Introduction
EMC Storage Integrator for SAP Landscape Virtualization Management (ESI for SAP LVM) is EMC's integration that helps to complete SAP's vision to simplify management and operations of SAP systems and landscapes running on traditional or cloud infrastructures. ESI for SAP LVM provides SAP application virtualization and the ability to automate and manage SAP system clone, copy, and refresh processes.
In the picture below, on the SAP Management server, ESI for SAP LVM implements the SAP LVM central storage adapter and (together with EMC’s SMI-S adapter) manages central storage. ESI for SAP LVM also implements the SAP LVM virtualization adapter. On the SAP Managed Node, EMC’s Solutions Enabler (SE) supplements the SAP LVM storage library for EMC’s SAN storage.
EMC offers a fourth software component, a lightweight Admin console, which allows storage administrators to pre-approve certain storage rights without giving away array credentials to SAP Administrator who will be using SAP LVM. The storage credentials are stored in an open-source Java database that is encrypted and kept within ESI. The name of this admin console is EMC High-level storage library Administration Console or EHAC. VMware Admins can also use EHAC to manage VMware vCenter hosts.
EMC customers using NAS need two EMC software components to integrate their storage with SAP LVM:
- ESI for SAP LVM
- EHAC
EMC customers using SAN need four EMC software components to integrate their storage with SAP LVM:
- ESI for SAP LVM
- Solutions Enabler
- SMI-S provider
- EHAC
ESI for SAP LVM adapter began first with a NAS version adapter for SAP LVM. Since then, EMC has been adding integration for the EMC storage family. Correspondence between ESI version and LVM version numbers is shown in the table below.
| ESI version | SAP LVM version | Available EMC (1), (2) | EMC storage |
|---|---|---|---|
ESI 1.0 | LVM 1.0 | GA 30 June 2013 | NAS VNX |
| ESI 1.5 | LVM 1.0 | GA 30 June 2013 | NAS VNX, SAN (VNX or VMAX) |
| ESI 2.0 | LVM 2.0 | Not offered externally | VMware host virtualized NAS or SAN (1:1 VMDK and LUN limitation), VNX2, VMAX, VCE Vblock |
| ESI 2.1.0.7 | LVM 2.0 | Available by RPQ request | VMware host virtualized NAS or SAN (without 1:1 limitation), VNX2, VMAX, VCE Vblock |
| ESI 3.0.0.13 | LVM 2.0 | Available by DA request, delivered via basic EMC Professional Service to train, install, configure and demo simple POC environment | Add VPLEX option for active-active clones Local or Metro |
| ESI 3.3.x.x | LVM 2.0 | DA delivery as above, target Q4 2014 | VMware enterprise-readiness with SAN storage |
| ESI 4.0.x.x | LVM 2.1 | DA delivery as above, target Q2 2015 | HANA, VMware orchestration, LVM 2.1 new features |
About EMC integration with SAP LVM 2.0
EMC integration with SAP LVM 2.0 supports NAS file and SAN physically attached storage environments as well as VMware-virtualized storage host environments. New in ESI for SAP LVM 2.0:
- EMC's storage-based cloning uses SAP's application virtualization to only copy VMware datastores, not hosts and their OS
- VMware VMDK/RDM storage-based cloning (faster for bigger storage volumes than host-based cloning a.k.a. VAAI)
- Multiple VMDKs or RDMs per VMware datastore (and VM) and multiple LUNs per VMware datastore
- Clone or snap on EMC storage layer with VMware datastore VMDK or RDM formats
- EMC FAST VP storage pooling and tiering
- Storage-based provisioning requires existing target "Use Existing Host" option
- ESI 3.0.0.13, target GA end Q2 2014, will add integration with EMC VPLEX active-active distance technology
For scenarios not covered in the standard configurations shown below, please contact SAP or EMCto learn about possible options which leverage custom cloning in LVM 2.0.
| Customer Profile | Operating System | Server File System | Multi-pathing | Volume Manager | Storage Management Software (in addition to EMC's adapter) | Storage Array |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NAS physical or virtual environment | • IBM AIX • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) • SUSE Linux Enterprise (SLES) | NFS | N/A | Any | N/A | • EMC VNX file • EMC VNX2 file |
SAN (block): physical | IBM AIX 6.1 or 7.1 | JFS2 | Powerpath | Native LVM | • EMC SE 7.6.2.9 • EMC SMI-S 4.6.1.6 • SAP LVM 2.0 | • VMAX • VNX • VNX2 • VPLEX |
SAN (block): physical | Windows 2008 | NTFS | Powerpath | Dynamic Disks | • EMC SE 7.6.2.9 • EMC SMI-S 4.6.1.6 • SAP LVM 2.0 | • VMAX • VNX • VNX2 • VPLEX |
SAN (block): physical | Linux RHEL 6.x on x86_6 | EXT4 | Native multipath | Native LVM | • EMC SE 7.6.2.9 • EMC SMI-S 4.6.1.6 • SAP LVM 2.0 | • VMAX • VNX • VNX2 • VPLEX |
SAN (block): physical | SuSe Linux x86_64 Enterprise Edition 11 | EXT3 | Native multipath | Native LVM | • EMC SE 7.6.2.9 • EMC SMI-S 4.6.1.6 • SAP LVM 2.0 | • VMAX • VNX • VNX2 • VPLEX |
SAN (block): AIX virtual | AIX LPAR, VIO (vers. 7.1) | JFS2 | Powerpath with NPIV | Native LVM | • EMC SE 7.6.2.9 • EMC SMI-S 4.6.1.6 • SAP LVM 2.0 | • VMAX • VNX • VNX2 • VPLEX |
SAN (block): VMware virtual | Linux RHEL 6.x on x86_6 | • EXT4 • VMDK • RDM | Native multipath | Native LVM | • EMC SE 7.6.2.9 • EMC SMI-S 4.6.1.6 • SAP LVM 2.0 • VMware vCenter Server 5.1 or 5.5 | • VMAX • VNX • VNX2 • VCE Vblock (with VMAX, VNX or VNX2) • VPLEX |
SAN (block): VMware virtual | SuSe Linux x86_64 Enterprise Edition 11 | • EXT3 • VMDK • RDM | • Native multipath • Powerpath VE | Native LVM | • EMC SE 7.6.2.9 • EMC SMI-S 4.6.1.6 • SAP LVM 2.0 • VMware vCenter Server 5.1 or 5.5 | • VMAX • VNX • VNX2 • VPLEX |
SAN (block): VMware virtual | Windows 2008 | • NTFS • VMDK • RDM | Powerpath | Native LVM | • EMC SE 7.6.2.9 • EMC SMI-S 4.6.1.6 • SAP LVM 2.0 • VMware vCenter Server 5.1 or 5.5 | • VMAX • VNX • VNX2 • VCE Vblock (with VMAX, VNX or VNX2) • VPLEX |
What is coming next?
Currently we are planning for the following future topics (2):
- EMC storage technology integration
EMC's storage-based consistency used by default (note: storage consistency is only offered by IBM and EMC)
- Automated SAN support with VMware vMotion, HA, DRS, FaultTolerance, SRM
- Single-click provision new VMware VMs
EMC's all-flash with de-dupe storage XtremIO
- EMC’s software-defined storage called ViPR
EMC's next generation VMAX
Support SAP LVM 2.1 Ramp-up and as soon as possible everyone when LVM 2.1 is available
- Support EMC Hybrid Cloud, SAP Private and Public Clouds, VMware Hybrid Cloud
- Support OpenStack
Additional Information
Find out more about SAP LVM 2.0: http://scn.sap.com/community/it-management/virtualization/blog/2013/10/21/sap-netweaver-lvm-20-is-generally-available
Find out more about EMC product ESI for SAP LVM: https://support.emc.com/products/28468_ESI-for-SAP-LVM.EMC customers and partners should already have a login, but if not self-registration is available athttp://powerlink.emc.com.
EMC DA request for ESI 3.0.x product can be made by contacting your SAP and/or EMC account team.
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Notes
(1) Dates and version numbers are subject to change.
(2) Subject to change - this document is updated on a regular basis, the list of topics may not reflect the most current strategy.