacity. These functions reduce both the initial investment and the
power consumption requirements since fewer drives have to be installed.
A "Thin Provisioning Feature License" is required to use the Thin Provisioning function or the Flexible Tier
function.
6.1.1

Thin Provisioning

The Thin Provisioning function virtualizes and allocates storage capacity. This reduces physical storage
capacity and unused capacity can be used more efficiently.
The user can start operation of the ETERNUS DX Disk storage system with a small disk capacity by allocating
large virtual disks to the server. Physical disks can be added according to the required capacity without
affecting the server.
In order to avoid physical disk capacity shortages, thresholds are monitored and physical capacity change is
visualized. This enables the user to know when the storage capacity is insufficient and additional physical
disks can be added to prevent operations being stopped.
By using the Thin Provisioning balancing function, the physical allocated capacity of the Thin Provisioning
Volume (TPV) can be balanced between RAID groups, and the I/O access to the TPV can be reallocated to the
RAID groups in the pool.
In addition, the Thin Provisioning function can be used more efficiently by using the Zero Reclamation
function. The Zero Reclamation function releases physical areas with all zero bits.
ETERNUS DX80 S2/DX90 S2 Disk storage system Overview
Copyright 2013 FUJITSU LIMITED
77
P3AM-4812-11ENZ0