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FAST VP versus Optimizer
Are these two are referring to two different things, or FAST VP would use Optimizer to determine HOT volumes? These two seems doing the similar thing.
On VMAX here, Optimizer is diabled (shown by running symoptmz query), however, FAST VP is being used (shown enabled by symfast -sid 123 list -state and symfast -sid 123 list -fp).
Thanks for your advice!
rawstorage
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January 20th, 2014 04:00
Dynamox is on the money as usual
FAST-DP and Optimizer are very similar, the difference between the two is FAST DP is building on the Optimizer technology somewhat giving you the ability to setup policies and tiers. Both utilize DRV (Dynamic Relocation Volumes) to accomplish the relocation of the hot luns to balance out performance. FAST DP can also balance performance on an application on a particular storage group based on the luns in the group, the busier luns will automatically get selected for promotion to FLASH.
The reason for the difference is Optimizer doesn't do everything FAST can do, as in it's array wide by default, it doesn't have policies, and it is a different product.
While FAST-DP can identify hot luns, not all data on any lun is actually hot, this is where FAST VP comes in. FAST VP is able to identify sub-lun portions of luns that are hot and move this hot data to a higher performing tier if the policy allows, it also can identify cold data and move this to a capacity tier. At the sub-lun FAST VP is moving around as little as 7.5 MB of data between thin pools doing this all non-disruptively and automatically. There's a lot of whitpapers and and youtube videos out there if you're looking for more info on this.
On the Array there are 2 controllers, FAST-DP and Optimizer and FAST VP; Performance windows are shared between DP/VP and Optimizer and move windows are separate.
dynamox
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January 19th, 2014 13:00
Optimize aka FAST-DP is used on thick devices while FAST-VP works on pool devices only
dynamox
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January 19th, 2014 14:00
old naming, existed on Symmetrix waaaay before FAST came about
dynamox
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January 19th, 2014 14:00
yep, that's FAST-DP
emcmagic
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January 19th, 2014 14:00
I am curious, why do they call it Optimizer, not FAST or FAST-DP, since FAST is more common and already accepted term?
emcmagic
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January 19th, 2014 14:00
# symfast -sid 123 list -state
Symmetrix ID: 000192605065
FAST State : Disabled
Reason(s) : N/A
FAST Current Activities : Idle
FAST Perf Time Window : Open
FAST Move Time Window : Closed
FAST VP State : Enabled
Reason(s) : N/A
FAST VP Current Activities : RunningPlan
FAST VP Perf Time Window : Open
FAST VP Move Time Window : Open
emcmagic
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January 19th, 2014 14:00
FAST is disabled here.
Is FAST-DP = FAST?
People usually disable FAST-DP, and use FAST-VP on VMAX, is that correct?
dynamox
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January 19th, 2014 14:00
where did you see FAST ?
dynamox
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January 19th, 2014 16:00
yes
FAST and Fully Automated Storage Tiering with Virtual Pools (FAST VP)
EMC Symmetrix FAST (FAST DP) and FAST VP automate the identification of data
volumes for the purposes of relocating application data across different
performance/capacity tiers within an array. FAST operates on standard Symmetrix
devices. Data movements executed between tiers are performed at the full volume
level. FAST VP operates on virtual devices. As such, data movement execution can be
performed at the sub-LUN level, and a single thin device may have extents allocated
across multiple thin pools within the array. Because FAST DP and FAST VP support
different device types – standard and virtual respectively – they both can operate
simultaneously within a single array.3 Aside from some shared configuration
parameters, the management and operation of each are separate.
emcmagic
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January 19th, 2014 16:00
EMC® Solutions Enabler Symmetrix Array Controls CLI Version 7.6
this is a pretty recent document, on page 288, they still call it Optimizer. Is this Optimizer really the same as FAST/FAST-DP?
dynamox
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January 19th, 2014 16:00
how is Optimizer described differently from FAST ?
emcmagic
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January 19th, 2014 16:00
I am fully convinced on FAST=FAST-DP. I don't mean to be ignorant, but I am not so convinced on FAST=OPTIMIZER.
On page 288 of that document, Optimizer is described as a different thing than FAST...
aftabs_f04aac
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January 20th, 2014 03:00
This is how I understand the difference between the FAST and Optimizer.
Optimizer is the software used to optimize the data placement on a spindle level. Using this software, we can move the data around, even within a tier. That is a big help when you delete thick devices, and cause gaps within the affinity groups. Optimizer *may* also be used to move the data between tiers. You can give Optimizer the authority to move the data around or perform data manipulations manually.
FAST was specifically designed to move information between storage tiers. Also as the name suggests (Fully Automated Storage Tiering), you don't get much control on what is moved where (something you can do with Optimizer). The data is moved automatically to the required tier as per the FAST decision engine. Most you can do is Start or stop the movement.
FAST focuses on 2 types of devices. FAST-DP is used to optimize the thick devices, where an entire device is moved from one tier to another. FAST-VP deals with thin devices, where specific storage blocks are moved from one tier to another (thus allowing sub-LUN optimization).
Please note that the above is how I see things. If anyone of you can further improve these definitions, I am all ears.
Aftab
emcmagic
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January 20th, 2014 07:00
Based on my reading, also Optimizer requires extra Optimizer server and client to run outside of EMC frames. Is that right?
dynamox
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January 20th, 2014 07:00
everything runs on service processor