Data Migration

[FRANDSEN]

We just prucased a Flexpod, with two FAS3240 controllers (one for DR), and are in the porocess of attempting to migrate data between storage platforms. We are a VMWare shop and can use VMotion to move hosts and datastores between our current Dell R710 hosts and the new Cisco blades, but the RDM's are going no where fast

Please share any data migration strategies you have used in the past. We're currently running Dell Equallogic and I need to move a total of around 14 TB of data in total on to the NetApp. So far tried using Easeus Partition Manager disk copy component which would eventually finish if I had a week. Contemplated Robocopy and just plain copy and paste fromt he windows hosts to old and new drives, but that seems so antiquated. I need to move all this data in about 24 hours. Any help and insights are GREATLY appreciated!

[scottgelb]

Scott Lowe's blog has a nice post on this.. .a thin or thick provisioning issue? This post talks about 2 step vmotion.  http://blog.scottlowe.org/2010/08/18/storage-vmotion-with-rdms/

[FRANDSEN]

Scott,

Thanks for great refrence. If I'm reading Mr. Lowe's post correctly, this would be ideal if we were moving RDM's from datastores on the same storage subsytems (Equallogic to Equallogic), but not if I'm moving from beween dissimilar hardware (Equallogic to NetApp). Am I missing something?

[scottgelb]

Just reread the post. It might be worth testing out Syncsort NSB with an agent in the vm. It then will snapvault all data to the NetApp with a block level driver. Then you can plan the cutover. And it will storage motion from a Lun clone to a data store. Since it is a host agent rdm or vmdk are covered.

Sent from my iPhone 4S

[keitha]

Michael,

What sort of data is in the RDMs? Moving the data is one thing (and moving 14TB of data in 24 hours is no small task) but if there is structures Application data in the RDM there will be Application reconfiguration work to be done. This will be none trivial. Some applications can do the move themselves and Some of the SnapManagers can actually help with this also.

It will however have to be done on a RDM per RDM basis and 24hours is a very tight time line. Why the short window?

Keith

[ccolht]

I've migrated between systems by creating mirrors at the OS level. When in sync you break the mirrrors and ditch the old luns. Did this with AIX and Windows. This puts the burden on the servers but might get you good throughput if they can use lots of different paths.

[ptarro]

Michael,

The NetApp DTA2800 data migration appliance can perform block-level data migrations of the RDMs. DTA2800 migrations operate at the LUN level, are Fibre Channel fabric independent, and support most Fibre Channel storage arrays. Typical migration speeds are in the range of 500 GB  - 1 TB per hour with verification. The DTA also allows for thick-to-thin migrations.

This solution would require a PS engagement.

Tricia

[scottgelb]

Does it support iSCSI too?  Just re-read and saw he is on Equallogic with the RDMs.

[ptarro]

The DTA2800 does support iSCSI.

[radek_kubka]

Are you sure about this?

Two things:

https://fieldportal.netapp.com/ci_getfile.asp?method=1&docid=33134, slide 21:

Third-Party Storage: The DTA2800 supports migrating data from the following third-party storage vendor’s products to NetApp:

EMC, IBM, HDS, HP, Oracle/Sun

https://fieldportal.netapp.com/ci_getfile.asp?method=1&docid=33129, page 10:

Q: ARE THERE CAPABILITIES / FUNCTIONALITIES IN THE DTA2800 THAT NETAPP DOES NOT SUPPORT?

A: Yes: iSCSI connectivity, Data Scrubbing, Remote migrations, FCIP Routing

Regards,

Radek

[ptarro]

I am sure, firmware version 3.3.2 provides added support for iSCSI offline migration.

3.3.2 Documentation

https://support.netapp.com/documentation/docweb/index.html?productID=61318

Tricia

[radek_kubka]

OK, awesome - so it would be handy if someone updates the docs I was referring to accordingly.

[scottgelb]

We heard that NAS migration might be added down the road... any road maps on that too?  It would be nice to have that too.

[FRANDSEN]

Tricia,

Thanks a million for the reference here! My hopes were dashed, but then you revived them We are pursuing getting a DTA 2800 to facilitate our migration and I am just beginning to sift through the documentation.I will let you know if I have any other questions. I assume this would work just as well for migration of CIFS data from an iscsi volume on a Windows file server to a new CIFS share on a Netapp FAS3240 running 8.0.2P6 7-Mode?

Thansk,

Mike

[scottgelb]

I don’t think there is any NAS support at this time in the DTA2800.

[ptarro]

Mike

The NetApp DTA2800 is a block-level migration appliance, so it will not support migration to a CIFS share on the NetApp. At this time, Secure Copy is the supported CIFS data migration tool.

[FRANDSEN]

Hey, thanks for the reference. SecureCopy definitely looks great for CIFS! I assume the DTA2800 will work well for SQL and Exchange data?

[radek_kubka]

Just make sure the appliance approach isn't overkill.

How much data of that 14TB does actually sit within SQL & Exchange? If it is relatively small, then you may be better off by simply using SnapManager migration functionality.

Regards,

Radek

[FRANDSEN]

Good point Radek. SQL, Exchange, and other RDM's that consist mainly of image files account for about 4 of the 14 TB, so it seems worthwhile. Thoughts?

[radek_kubka]

SnapManager products can do host-based migration for their relevant types of data - this can be a part of the initial SnapManager setup. With this amount of data you will hammer the host for an extended period of time, so depending of your circumstances, it may, or may not be feasible.

On the other hand, DTA2800-based migration requires engaging NetApp PS, so there is a commercial aspect to it as well

Regards,

Radek

[ptarro]

Yes, since DTA2800 migrations are block-level.