State Government
Challenges
• Large environment with over 1700 LUNs
• AIX with VIO hosts, extremely sensitive to target port changes
• Existing configuration issues, some hosts down to a single path
• System test was mandated using destination LUN prior to cutover
• Although over 512 destination LUNs were involved, XIV can only provision 512 LUNs per host
• Cutover cannot complete all at once
Solution
• CMO auto-discovered all hosts and LUNs and associated each automatically
• Storage-side insertion assured the same WWPNs for target ports would show up on the same switch ports
• CMO topology explorer provided birds-eye view of the entire SAN configuration to help resolve environment issues
• Multiple destination CMO appliances were deployed to allow over 512 LUN per host limit with IBM XIV
• Migration was performed in waves, allowing cutover of various hosts to be spread out over a few weekends
Results
• No impact to production was observed during CMO insertion in to data path
• No changes were needed to any hosts or the FC fabric, and hosts did not detect any SAN configuration changes
• Production was transferred to the new location smoothly, over a few weekends
• Partner and customer completed the entire project with little assistance from CDS, and only during the CMO insertion process
The Story
This migration was performed for a state government’s Integrated Enterprise System division. The migration itself had several challenges, notably the use of 72 AIX with VIO servers performing web, application, and database functions. These systems are notoriously sensitive to target port changes, and prior to the migration, some hosts were down to a single path to storage due to environment issues. When migration environments are this complicated and sensitive, it is essential to find a solution that is simple, efficient, and eliminates risk.
Cirrus Data’s Cirrus Migrate On-Premises (CMO) was the ideal solution for this state government’s Integrated Enterprise System division and its sensitive environment. During the storage-side insertion process, no hosts saw any impact to production. Additionally, the process was simplified in that after insertion, CMO autodiscovered all the hosts and LUNs and associated them with each other automatically. Since not all 72 hosts could be cutover to new storage at the same time, the migration project was conducted in waves over several weekends. Initially, this project plan called for only a moderate amount of data to be migrated. The customer was astounded by how seamless the migration process became using CMO; and additionally, by the fact that CMO did not impact their current production environment.
As a result, after the initial phase was complete, they purchased additional migration capacity to include more data LUNs into the project. With help from the partner, the customer’s IT team was able to complete the entire project with minimal support from CDS apart from some assistance during the CMO insertion process.
