All posts by Christopher Kusek (PKGuild)

I recently was given insight into something which was up and coming (and well, clearly out at this point :)) The EMC Unified Storage Community!

What is this community though?  This is the mother load so to speak, YOUR source for Information in the Unified… and it’s available without a login! (Although I encourage a login so you can partake in questions, answers and more!)   So, let’s take this opportunity to take a little tour!

If you look at this massive page with so much to offer… it happens to break it ALL down for you with one key point to start with! – Notice on the right side of the screen..

Wow, does this take all of the effort out of it! Making it so you can get started quick and easy! here are some details!

Getting Started in the Unified Storage community

VERSION 7 

Created on: Aug 16, 2010 3:51 PM by cornwk – Last Modified:  Sep 1, 2010 10:30 AM by cornwk

Thank you for visiting the Unified Storage community.

We hope you will be an active, participating member. But if you just want to view information only, that’s OK too.

Here are some suggestions for how you can get started in this community:

1. To make sure that you can fully participate in this community, be sure to Login (or Register if this is your first visit to ECN).
   Click Login/Register at the top of the screen in the area that looks like this:
   
2. In the Unified Storage community, visit Breaking the Ice and tell us a little bit about yourself.
3. Scan the current discussions and jump in – post a new discussion of your own or respond to somebody else’s question.
4. Have fun!

If this is your first venture into ECN, visit the Quick Tour and learn how to put the communities to work for you!

75 Views Tags: midrange_storage , community , getting_started , welcome

What I particularly like about this Community though, is the fact that is it organic… driven by the community FOR the community!   It’s young right now (hey, it just launched!) and it will only continue to mature!   And I particularly want to thank the infamous  @kcornwall for everything she did to make this a reality and to continue driving this forward!

Now, while it may all be relative because content changes regularly… the current threads out there are WOW ON TARGET! To things I see come up in meetings practically every day  – so I wanted to bring specific light and clarity to them!

Every time I sit down with folks and we discuss Celerra, CLARiiON, and the whole of the Unified stack… they say “I want to know more information about….” and the …. is ALL of these threads!

So, without further adieu, here are some of the hot links here in the community to get you going!

• FAST/FAST Cache – Start Here
• Unisphere – Start Here
• VMware & Unified Storage – Start Here
• Capacity Optimization – Start Here
• Initial data placement when using FAST
• Replication  – Start Here
• Virtual Provisioning – Start Here
• Demo: Using Unisphere to Manage Block Storage
• Demo: Using Unisphere to Manage File Storage

Obviously I advise you to defer to the actual community for new content and more! but I thought I’d high-light what are often heavily discussed items where people say “Hey! I want more info on this!” Not that I’m saying anyone in particular (hi mike! :)) Should check these out, but if you find these useful, and/or your name is Mike… Definitely check it out!

Oh, and if you’re looking into downloading the UBER VSA which I’ve referenced in the past … Definitely here is the link to v3.2! Your best friend in virtualization!

Play it again, Sam: Celerra UBER v3.2

Thanks guys, check out the community… grow, and learn, question and learn…. and communitize yourselves!

You heard it here! Time to cut your blood pressure in half! (I apologize for those of you who already have low blood pressure.. this may put you over the top!)

UBERTastic : Celerra UBER VSA v3 – Unisphere -  Be sure to click this link here to get to the download links to pull down the OVA or Workstation version!

So, Roxanne… what is new in this version of the VSA? As it appears that I’m practically stealing Nick’s entire post (which I’m cool with… ;))

• DART is now 6.0.36.4
• Unisphere management console (rocks!)
• The Celerra VSA is now 64 bit! This means you can throw RAM at it for bigger setups and it will use it. Over 8GB becomes less beneficial without code changes to simulation services. Future updates will fix this from the Celerra VSA engineering teams.
• The biggest and most difficult change to construct is that the configuration is now adaptive depending on the virtual machine setup. This version is now intelligent in seeing how many resources you have given it.
• The new Celerra UBER VSA uses this intelligence to now allow *Thin* mode. If you give the VSA under 2GB of RAM it will automatically size the memory limits, processes, and management interface settings to allow it to run with as low as 1024MB of RAM. You won’t do replication or host a ton of VM’s but you can use this mode to host a few and fully demonstrate/test the new Unisphere interface on even a 2GB laptop.
• The new VSA also uses this intelligence to automatically allow the configuration of single or dual Data Mover version based on the memory assigned. If you give the VSA more than 4GB of memory you will be given the option to enable an additional Data Mover for use as a standby or load balancing experimentation. This means this single appliance can be a small lightweight NFS unit at 1024MB of RAM or can be a 2 Data Mover powerhouse at 8GB of RAM. All automatically configured on first boot through the wizard.
• Automatic VMDK/Storage additions have been adjusted for new 64 bit OS. This means this still works. Shutoff the VM, add VMDK(s), turn on and you have more space. Automagic
• Since automagic is so cool, I have changed the Data Mover Ethernet binding to be automatic also. The VM starts with 1 interface for management and 1 interface for the Data Movers. If you want more for the DM(s), just shutoff the VM, add NIC cards (up to 6 additional), and turn back on. It will automatically bind the Data Mover (yes it works with the 2 DM mode also) to the new interfaces and virtual slots. Just go back into Unisphere and assign away. This allows scale up for the bigger 2 Data Mover 8GB of RAM versions easily.
• Configuration is now Perl/Bash based instead of just Bash to keep things cleaner and slicker and allow for some coolness later on
• NTP from the configuration portion of the wizard works correctly. It sets both the Control Station and all Data Movers and enables NTP as a running service. Make sure your NTP server is valid.

So let’s summarize:

1. New Unisphere
2. 64 Bit
3. Automatic sizing
4. Thin Mode
5. Optional 2 Data Mover mode
6. Automatic Data Mover Ethernet adding (along with fixed Storage [VMDK] adding)
7. NTP works now

Wow! That’s a whole lot! Where do I sign up to download?!?  UBERTastic : Celerra UBER VSA v3 – Unisphere – No signup required, just go click and download!  Because Nick has so many other vital details about the differences of THIS Uber VSA compared to Uber VSA’s in the past, I am referring you to his page so you can read the ‘technical’ details and stuff!  So go download the UBER VSA TODAY! (I am downloading it right now, literally.. )

I look forward to your feedback… and enjoyment of this tool, I know I’ve been waiting for some time for this myself!

Exhausted from Post-VMworld? Not sure what the status of your Private Cloud has been? Wondering where the Cloud meets the road up in Canada?   Come on down to EMC Forum hitting Toronto on September 9th, 2010!   Register now!

I thought you might find the actual agenda useful of what tracks happen to be available, so here is the breakdown removing all of the other details like breaks and keynotes:

Now.. you know how I love free stuff.. so here is some additional incentive! :)

· EMC Forum Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/EMCForum

· Onsite Facebook “Best Pic” photo contest. Attendees are asked to submit a picture from the event to our Facebook account. The best picture wins an iPad at the end of the event. Check out the best pic submissions on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EMCForum?v=photos

So, I definitely encourage you to check this out and be sure to Register now! before it is too late!

Whoa, wait a minute, cut that track, Yo Dre.. What is this?!? A Rap Video by the vSpecialists?!?

Yea, seriously, this IS a Rap Video! Albeit sure you’re saying “Wow, isn’t that Circa Chicago Bears in the mid 1980’s with the superbowl shuffle?!” And I would go so far as to say.. The bears were rockstars at that time were they not?    This is simply a further reference to just how far these guys go the extra mile, both in their ability to get things actually done (as they say so in there) but a testament what each of these individuals do.   When they’re not busy doing their actual jobs, or studying or taking exams, or writing blog posts, or writing chapters for the next greatest Virtualization book you’ll be buying… or traveling all over the place, OR building out LABS and testing out things in every possible configuration and publishing the results..

Well… when all of that is said… and all of that is done.    They make rap videos! :)

I hope you enjoy it! The Production quality of this is absolutely AMAZING! I saw it on a big screen and I was floored at how well it was done (I always judge for production quality before I even look at content.. and the content is crazy good times ;))

I’m sure by now you’ve seen all of the details of the vAcupressure event in SFO at VMworld! Take the pressure off VMworld with some AcuPressure Tweetup! (Sunday Aug 29)

As some of the other prevailing events have gotten finalized from a time perspective I’m adjusting the time ever so slightly for this in order to respect the times of registration / etc.

Now, the event will kick off around Noon on Sunday, starting from the W Hotel to head over there (you can meet us at (Lucky Foot Massage) or walk/public transit over with us. 

This will give more than enough time to allow for people to get back to Moscone for Shirt pickup for the VMworld Fun Run (Shirt Pickup runs from 3PM to 3:30PM) This also leaves time open to catch the Busses to the Fun Run at Moscone starting at 3:30PM

Not to mention this provides more than enough time for the MNTweetup and WuPaaS hosted at the Thirsty Bear.

So, hopefully this doesn’t disrupt anyone’s schedule or plans they had around joining vAcupressure! In any event, I’ll likely be there until ~3PM or so anyway (Getting my feet and hand rubbed!)

Don’t hesitate to contact me via txt/call at 630.362.1320 or try to reach me on Twitter! @cxi

See you all tomorrow! (We may do a follow-up on Friday after the con is over because our feet will likely hurt! ;))