Network Attached Storage team is providing a cost-effective centralized storage solution called UNC Shared Space for campus departments to consolidate duplicate storage. It uses Netapp storage arrays with data deduplication to provide a base 10GB per employee allocation at no cost plus additional storage can be purchased. Access is via CIFS and authenticated through Active Directory, with backups and disaster recovery between two data centers. A personal storage solution called UNC Home Space is also being developed.
1. Network Attached Storage
Team members:
Brent Caison David Pcolar
Charles Hammitt Rob Noel
Lewis Binkowski James Fox
Casey Emerson Dr. Michael Barker
Georgia Allen
Objective: to provide a cost-effective consolidation point for
network attached storage that allows campus units to choose
not to duplicate similar or identical solutions locally
2. The Idea
• Storage getting harder to manage
– Backups are painful
– Restores are even more painful
• Decent candidate for centralization if we can build a
shared administration model
• Start by focusing on a core need – departmental
“Windows” shared space
• Advisory board defines the service – ITS builds the
solution.
3. Solutions: UNC Shared Space
Shared enterprise level network attached storage space
for departments, divisions, and Schools.
• storage.unc.edu
• In production – primarily working with beta customers
• To participate – submit Remedy request to ITRC
• Central provisioning and backup paired with
distributed localized management
– Provisioning and quotas managed by ITS
– ACLs and end user support by departmental IT admins
– Security via Active Directory groups
4. UNC Shared Space
• Base allocation established by headcount
– Provided at no cost to departments
– Base allocation calculation: 10 GB per employee
– 20 percent reserved for snapshots
– Calculation derived from HR Payroll
– Includes total FTE count for the department
• Data de-duplication
– Identical “blocks” are stored only once. Netapp’s data
shows savings between 15 -30 %. These savings are
returned to the departmental allocation.
5. UNC Shared Space
• CIFs based access
• Includes disaster recovery protection (backup)
• 30 day recovery window
• Authentication based on ad.unc.edu
• Additional allocation:
– $1.50 per GB
– Billed yearly
– Minimum incremental size of 200GB
6. Solutions: UNC Home space
• myfiles.unc.edu
• Available -- Halloween 2011
• Personal storage space located on a network
accessible resource
• Complementary space to AFS
• Subscribe via onyen.unc.edu
7. UNC Home Space
• 10 GB per user
• Limited to Full Time – Permanent Employees
• Status determined via active LDAP query at
subscription
• CIFs based access
• Authentication based on ad.unc.edu
• User Managed, supported through ITS Help
8. Snapshots
• Snapshots allow customers and admins to
access previous versions of files and folders
• Windows clients can access snapshots via
“Previous Versions” tab of file and folder
properties
• Macs and Samba clients have similar access
via the ~snapshots directory
• Snapshots are retained for 30 days
9. Disaster Recovery
& Business Continuity
• Primary site is ITS Manning
– Cluster failover within ITS Manning
• Secondary site is ITS Franklin
• Nightly mirror synchronization
• If we have to failover to secondary site:
– Manual process
– Primarily a DNS change
– Planned failback during off peak time
10. Currently out of scope
• Specialty research storage
• Higher level “Sensitive” or “Secure” data
• Archival Storage
11. Hardware
• Like hardware in both data centers
• Netapp 6210 Clusters
• Each site has 480TB of raw capacity
• ~280TB usable capacity
• All 2Tb SATA disk drives
• 10GB Ethernet uplinks
• I’m comfortable scaling to 1 PB
Thanks to Lew Binkowski for authoring the slides and making the initial presentation to ITECOverview of NAS committee charterWide range of input from campus organizations6 different units/schools/departmentsITSOASISSPHSchool of PharmSchool of GovUniversity LibraryBroad representation, broad consensusSurvey results provided a good starting point for development of services. Focus: what is needed: Size and ConnectivityWe decided to focus on the types of services that could be offered.Looking at hardware separately, since there are only a few vendors, needed to determine requirements for service? Focused on CIFS to start due to costs and widest acceptanceCIFS:Widely used and supportablePlays well with others: network, OSOut of scope: There are some storage options we’ll mention later
Harder to manage:Low cost of consumer grade technologyGrowing needRecoverabilityPerformanceSecurity concernsSUPPORTRolling out 2 separate servicesInitial offering:CIFs basedIncludes disaster recovery protection (backup)Authentication based on ad.unc.eduBase allocation calculation: 10 GB per employee
UNC Shared Space Shared enterprise level network attached storage space for departments, divisions, and Schools.Central provisioning and backup paired with distributed localized management subgroup in remedyITS – Systems-> request NASBase allocation established by headcount, and provided at no cost Additional allocation is billed annually Base allocation calculation: 10 GB per employeeCIFs basedIncludes disaster recovery protection (backup)Authentication based on ad.unc.eduAdditional allocation:$2.50 per GBBilled yearlyMinimum incremental size of 200GBWould prefer fewer larger expansions over several smaller expansions Potential future options/ Additions?? Add sFTP and FTPsAdd "Dropbox" style connectivity to allow "cloud like" access.Https (Webdav) Guidelines for use:Do not recommend storing .pst files since Microsoft does not support network drive access
Effective initial storage 8GB per employeeLibrary: 320 FTE3.2 TB1% of total storage infrastructureTargeted use – Volatile filesPart of DFS infrastructureDR files – outside of departmental infrastructureCO-OP
Base allocation calculation: 10 GB per employee Initial offering:CIFs basedIncludes disaster recovery protection (backup)Authentication based on ad.unc.eduAdditional allocation:$1.50 per GBBilled yearlyMinimum incremental size of 200GB
UNC Home spacemyFiles.unc.eduPersonal storage space located on a network accessible resourceComplimentary space to AFS - not a replacementCentrally allocated- opt in service using a web submit, similar to AFS
Initial offering:10 GB per user, with no expansion at startCIFs basedAuthentication based on ad.unc.edu - ad/ONYENUser managed, supported through ITS helpMoves support and compliance to ITS:Backup and recovery serviceSubject to acceptable use policyGuidelines for use:Do not recommend storing .pst files since Microsoft does not support network drive accessWould prefer that people did not use this for their entertainment collections
Research data-Most research data sets require specific levels of security etc., HIPPA, Ferpa. Due to the uniqueness of each of these requirements, Many require “one off” solution. Can not offer a “General” service for these with out significant cost increase Research Computing offers service. Committee recommends creation of taskforce to look at expanding this service.Sensitive or secure?Both offerings are being designed to hit mid-level of security- (Level 2 from UNC IRB)Will be some data sets that should not be stored here.Meeting security requirements for Research data sets requires increased security regulations on both infrastructure and access that increase costs significantly. Not necessarily appropriate for lower levels of dataHigh speed diskDifferent group addressing that issueCan’t put fast disk on *slow* networkResearch is built around placing fast disk next to fast systems
