Cisco MDS 9000 Family Configuration Guide, Release 2.x
Configuring NASB
Download this chapter
Configuring NASBConfiguring NASB
Download the complete book
Full Book PDFFull Book PDF (PDF - 12 MB)
 Feedback

Table Of Contents

Configuring NASB

About NASB

Enabling NASB

NASB Target Rediscovery

Displaying NASB Information

Default Settings


Configuring NASB

The Storage Services Module (SSM) supports Intelligent Storage Services in Cisco MDS SAN-OS Release 2.1(1a) and later that include Network-Accelerated Serverless Backup (NASB).

This chapter includes the following sections:

•About NASB

•Enabling NASB

•Displaying NASB Information

•Default Settings

About NASB

As of Cisco MDS SAN-OS Release 2.1(1a), the SSMs support Network-Accelerated Serverless Backup (NASB).

Data movement in the fabric uses considerable processor cycles, which can cause client applications to slow down noticeably. Offloading data movement operations to a media server allows the client applications to run normally even during a backup operation. Media servers can further offload the data movement operation to NASB devices, which allows the media server to focus on the coordination functions needed to complete the backup.

Most backups performed today are server-free. In server-free backups, the application server is not involved in moving the data. The data can be moved by either a media server or an NASB device.

When the media server is the data mover, it moves the data between the disks and the tapes. The backup application runs on both the client device and the media server. However, the backup application in the client device performs minimal tasks for the backup operation.

The media server performs the following backup operations:

•Manages disks as well as one or more tape backup devices.

•Contacts the client devices to retrieve the list of logical blocks that need to be backed up.

•Performs data movement from disk to tape media based on the logical block list provided by the client device.

The backup application in the client device maps the data to be backed up and creates the logical block list associated with the data. The movement of data from the physical disks to the backup device (tape) is not performed by the client device. This reduces substantial load on the client device.

Note The media server, disk, and tape can be located anywhere in the fabric.

An example configuration is shown in Figure 41-1. The media server moves the data directly between the storage disks and the tape devices during backups.

Figure 41-1 Example Configuration with Media Server as Data Mover

When the NASB is the data mover, it moves the data between the disks and the tapes. The NASB device is a SCSI target device capable of handling SCSI Extended Copy (XCOPY) commands as well as a SCSI initiator device capable of issuing READ/WRITE commands to disks and other backup media, such as tapes. See Figure 41-2.

Figure 41-2 Example Configuration with NASB Device as Data Mover

The task of managing and preparing the source and destination targets is performed by the media server. For example, if the destination is a tape library, the media server issues commands to load and unload the correct tape and position of the tape write head at the correct offset within the tape.

Enabling NASB

Network-accelerated Serverless Backup (NASB) can be enabled on an entire SSM or it can be enabled on one or more groups of four ports on an SSM. Enabling NASB on interfaces has the following restrictions:

•The fewest number of interfaces which you can enable is four. You can specify fc1 through fc4 but not fc1 through fc2.

•The first interface in the group must be 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, or 29. You can specify fc5 through fc8 but not fc7 through fc10.

•The groups of four interfaces do not need to be consecutive. You can specify fc1 through fc8 and fc17 through fc20.

To enable the NASB feature, follow these steps:

 
Command
Purpose

Step 1 

switch# config t

switch(config)#

Enters configuration mode.

Step 2 

switch(config)# ssm enable feature nasb module 4

Enables the NASB application on the entire SSM in slot 4.

switch(config)# no ssm enable feature nasb module 4

Disables the NASB application on the entire SSM in slot 4.

switch(config)# no ssm enable feature nasb force module 4

Forces the switch to disable the NASB application on the entire SSM in slot 4.

Step 3 

switch(config)# ssm enable feature nasb interface fc 4/1 - 4

Enables the NASB application on ports 1 through 4 on the SSM in slot 4.

Note Interfaces must be specified in multiples of four beginning at ports 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, and 29.

switch(config)# no ssm enable feature nasb interface fc 4/1 - 4

Disables the NASB application on ports 1 through 4 on the SSM in slot 4.

switch(config)# no ssm enable feature nasb force interface fc 4/1 - 4

Forces the switch to disable the NASB application on ports 1 through 4 on the SSM in slot 4.

Step 4 

switch(config)# nasb module 4 vsan 10

Enables NASB on the SSM in slot 4 and on VSAN 10 for a single target LUN. By default, the LUN is a Direct Access Device (Peripheral Device Type = 0x00).

switch(config)# nasb module 4 vsan 10 control

Enables NASB on the SSM in slot 4 and on VSAN 10 for a single target LUN that is a Storage Array Controller (Peripheral Device Type = 0x0C).

switch(config)# nasb module 4 vsan 10 multiple

Enables NASB on the SSM in slot 4 and on VSAN 10 for up to 10 target LUNs that are Direct Access Devices (Peripheral Device Type = 0x00).

Note The multiple option is supported in Cisco SAN-OS Release 2.1(2) and later.

Note Use the multiple option for multi-streaming (multiple backup sessions) on a single virtual target for Veritas NetBackup.

switch(config)# nasb module 4 vsan 10 control multiple

Enables NASB on the SSM in slot 4 and on VSAN 10 for Storage Array Controller (Peripheral Device Type = 0x0C) and up to 10 target LUNs.

switch(config)# nasb module 4 vsan 10 multiple control

Enables NASB on the SSM in slot 4 and on VSAN 10 for up to 10 target LUNs and Storage Array Controller (Peripheral Device Type = 0x0C).

Step 5 

switch(config)# no nasb module 4 vsan 10

Disables NASB.

Note You cannot simultaneously configure the intelligent services SANTap and NASB on a single SSM.

NASB Target Rediscovery

You can initiate a rediscovery of a target device (disk or tape) if the configuration on the target side has changed without generating an RSCN in the fabric, such as a change in the access list or LUN-mapping on the target. Use the following step to initiate target device rediscovery:

 
Command
Purpose

Step 1 

switch# nasb rediscover module 2 vsan 9 target-pwwn 20:02:00:a0:b8:16:a1:5f

nasb rediscovery initiated

Initiates a rediscovery of a target device for the SSM in slot 2.

Displaying NASB Information

Use the show nasb command to display information about NASB (see Example 41-1 to Example 41-4).

Example 41-1 Displays NASB Information 

switch# show nasb

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-1, VT-nWWN=22f90005300036a2, pWWN=22fa0005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-2, VT-nWWN=22fb0005300036a2, pWWN=22fc0005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-3, VT-nWWN=22fd0005300036a2, pWWN=22fe0005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-4, VT-nWWN=22ff0005300036a2, pWWN=26000005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-5, VT-nWWN=26010005300036a2, pWWN=26020005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-6, VT-nWWN=26030005300036a2, pWWN=26040005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-7, VT-nWWN=26050005300036a2, pWWN=26060005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-8, VT-nWWN=26070005300036a2, pWWN=26080005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-1, VT-nWWN=26090005300036a2, pWWN=260a0005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-2, VT-nWWN=260b0005300036a2, pWWN=260c0005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-3, VT-nWWN=260d0005300036a2, pWWN=260e0005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-4, VT-nWWN=260f0005300036a2, pWWN=26100005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-5, VT-nWWN=26110005300036a2, pWWN=26120005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-6, VT-nWWN=26130005300036a2, pWWN=26140005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-7, VT-nWWN=26150005300036a2, pWWN=26160005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-8, VT-nWWN=26170005300036a2, pWWN=26180005300036a2 (provisioned)

Example 41-2 Displays NASB Information for a Specific Module 

switch# show nasb module 3

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-1, VT-nWWN=22f90005300036a2, pWWN=22fa0005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-2, VT-nWWN=22fb0005300036a2, pWWN=22fc0005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-3, VT-nWWN=22fd0005300036a2, pWWN=22fe0005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-4, VT-nWWN=22ff0005300036a2, pWWN=26000005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-5, VT-nWWN=26010005300036a2, pWWN=26020005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-6, VT-nWWN=26030005300036a2, pWWN=26040005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-7, VT-nWWN=26050005300036a2, pWWN=26060005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-8, VT-nWWN=26070005300036a2, pWWN=26080005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-1, VT-nWWN=26090005300036a2, pWWN=260a0005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-2, VT-nWWN=260b0005300036a2, pWWN=260c0005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-3, VT-nWWN=260d0005300036a2, pWWN=260e0005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-4, VT-nWWN=260f0005300036a2, pWWN=26100005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-5, VT-nWWN=26110005300036a2, pWWN=26120005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-6, VT-nWWN=26130005300036a2, pWWN=26140005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-7, VT-nWWN=26150005300036a2, pWWN=26160005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-8, VT-nWWN=26170005300036a2, pWWN=26180005300036a2 (provisioned)

Example 41-3 Displays NASB Information for a Specific Module for a VSAN 

switch# show nasb module 3 vsan 2

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-1, VT-nWWN=26090005300036a2, pWWN=260a0005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-2, VT-nWWN=260b0005300036a2, pWWN=260c0005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-3, VT-nWWN=260d0005300036a2, pWWN=260e0005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-4, VT-nWWN=260f0005300036a2, pWWN=26100005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-5, VT-nWWN=26110005300036a2, pWWN=26120005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-6, VT-nWWN=26130005300036a2, pWWN=26140005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-7, VT-nWWN=26150005300036a2, pWWN=26160005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 2:DPP-8, VT-nWWN=26170005300036a2, pWWN=26180005300036a2 (provisioned)

Example 41-4 Displays NASB Information for a Specific VSAN 

switch# show nasb vsan 1

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-1, VT-nWWN=22f90005300036a2, pWWN=22fa0005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-2, VT-nWWN=22fb0005300036a2, pWWN=22fc0005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-3, VT-nWWN=22fd0005300036a2, pWWN=22fe0005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-4, VT-nWWN=22ff0005300036a2, pWWN=26000005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-5, VT-nWWN=26010005300036a2, pWWN=26020005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-6, VT-nWWN=26030005300036a2, pWWN=26040005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-7, VT-nWWN=26050005300036a2, pWWN=26060005300036a2 (provisioned)

NASB:module 3 vsan 1:DPP-8, VT-nWWN=26070005300036a2, pWWN=26080005300036a2 (provisioned)

Default Settings

Table 41-1 lists the default settings for Intelligent Storage Services parameters.

Table 41-1 Default Intelligent Storage Services Parameters 

Parameters
Default

NASB feature

Disabled