RE: iSeries and SANs

Two points:

Performance: An IBM sizing expert (for JDE World and
OneWorld/EnterpriseOne) told me earlier this week that the storage geeks
at IBM told her that to get equivalent performance to iSeries internal
DASD from a SAN you'd have to use the DS8000 model from IBM.  That's
basically their high-end unit and it doesn't make performance better;
just comparable.  I don't know what that'd map to WRT the SAN vendor
you've implemented but 'cheap disk' sounds to me a lot like 'degraded
performance'.

Backups: While using SAN replication to a remote facility solves the
BCDR usage for backups, it does nothing to solve the 'oops' need for
backups.  That is, the ability to restore a single file, machine, or
environment to a pre-screw-up state (accidental deletions, virus
infection, etc.).  If you truly want to forego tape backups you need to
supplement the SAN replication with a continual data protection product
that lets you restore your storage to pre-mess up state.  Note that
Microsoft's CDP product is not true CDP; it does not work at the
transaction level.  Also, before implementing such a solution make sure
your auditors don't take issue with the methodology.

John A. Jones, CISSP
Americas Information Security Officer
Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc.
V: +1-630-455-2787 F: +1-312-601-1782
john.jones@xxxxxxxxxx

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Mike Cunningham
Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2006 9:04 PM
To: midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: iSeries and SANs

I am curious to know if anyone is using an iSeries with no (or minimal)
internal disk and connected to a SAN. If connected to a SAN how are you
doing backups. We have been migrating our Intel servers to blades and
SAN and are now looking at getting a second SAN full of cheap disk to
place in another building, connected over fiber, and do snapshot
backups. And even talking about (slight shiver) not doing tape backups.
We know of a few places that have done this but none use iSeries. Anyone
with a real life experience in this area who has anything good or bad to
say about this concept?
 
Thanks
 
Mike Cunningham
Pennsylvania College of Technology
www.pct.edu
mcunning@xxxxxxx
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