IBM Spectrum Virtualize Software V7.6

IBM Spectrum Virtualize Software V7.6 delivers a flexible, responsive, available, scalable, and efficient storage environment.

It delivers a solution for storage efficiency in environments where IBM is the primary storage. When used in combination with SVC, Storwize V7000 (Unified), V5000, V3700, and V3500, it provides the benefits of storage virtualization and advanced storage capabilities, including HyperSwap, Virtual Volume (VVol) support, FlashCopy, replication, rEal-time compression, easy tier, and encryption.

Version 7.6 of Spectrum Virtualize includes the following new functionalities:

Encryption
For improved data security and confidentiality, encryption is now available for both internal capacities of SVC, Storwize V7000 and FlashSystems V9000 and externally virtualized capacities of Storwize V7000, SVC, and FlashSystems V9000. Encryption can be applied to virtualized storage arrays, even if the virtualized array doesn’t have encryption capabilities. Encrypted volumes are transparent to applications, easing implementation and operation.

For supported externally virtualized storage configurations, data encryption can be enabled by the Storwize V7000 or SVC controllers. The data is encrypted and sent over the storage network to the virtualized storage device(s). Encryption by Spectrum Virtualize is transparent to hosts and applications, and the data is encrypted and protected across the network between the Storwize and SVC controllers and the storage device(s).

Distributed RAID
For higher availability, Distributed RAID is now available for internal capacities, offering up to 10 times faster RAID array rebuild times. As drives grow in capacity, rebuild times increase, increasing the possibility of a second drive failure and resulting in a loss of data. Distributed RAID addresses this issue by distributing the data across a higher amount of physical drives, reducing the load on each individual drive from rebuild activity. Additionally, Distributed RAID can also deliver increased performance because data can be read from/written to more drives for a given I/O. Distributed RAID volumes are transparent to applications for simplified implementation and operation.

IP quorum base support
Current Stretched Cluster (SVC) and HyperSwap (SVC, Storwize V7000 and V5000) implementations require FC storage on a third site to cope with tie-break situations in the event of the inter-site link failing. IP quorum base support will enable the use of a lower cost IP network-attached host as quorum disk for simplified implementation and operation.

HyperSwap GUI support
Current local HyperSwap is functionally complete, but requires complex configuration through the existing command-line interface. This new release of HyperSwap offers a new command-line interface which simplifies the set up process to a handful of commands, and also adds the ability to configure and manage local HyperSwap through the GUI.

VMWare VVol integration
Migration of space efficient volumes between storage containers will maintain the space efficiency of volumes and deliver resiliency for VMs in case the volumes start running out of space. Cloning a VM will achieve a full independent set of virtual volumes.

Increase maximum quantity of iSCSI hosts
For more scalable iSCSI host support, version 7.6 will increase the maximum number of iSCSI host sessions from 256 to 1,024 per node, offering more fanout for each SVC I/O group.

Integrated Comprestimator
Real-time compression is a key differentiator of the Storwize Family, and the Comprestimator is its key sizing tool to estimate how much capacity savings the customer can expect. The Comprestimator can analyze the patterns of the actual customer data, and estimate the compressibility of data per volume. Currently, storage administrators have to get server administrator collaboration and authorization to install Comprestimator on servers, potentially on hundreds of servers. The integration of Comprestimator within Spectrum Virtualize code will ease the process of estimating capacity savings by having this sizing tool natively in SVC, Storwize V7000, and FlashSystems V9000, avoiding the need to install Comprestimator on hundreds of servers and enabling estimates of real-time compression effectiveness from a central console.

Improvement in worldwide support processes, 24 hours a day, seven days a week
Enhanced support includes the addition of 24-hour support response to severity 2 calls, seven days a week, for SVC, V7000, V7K Unified, and V9000 customers on November 27, 2015.

Software requirements

SAN Volume Controller V7.6 (5641-VC7, 5641-CP7, 5725-M19, and 5725-H04) has the same software prerequisites as IBM SAN Volume Controller V7.5.
Spectrum Virtualize Software for SVC Encryption Software V7.6 (5641-B01 and 5725-Y35) requires PID 5641-VC7.
Storwize V7000 V7.6 (5339-CB7, 5639-XB7, 5639-EB7, 5639-VM7, 5639-EV7, 5639-RM7, and 5639-CP7) has the same software prerequisites as IBM Storwize V7000 V7.5.
Spectrum Virtualize Software V7.6 is not available for IBM Flex System V7000. IBM Flex System V7000 V7.2 (5639-NZ7, 5639-EX7, 5639-RE7, and 5639-CM7) has the same software prerequisites as IBM Flex System V7000 V7.1.
Storwize V5000 V7.6 (5639-CT7, 5639-XT7, and 5639-ET7) has the same software prerequisites as IBM Storwize V5000 V7.5.

Hardware requirements

Spectrum Virtualize Software for SVC requires at least one pair of IBM System Storage SAN Volume Controller (2145-DH8) storage engines with integrated battery backup units.
Spectrum Virtualize Software for SVC Encryption Software V7.6 (5641-B01 and 5725-Y35) requires the Encryption Enablement Feature ACE2.
Spectrum Virtualize Software for Storwize V7000 requires at least one Storwize V7000 Control Enclosure (2076-524, 2076-112, 2076-124, 2076-312, or 2076-324) for installation.
Spectrum Virtualize Software V7.6 is not available for the IBM Flex System V7000. IBM Storwize Family Software for Flex System V7000 V7.2 requires at least one IBM Flex System V7000 (4939-A49, 4939-H49, or 4939-X49) Control Enclosure for installation.
Spectrum Virtualize Software for Storwize V5000 requires at least one IBM Storwize V5000 control enclosure (2077-12C, 2077-24C, 2078-12C, or 2078-24C) for installation.
FlashSystem V840 Software V7.6 (5639-FS7) requires an IBM FlashSystem V840 Storage System (9846-AC1 and 9846-AE1, or 9848-AC1 and 9848-AE1) for installation.
FlashSystem V9000 Software V7.6 (5639-RB7) requires at least two IBM FlashSystem V9000 Control Enclosures (9846-AC2 or 9848-AC2) and at least one IBM FlashSystem V9000 Storage Enclosure (9846-AE2 or 9848-AE2).

Current support summaries, including specific software, hardware,
and firmware levels supported, maintained at their respective support websites:

Planned availability date:
November 27, 2015. Encryption Enablement product (PID 5641-B01 or 5725-Y35 for Passport Advantage) is not available in Belarus, Kazakhstan, People’s Republic of China and Russia.