Storage Virtualization is the technology that separates the logical representation of storage from the actual physical storage components. This delivers the true benefits expected from Storage Area Networks (SAN).

With its innovative, "Split-Path" architecture, SGI's LiveSAN storage virtualization suite provides centrally managed storage pooling and virtual volume allocations for the entire SAN.

LiveSAN enables independent scalability, top performance, and high availability of all SAN resources. It brings substantial improvements to managing enterprise-class storage networks, reducing administration costs and improving utilization of expensive storage resources. LiveSAN also enables the implementation of advanced disaster recovery and backup applications.

LiveSAN operates in a heterogeneous SAN environment, which can include servers and storage devices from various vendors. Storage can be flexibly allocated to the servers and value-added storage applications using LiveSAN. Managed via a web-based GUI, storage can be organized into stripe sets, storage pools, and then selectively allocated to one or more servers. The LiveSAN appliance is connected to a Fibre Channel loop or switched fabric, and is capable of monitoring the status of physical devices connected to the SAN.

LiveSAN manages storage using split-path architecture, serving the volume maps to distributed virtualization agents running on a Data Path module appliance that performs the mapping with wire speed. This design enables full utilization of SAN performance and provides superior scalability and reliability. LiveSAN is a key enabler for advanced disaster recovery strategies and other enterprise storage applications, implemented above the virtualization layer.

Key Benefits

Topic Benefits
SAN Management LiveSAN provides a central point of management for all enterprise SAN resources. The Web-enabled, intuitive GUI is accessible through a standard web browser.
Reduced TCO Central point of management, efficient usage of storage resources, ability to purchase the most cost effective storage device when needed, reduced load on storage administrator personnel — all contribute to a significant reduction in Total Cost of Ownership of the enterprise storage system.
SAN Scalability The split-path design of LiveSAN enables virtually limitless independent growth in terms of number of servers, Data Path Modules, storage capacity, I/O performance and bandwidth.
High Performance With LiveSAN , data is transferred between servers and storage resources, through “wire speed” Data Path Modules. Striping across RAID arrays further increases total storage performance, and is especially effective in providing cost-effective video solutions.
High Availability Complete redundancy is supported by LiveSAN . Modifications to system configuration (e.g., add or delete servers or storage resources; create or reallocate volumes) are done on the fly without system re-boot. LiveSAN Agent on each server supports multiple paths with automatic fail-over.
Storage Applications LiveSAN provides a platform for advanced enterprise recovery, backup and other SAN-aware storage applications.
Improved Storage Utilization LiveSAN can dramatically improve storage utilization. The improvements are done at the volume level where thin provisioned volumes allocate just the amount of storage actually needed by the application. This also applies to the array level where sharing storage from several arrays makes it no longer necessary to keep spare on each array.
SAN Security Servers are zoned only with the Data Path Modules and have no direct access to the storage. Additionally only volumes that are explicitly allocated to servers are accessible by them through the Data Path Modules. LiveSAN also includes profile based application to manage storage administrator, ensuring that each administrator can operate according to his assigned privileges only.
Policy Based Infrastructure-Ready LiveSAN enables third-party applications to automate storage pooling, volume management, and backup procedures using the LiveSAN API and CLI.

The LiveSAN storage virtualization suite includes top class data management applications:

  • multiView for low capacity snapshots
  • multiCopy for full size replications
  • multiMigrate for online data migration
  • multiMirror for synchronous and asynchronous, local and remote mirror