IBM Scripting Tools for SVC and Storwize has been updated

updates

The Rebalance script for IBM SVC has been updated.  This is the first update I have seen since 2010.     This release of the SVCTools package will now work on the Storwize family of products without modification and it can rebalance Easy Tier managed disk groups.

Why use this?   Normally in SVC (and always with Storwize products), each MDisk is a different RAID array.   In those cases, when you add MDisks (arrays) to a pool (MDiskGrp) then you are adding extra spindles to that pool.   By rebalancing extents from existing volumes onto new MDisks, existing volumes will almost always get a performance boost.   It also means that you free up space on the older MDisks so that when you later create new volumes in that pool, they will get a chance to use extents across a wider range of MDisks (old and new, not just new).  This is particularly useful if the pool was full when you added extra space.

Of course if you are using Easy Tier, then the hardest working extents will already be on SSD, so rebalancing may not be as beneficial.   Note that Easy Tier will be disabled while the balance.pl script is running and extents on SSD (presumably put there by Easy Tier) will not be rebalanced or moved.  Also if your backend disk is already wide-striped (like the IBM XIV) then rebalancing is not necessary.

For more info check out the scripting community here:   Community URL
Download the latest version of the package here:  Download URL

About Anthony Vandewerdt

I am an IT Professional who lives and works in Melbourne Australia. This blog is totally my own work. It does not represent the views of any corporation. Constructive and useful comments are very very welcome.
This entry was posted in IBM, IBM Storage, SAN, Storwize V3700, Storwize V7000, SVC and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

9 Responses to IBM Scripting Tools for SVC and Storwize has been updated

  1. richswain says:

    Reblogged this on The Storage Tank and commented:
    Great news, check out the new Storwize load balance script

  2. Lee says:

    very useful/timely post – lots of smaller organisations who were new to SVC/V7000 are starting add capacity……will be tweeting/LinkedIn referencing this to my contacts.

  3. Pingback: IBM Scripting Tools for SVC and Storwize has been updated | Storage CH Blog

  4. vmknowledge says:

    Can i ask, why we need a script for such process, why there is no option and inside code nothing have for trigger it from GUI ?

  5. Pingback: IBM Scripting Tools for SVC and Storwize has been updated | Aussie Storage Blog | I Love My Storage

  6. We still see relatively high traffic on our website (http://bvqwiki.sva.de) concerning this article.
    This is why I want to add the following to this blog entry.

    This script was a wonderful help until Storwize code level 7.3!
    This script can not be used in version 7.3, which added automatic volume rebalance in the Storwize code. There is however a problem that volumes that have only a very short phases of high activity are classified correctly. These volumes must be found by analysis and re distribute manually.

  7. Ronda Hruby says:

    This release of the SVCTools package will now work on the Storwize family of products without modification and it can rebalance Easy Tier managed disk groups. (has anyone used this on 7.3.x and higher?)

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