The HP StorageWorks iSCSI Feature Pack is installed on the Windows Storage Server computer (NAS device) to provide iSCSI target functionality. An iSCSI initiator (such as the one from Microsoft used in the tests found here) is installed on the Exchange Server 2003 computers to add iSCSI functionality to each. The HP StorageWorks iSCSI Feature Pack includes a Web Administration console as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. iSCSI Configuration in Web Administration console
For this paper, both the StorageWorks NAS 2000s and the NAS 1500s were tested using LoadSim 2003. This document provides best practices, for example, to size systems for peak loads and to accommodate future growth, thus avoiding the penalty of downtime when a system is undersized and must be upgraded in the immediate future. In addition migration scenarios are taken into account to help you move your existing environment to the iSCSI solution. Exchange database tools and applications that are currently being used by an organization, for example, backup and anti-virus software, can still be used in conjunction with the Windows Storage Server 2003 NAS and the HP StorageWorks iSCSI Feature Pack.
Another whitepaper illustrates using the HP StorageWorks NAS 1200s or HP StorageWorks NAS 2000s, with the Windows Storage Server Feature Pack: Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, Windows Storage Server 2003, and HP Network Attached Storage (available from http://h71019.www7.hp.com/ActiveAnswers/cache/76258-0-0-0-121.aspx). That paper defines the following scenarios: Low-capacity scenario (for up to 250 mailboxes) Medium-capacity scenario (for up to 750 mailboxes) High-capacity scenario (for up to 1,500 mailboxes) In the testing to follow in this paper, the Windows Storage Server is used with the HP StorageWorks iSCSI Feature Pack to provide the low-capacity scenario (NAS 1500s) and the medium to highcapacity scenario (NAS 2000s). Low-capacity scenario (for up to 500 mailboxes) Medium- to high-capacity scenario (for up to 5,000 mailboxes)

Overview

A Windows Storage Server NAS device running the HP StorageWorks iSCSI Feature Pack can host the databases and transaction logs for several Exchange servers and thousands of Exchange mailboxes, according to the results obtained in HP testing. Figure 2 helps to illustrate the basic configuration. Each element is discussed in detail later.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserve rsystem/storage/technologies/iscsi/defau lt.mspx http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserve rsystem/storage/technologies/iscsi/msfiS CSI.mspx http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserve rsystem/storage/technologies/iscsi/iscsicl uster.mspx http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx ?scid=kb;en-us;839686
Microsoft Support for iSCSI
Whitepaper from Microsoft Enterprise Storage Division
Windows Server 2003 iSCSI Cluster

Cluster Support FAQ

Microsoft knowledge base article
Support for iSCSI technology components in Exchange Server

Resource HP NAS

Description Information on ordering HP NAS configurations Information to help you deploy the Windows Storage Server 2003 HP StorageWorks iSCSI Feature Pack on NAS 1500s or NAS 2000s Included in default installation Included in default installation
http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/n etworkattached.html http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/ storage/software/inas/index.html
HP StorageWorks iSCSI Feature Pack
Release notes Online help system
Information about late-breaking bugs or workarounds for known issues Help information for the web based administration console
Recommended design principles
This section outlines the HP recommended design principles for most any size deployment. The next sections detail the sized and tested configurations.

Network design

Part of the appeal that iSCSI brings to the storage market is low cost, standardized network adapters and topology hardware in addition to years of expertise developed in deploying these networks. However, it should be stressed that existing networks be evaluated for suitability regarding their capacity to support iSCSI storage. In any deployment, it is recommended to use a dedicated Gigabit Ethernet network between the Exchange server and the Windows Storage Server NAS. This ensures adequate performance as well as helps to provide data security against network sniffing of Exchange data. An alternative would be to use IPSec to secure the connection if it is not possible to use private, secured networkbut there will be a performance impact. It is possible to use direct network cable between the NAS and the Exchange server. However, adding an additional Gigabit network card and multiple Gigabit switches provides fault tolerance when used with the HP network teaming feature. In the test environment, the HP network teaming feature (see Figure 4) was enabled, providing a 2-Gbps link in addition to the benefit of fault tolerance in case of network interface, link, or switch failure. The Gigabit Ethernet cables were connected to a private HP ProCurve switch.

Note: If network teaming is added after the iSCSI targets have been presented to hosts (or some other change results in a change to the IP address of the iSCSI storage server), then the iSCSI initiator software will need to be updated with the new Portal address. This will be discussed further, later in this document.
If you plan to locate your Exchange server any distance away from the Windows Storage Server NAS, check with your networking hardware vendors on the specifics regarding the maximum supported distance. The maximum distance will vary according to the cable type and specifications.
Figure 4. HP network teaming combines Gigabit adapters for fault tolerance and throughput

Hardware selection

Check the Windows Server Catalog at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/catalog/server/default.aspx?subID=22&xslt=about&pgn=morei nfo to be sure that the iSCSI hardware components that you select have been qualified under the Designed for Windows Logo program. If the iSCSI hardware devices have passed the Designed for Windows Logo Program, the hardware is also supported by Exchange Server 2003 and by Exchange 2000 Server with no additional qualification.

Exchange storage design

This section discusses the most important criteria for design and selection of Exchange storage: Isolation of Exchange transaction logs from databases Selection of best RAID protection for performance and fault tolerance Hardware RAID controller with sufficient write-back caching for performance Exchange transaction logs and databases must be stored on separate disk volumes to provide both data protection and efficiency (separation of sequential writes and random read/write access, respectively). The HP StorageWorks iSCSI Feature Pack and NAS can be configured to place the Exchange transaction logs on the Exchange server and the databases on the Windows Storage Server NAS. Little performance difference was measured between placing the transaction logs local to the Exchange server compared with placing them on an iSCSI disk. However, you must consider how to recover the transaction logs if the Exchange server fails and is replaced with new hardware; in that case, the log drives would need to be moved to the new server.
Transaction logs should be placed on a RAID 1 (mirror pair) array (volume), or for additional disk space, four or more disks in a RAID 1+0 (striped mirror). The number of spindles in the array determines storage space, but not performance. Performance on the transaction log volume is enhanced by decreasing the response time, which is accomplished by write-back caching. On HP Smart Array controllers with battery-backed write cache, such as the Smart Array 5i Plus and later, the write cache percentage should be set at 100%. (Dedicated read cache memory is built into the controller.) This setting will also benefit performance on the database arrays (volumes). For database arrays (volumes), the choice of RAID protection on the disk arrays is often a trade-off between maximum storage and performance. While RAID 5 can provide data protection, it does so at the cost of performance. RAID 1+0 was shown in the testing to provide the absolute best performance given the same number of disk spindles. For example, the descriptions of the tests explain how six spindles in a RAID 5 array cannot provide sufficient I/O rate to support the same number of Exchange mailboxes as the same number of disks in a RAID 1+0 array. RAID 1+0 is preferable for the database volumeeven when using 36-GB drives in an array, if the number of disks required to support the I/O is used, this provides ample storage for 100-MB mailboxes. Exercise caution when sizing if you are using the newest disk drives (for example, 146 GB or larger), as a few spindles can support the required database storage capacity but will not be able to support the required I/O performance. As the testing results described later in this document indicate, it is most important to place the Exchange logs and database files on a RAID 1+0 array on a hardware RAID controller with sufficient write-back caching. Even if the logs need to be accessed over the Gigabit network (on the NAS), there should be adequate network performance, and the RAID controller performance is paramount. Sizing for supported load One of the questions that must be answered in storage sizing, is how much performance does the (average) e-mail user require? This average load is then multiplied by the total number of users to determine what size of system is needed. Or, conversely, the capabilities of the system are examined and the maximum number of users that can be supported is determined. If a production Exchange environment is in place, the perfmon object for Disk Transfers per second on the database disk can be divided by the number of Active Connections to measure the current I/O per user. However, sizing for averages can lead to poor performance during peak periods, so additional overhead is needed for these peak, stressful periods. In any test environment measuring user load, the evaluation should closely match what will be deployed in production. For the tests in this paper, LoadSim 2003 was used to simulate the user load against the Exchange server. To most accurately represent an organization that relies on e-mail, the user profile selected within LoadSim was a mix of medium and heavy users, at a ratio of 2:1, respectively. These profiles represent quite active e-mail users and are used to simulate Enterprise environments. For the smaller organizations, where e-mail may not be so heavily used, these profiles may overstate the server impact, but they do provide assurance that the following configurations are properly sized to meet the most stressful peak-period demands. The maximum recommended user load may actually be less than this number depending on the user profile (heavier usage) and additional services running on the Exchange server (connectors, anti-virus scanning, content indexing, etc.). In addition to the level of activity by the e-mail users, another sizing consideration is the size of the mailboxes. The medium profile creates on average a 60-MB mailbox, and the heavy profile creates on average a 100-MB mailbox. Larger mailboxes do affect not only your storage sizing but also performance criteria, as Exchange performance is affected by managing the larger mailboxes. The final measure of LoadSim results is the 95th-percentile response time (a measure of client-side latency), which should be well below the desired goal of 1 second (1,000 milliseconds).

Figure 5. Sample configuration for HP StorageWorks NAS 1500s
A later section in this document details the process for configuring new or existing storage as iSCSI storage for Exchange Server. For this test environment, the default configuration of the NAS 1500s included a 671GB F: data drive. This drive partition was deleted (in the Disk Management console) and then a new logical unit was created in the iSCSI web console. The entire storage capacity does not have to be used by Exchange, however, with the limited number of internal disks, performance will be impacted by the file sharing load. A sample bill of materials for the low-capacity configuration shown in Figure 5 appears in Table 2. You can use it as a starting point for defining your own deployment.
Table 2. Configuration (bill of materials) for low-capacity scenario Configuration component Exchange server 1. 2. 3. 4. RAID controller Network adapter Memory Processor options Description ProLiant DL380 G3 server 1. 2. 3. 4. Ultra3-based Smart Array 5i Plus with 64 MB 2 NC7781 10/100/1000 NICs 1-GB base memory (2 x 512 MB) Intel Xeon 2.80 GHz 512-KB cache/400 MHz, 1-GB RAM 331441-001 (NA) 349201-xx1 HP part number 1 (NA) = North America
Or other model such as Intel Xeon 3.2 GHz 2-MB cache/533 MHz, 1-GB RAM DisksSee configuration for exact number and placement Ultra320 hot-pluggable SCSI drives Optional redundant power supply 146.8 GB 10,000 RPM 72.8 GB 15,000 RPM 36.4 GB 15,000 RPM 286716-B22 286778-B22 286776-B22 352529-xx1
Hot-plug AC redundant power supply module (NEMA cord) (NA) Hot-plug AC redundant power supply module (IEC cord) (WW)

313054-001 313054-B21

Configuration component Uninterruptible power systems Storage server

Description

HP part number 1 (NA) = North America
See http://h18002.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/11473_div/11473_div.HTML

NAS 1500s

Intel Celeron 2.8Hz (320 GB Model) 512 MB of memory standard, expandable to 4 GB Intel Pentium 4 2.8 GHz (640 GB Model) Intel Pentium 4 3.2 GHz (1 TB Model) 1 GB of memory standard, expandable to 4GB Hardware RAID and Four (4) hot plug 1" 7200 RPM SATA hard drives standard 4 x 80 GB (320 GB model) 4 x 160 GB (640 GB model) 4 x 250 GB (1 TB model) 367988-B21 367989-B21 367987-B21
Two auto sensing Gigabit NICs (embedded) 10/100/1000 SCSI controller (embedded) with external connector for backup device iSCSI Target Software HP StorageWorks iSCSI Feature Pack T3662A

Network switch

Recommended: dedicated Gigabit switch Tested: HP Gigabit switch: ProCurve 2708 MFG #J4898A #ABA

Backup device

Options include Tape drives (S/DLT, LTO, and so on) Disk array (for example, on Modular Smart Array Enclosure expansion) Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition HP Systems Insight Manager HP OpenView HP OpenView Storage Data Protector 5.1 Sybari Antigen 7.5 LoadSim 2003 and Jetstress (free downloads) See third-party vendor for ordering information

Tested software: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Operating system Messaging application Management and monitoring Backup Anti-virus Load testing

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Test results summary Testing was performed using a LoadSim 2003 user profile mix of medium and heavy users, at a ratio of 2:1, respectively. The NAS 1500s was tested up to 500 mailboxes (using the 2:1 Medium to Heavy LoadSim profile mix) on one Exchange 2003 server. The maximum recommended user load may actually be less than this number depending on the user profile (heavier usage) and additional services running on the Exchange server (connectors, anti-virus scanning, content indexing, etc.). While the LoadSim score is acceptable, the database volume ran an extremely high disk queue length (averaging 38 during the
sample period), which indicates that the disk is a bottleneck. If the load was sustained at this rate, the Exchange performance could deteriorate. The Gigabit Ethernet link was ample for the load and ran at only 1MB/sec.
Table 3. Exchange load simulation results for NAS 1500s iSCSI storage unit Exchange Server description NAS 1500s Tested number of users ProLiant DL380 G2 2x 1.26GHz PIII CPU, 2.8 GB RAM SG, 1 Mailbox Store + Public Folder Store
LoadSim 95th Percentile Score (milliseconds) 843
Notes: See the section on user profile definition and sizing. Testing used a LoadSim 2003 user profile mix of medium and heavy users, at a ratio of 2:1, respectively.
Medium to high capacity: HP StorageWorks NAS 2000s
The NAS 2000s was tested to over 5,000 mailboxes spread over four Exchange 2003 servers. Figure 6 illustrates the sample configuration that was tested. A list of some of the NAS 2000s product features includes: 2U form factor Integrated Lights-Out (iLO) Management standard on system board, Advanced License Pack included Intel Xeon 3.06 GHz with 512K L2 cache and 1 MB L3 cache 1 GB standard (expandable to 4 GB) of 2-way interleaved capable PC2100 DDR SDRAM running at 200MHz Three available 64-bit PCI-X slots, including two hot pluggable 100MHz slots and one nonhot plug 133MHz slot Expandable with the HP StorageWorks Modular Smart Array 30 enclosures and Smart Array RAID controllers for several terabytes of additional capacity Two NC7781 PCI-X Gigabit NICs (embedded) 10/100/1000 WOL (Wake on LAN) 2 x 400-Watt Hot Plug Power Supplies and 8 Fans

Figure 6. Tested configuration of Exchange Server 2003 and HP iSCSI storage
A sample bill of materials for this configuration appears in Table 4. You may use it as a starting point for defining your own deployment.
Table 4. Configuration (bill of materials) for medium-capacity scenario Configuration component Exchange server 1. 2. 3. 4. RAID controller Network adapter Memory Processor options 2. 3. 4. Description ProLiant DL380 G3 server 1. Ultra3-based Smart Array 5i Plus with 64 MB cache 2 NC7781 10/100/1000 NICs 1-GB base memory (2 x 512MB) Intel Xeon 2.80 GHz 512-KB cache/400 MHz, 1-GB RAM 331441-001 (NA) 349201-xx1 352529-xx1 300679-B21 HP part number1 (NA) = North America
Or other models including Intel Xeon 3.2 GHz 2-MB cache/ 533 MHz, 1-GB RAM Added RAM 1024 MB of Advanced ECC PC2100 DDR SDRAM DIMM Memory Kit 2 x 512 MB) Ultra320 hot-pluggable SCSI drives Second processor option kit 146.8 GB 10,000 RPM 72.8 GB 15,000 RPM 36.4 GB 15,000 RPM
DisksSee configuration for exact number and placement
286716-B22 286778-B22 286776-B22
Intel Xeon 2.80 GHz-512 KB/400 MHz Intel Xeon X3.2-2 MB/533 MHz
257915-B21 352568-B21 255514-B21 313054-001 313054-B21
Battery-backed write cache for 5i+ RAID controller Optional redundant power supply
Enabler option kit Hot-plug AC redundant power supply module (NEMA cord) (NA) Hot-plug AC redundant power supply module (IEC cord) (WW)
Uninterruptible power systems
http://h18002.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/11473_div/11473_div.HTML

Storage server

NAS 2000s
Intel Xeon 3.06 GHz with 512-K L2 cache and 1-MB L3 cache Two NC7781 PCI-X Gigabit NICs (embedded) 10/100/1000 WOL 2 x 400-watt hot-plug power supplies
345645-001 (NA) 345645-421 (EURO)
iSCSI Target Software RAID controller
HP StorageWorks iSCSI Feature Pack Smart Array 6402/128 controller Smart Array 6404/256 controller Add Ultra320 15K SCSI drives
T3662A 273915-B21 (128 MB) 273914-B21 (256 MB) (See below)

ProLiant DL380 G2 2x 1.26GHz PIII CPU, 2.8 GB RAM Clustered ProLiant Blade Server BL20p G2 , 2x 3.66 GHz Xeon CPU, 2 GB RAM Clustered ProLiant DL380 G2 2x 1.26GHz PIII CPU, 2.8 GB RAM ProLiant DL380 G2 2x 1.133 GHz PIII CPU, 4 GB RAM Total
2,SG, 4 Mailbox Stores + Public Folder Store SG, 2 Mailbox Stores SG, 4 Mailbox Stores 1,SG, 4 Mailbox Stores 5,000
Each Exchange Server was presented with two logical drives from the iSCSI storage, one for the databases and one for the transaction logs. The database volume was twelve spindles in a RAID1+0 array, and the transaction logs were a RAID1 mirrored pair of spindles. All disks used were 15,000 RPM. Gigabit network performance Figure 7 shows the network utilization of the teamed Gigabit network link on the StorageWorks NAS 2000s during stress testing, averaging about 7%. This number is calculated from the total 2 Gbps of the teamed link, so it is effectively 14% of a single 1 Gbps link. The measured throughput on this network interface was 71 Mbps which equates to 9 MB/sec.
Figure 7. Network utilization of NAS 2000s teamed Gigabit network link during stress testing
Installing and configuring the HP iSCSI Feature Pack
The following sections detail the procedures for configuring new Exchange storage or migrating existing Exchange Data to the new iSCSI storage.
Configuration process for new Exchange storage
This section details the instructions for setting up new storage. Both the NAS 1500s and 2000s are covered, with information on the differences between each. 1. Log into the Windows Storage Server and create the disk arrays and logical drives using the HP Array Controller Utility. Set the Smart Array controller to 100% write caching if not done so already. For the HP StorageWorks NAS 1500s the write cache cannot be enabled, as shown in Figure 8 below.
Figure 8. Array Controller Properties for the HP StorageWorks NAS 1500s
2. Configure each network interface on the Exchange Server and Windows Storage Server with a static IP address and set up HP Network Teaming as discussed earlier in this document. 3. On the Exchange Server, install the Microsoft iSCSI Software Initiator by launching the MSI file. The instructions here are based on the version installed and tested: 1.04a (build 244) Microsoft ISCSI driver 5.2.3790.243. The most recent software can be downloaded from: Be sure to select the option to install for Everyone (which is not the default) if you wish other administrators logging into the server to be able to launch and configure the Microsoft iSCSI Software Initiator software. If you do not select this option, the other users can still access the Microsoft iSCSI Software Initiator software from the Control Panel and create a desktop shortcut from there.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=12cb3c1a-15d6-4585-b385befd1319f825&displaylang=en
4. On the Windows Storage Server, install the HP StorageWorks iSCSI Feature Pack server software and reboot the server. 5. Log in to the Windows Storage Server, and launch the Web Administration console this may already be the Home Page for the Internet Explorer browser, unless another administrator has already changed it. Select Start, Programs, Administrative Tools, and Web Interface for Remote Administration or set the address in the browser to https://localhost:3202. You will be prompted to enter administrative credentials. Best Practice: Before making major changes in the steps below, select Server Configuration Files to backup the iSCSI Server configuration files. 6. You must enter the key code for the HP StorageWorks iSCSI Feature Pack before using it. Select the iSCSI tab and the Configuration menu choice. Add the Key Codes for iSCSI Storage Server via the Configuration License Screen. 7. Select iSNS Configuration to configure either a remote computer or the local system as an iSNS Server (for device discovery in iSCSI networks). 8. Select Default Portal Template to verify the portal (combination of IP address, port number, and group number) for this server. By default, the iSCSI Server assigns the host one portal for each network interface card (NIC) IP address. If you have network teaming enabled, the address of that single, virtual team interface should be detected.
Note: If network teaming is added after the iSCSI targets have been presented to hosts (or some other change results in a change to the IP address of the iSCSI storage server), then the iSCSI Default Portal Template will need to be modified to add the new address. The iSCSI initiator software will also need to be updated with the new Portal address. If the hosts have existing connections, you will also need to log off and log on again.
9. Select Logical Units and select the New task. Enter a name and the amount of storage to use or all available storage. (You do not need to consume all of the disk space and can later expand the logical unit if there is disk space available. A later section in this document covers expanding an array using a Smart Array RAID controller). Leave the host access at defaults for now and finish creating the logical unit. Host access will be given to the Exchange Server in the next steps.

Note: The default configuration of NAS 1500s includes a 671GB F: data drive. You must delete this drive partition (in the Disk Management console) and then create a logical unit in the iSCSI web console. If the web console is already open, click the option to force a rescan of the devices.
10. On the Exchange Server, launch the Microsoft iSCSI Software Initiator software either through the Control Panel or the icon on the desktop (if the desktop icon does not appear, re-run the MSI file and select the option to repair the installation). Select the Target Portals tab and click the Add button. Enter the IP address or name of the Windows Storage Server and click OK. If you get an error saying the requested name is correct but no data of the requested type was found this means that the server you entered is not running the HP iSCSI software (and may not even be the NAS unit you intend to use).
11. Return to the Windows Storage Server Web Administration console and select Hosts to add the Exchange Server(s). Enter the server name and keep the option to resolve by server address (as opposed to fully qualified DNS name). Keep the Authentication Type as Anonymous if you prefer no authentication (see the product documentation for more details on security). Select CHAP if you have configured a server secret which the Initiator (Exchange Server) must know or Mutual CHAP if you have configured a secret on both the Initiator and Windows Storage Server. 12. Next, select the Initiator Name/Address pairs from the drop down list (just off the screen in Figure below) to add to the host and click OK. If there is not a known iSCSI initiator available in the drop-down list, return to the Exchange Server and run the Microsoft iSCSI Software Initiator software to make sure that you have entered the target portal properly.
Figure 9. Known iSCSI Initiator the drop down list
13. If you have already configured Logical Units (through the previous procedures), set the access right for the Exchange Server to Read/Write Exclusive. If not, proceed to the next step. Select Logical Units to create a Logical Unit and set the access right for the Exchange Server to Read/Write Exclusive. 14. On the Exchange Server, run the Microsoft iSCSI Initiator software (shortcut on desktop or use Control Panel). Click on the Available Targets tab and the Refresh button, and you should see the iSCSI storage listed (if it is not, return to the Windows Storage Server console and select the Host, select the Initiators task and select Add to select the known iSCSI initiator from the drop-down). Select the target and click Log On In the dialog box (shown in Figure 10 below) select Automatically restore this connection when the system boots and click OK. The

Note: When running the Remote Storage Wizard, if you do not see the new drive listed in the File Location Selection dialog box, manually type in the drive letter and it will then show up as available for use.
Figure 144. Remote Storage Wizard used to change the configuration information
Changing imported units It is possible and quite easy to change an imported logical unit for example, if you wish to change to a raw disk or change the size of a file device used to mount the imported disk (the iSCSI Server software allows expansion of a file device, but to make it smaller you must follow these procedures). 1. On the Exchange Server, shut down the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service and make sure there is no other access to the database volume. 2. Run the Microsoft iSCSI Initiator software (shortcut on desktop or use Control Panel) and select the Available Targets tab you should see the iSCSI storage listed. 3. Select the Active Sessions tab and click the Log Off button. The drive is now dismounted from the Exchange server. 4. On the Windows Storage Server, use the iSCSI Server Web Administration console to delete the logical unit. You will see a warning on the page If deleted logical units have active connections from hosts, data will be lost. However, this operation is non-destructive, as you will merely re-associate the logical unit with a new file device. 5. Create the new file device (in the Configuration, Storage section) or raw disk and assign the logical unit to it (in the Logical Unit section).
Managing Exchange 2003 and the HP iSCSI Feature Pack
This section highlights some of the differences from traditional storage management for Exchange Server and NAS with iSCSI.
Monitoring and management
The Windows Storage Servers from HP support HP Systems Insight Manager and HP OpenView for management and troubleshooting, integrating well into existing HP ProLiant server management infrastructure. Unlike traditional NAS, where file shares are used, the iSCSI solution provides disks that appear as local to the Exchange server. Physical disks do not report counters on the Windows Storage Server and must be monitored on the server where the iSCSI connection is made (Exchange Server). Restarting servers Since the storage array is a server computer it must be considered when restarting any of the devices. Before restarting the Exchange server, it is recommended that you shut down the Exchange Information Store service on the Exchange server, and then shut down the server. This procedure helps to ensure that all transaction logs are committed to the database and the checkpoint is advanced. To restart both servers, restart the Windows Storage Server computer first, and then power off and restart the Exchange server. This ensures that all storage provided by the Windows Storage Server computer is available when Exchange starts. If a server operator or administrator is not available to power the Exchange server back on (for example, in a remote-server scenario), then a best practice is to set the startup delay in the boot.ini on the Exchange server substantially longer than the startup delay in the boot.ini of the Windows Storage Server.

Extending drive arrays

As part of the HP iSCSI Feature Pack test suite, a drive array was extended by adding physical drives to the cabinet and using the ability of the Smart Array controller to extend the existing RAID set without impacting the safety of the data. The procedures for doing so in an iSCSI environment follow. A disk was created with ten (10) drives and two drives were added later to the MSA 30 storage cabinet to demonstrate the ease of online expansion. The additional two drives were added to the existing logical drive and the new capacity added to the volume using diskpart in Windows Server 2003; however the process was found to be slightly different due to the introduction of iSCSI to the storage environment.
Note: In case of operator error it is strongly advised that a backup be made and validated before proceeding with any change to an array holding Exchange or other valuable data.
To extend a drive array, follow these procedures: 1. After a backup has been made and validated, add the physical drives to the cabinet. Modify the existing array by adding the drives, as shown below in Figure 15.
Figure 15. Extending the size of an existing array using the HP Array Configuration Utility
2. Wait for the new drive capacity to show up when the array rebuild is complete. This can take several hours, especially if the Expand priority is set to Low. You may increase the Expand priority if there is little concern of impacting production performance. 3. Next, rescan the disks in the Disk Management Console on the Windows Storage Server NAS. When the new partition size shows up, shut down disk access on the Exchange Server (e.g. if a cluster, take the disk resource offline, otherwise, shut down the Microsoft Exchange Information Store Service or take all Stores on that disk offline). 4. On the Windows Storage Server Administrator Console, remove all host access and grant RWE access to the Windows Storage Server NAS only. Select the Logical Unit and the Expand task in the Windows Storage Server Administrator Console. Select the desired amount of disk space or all available space, and click OK. 5. Return to the Exchange Server and at a command prompt run diskpart (a utility included with the operating system). Note that the disk resource must be brought back online if it is a cluster disk. Enter list vol and select vol # where # is the volume to be extended. Enter extend and the volume will be extended. 6. You may now restart the Microsoft Exchange Information Store Service and bring all Stores on that disk online).

Disaster recovery

For a more comprehensive overview, see the HP white paper Microsoft Exchange Server 2000 and 2003 Backup and Restore using HP Technology at http://h71028.www7.hp.com/activeanswers/cache/70576-0-0-225-121.aspx. More information on advanced disaster recovery features of the iSCSI storage solution will be made available in a later ActiveAnswers whitepaper.

The HP StorageWorks iSCSI Feature Pack can be used to create disks that provide the shared storage necessary to cluster two or more Exchange Servers. In this test environment, Windows Server 2003 is used to cluster two Exchange Servers, and the test results will follow later in another ActiveAnswers whitepaper. The official launch of clustering and HP ProLiant products will shortly follow the initial launch of the HP StorageWorks iSCSI Feature Pack, but clustering is complex enough that it is advised to begin gathering information as soon as possible. Clustering assists in removing or eliminating certain sources of downtime (such as scheduled maintenance, operating system crashes or server hardware faults), but it does require special tools and knowledge, for example in the area of disaster recovery. The procedure for setting up a cluster is different in Windows Server 2003 than in the 2000 version. It is strongly advised that you use the whitepaper HP Best Practices for Microsoft Exchange Server 2000 and 2003 Cluster Deployments available at http://h71019.www7.hp.com/ActiveAnswers/cache/70595-0-0-0-121.aspx#311.

Conclusion

The HP StorageWorks iSCSI Feature Pack is a new solution that enables placement of Exchange Server 2003 files on an HP StorageWorks network attached storage (NAS) device running Microsoft Windows Storage Server 2003. Typically the database files and transaction log files are placed on the iSCSI storage, and the performance of this configuration is shown in this whitepaper to be comparable to direct-attached or Fibre Channel arrays. The iSCSI storage also offers great flexibility for use as a backup target with RAID protected disk (e.g. the ATA based NAS 1500s on the low end or the SCSI based NAS 2000s on the high end). Part of the appeal of iSCSI is the use of existing Gigabit adapters and network topology without having to add a Fibre Channel adapter and switch. This paper also details the procedures for setting up new storage or migrating existing Exchange data arrays to the HP StorageWorks iSCSI Feature Pack with little service interruption. The iSCSI solution can be used for Exchange clusters and offers advanced data protection features which will be covered in a later ActiveAnswers whitepaper.

For more information

HP storage website
The HP website has the latest information on this product, as well as the latest drivers. Access storage at http://www.hp.com/country/us/eng/prodserv/storage.html. From this website, select the appropriate product or solution.

HP StorageWorks NAS 2000s
The HP StorageWorks NAS 2000s is a mid-range network-attached storage (NAS) solution that delivers quick and simple NAS storage with multi-protocol file support and storage management for workgroups, small businesses, and remote locations. It offers just-in-time storage that is quick and simple to set up for multiprotocol environments, and it is easy to manage and administer, requiring limited IT knowledge. The NAS 2000s requires limited IT resources and can be managed remotely. It offers ease of installation and management features that reduce overall total cost of ownership (TCO). Plus, it comes with HP Global Services, providing cost-effective support to ensure continuous availability. The NAS 2000s is ideal for customers who require quick, simple, rapidly deployable, flexible storage, or who need, remote manageability and have limited IT
resources. The NAS 2000s is the first NAS device to use the new Microsoft Windows Storage Server (WSS) 2003 operating system giving customers better storage management, data protection and performance. In addition, its the first NAS device to incorporate print services. Key features and benefits Enhanced management: Added quota management software as a base feature allows customers to maintain and manage storage quotas and bill and meter storage usage Increased performance: Windows Storage Server OS provides leading performance based on up-to-date HP ProLiant hardware platform and allows for better storage management and data protection
The HP StorageWorks NAS 2000s is the first NAS device to utilize Microsofts new Windows Storage Server (WSS) 2003 operating system and the first to incorporate print services.

Technical specifications

System design Network interface Form factor Management access Management Availability Diagnostics Temperature range
Intel Xeon based on HP ProLiant DL380 G3 server and 3.06GHz, 533MHz front side bus Dual 10/100/1000 Broadcom NICs 2U HP Integrated Lights-Out (iLO), web interface or console Telnet; SNMP; Insight Manager, HP OpenView and web user interface Hot-plug redundant power supplies and fans; hot-plug optics, CTP2 processors (control processor cards) HP diagnostics 50 to 95F (10C to 35C) (operating) 40 to 158F (40C to 70C) (storage) 10 to 90% @ 82F (28C) (wet bulb) (operating) 5 to 95% @ 82F (28C) (wet bulb) (storage) 400 Watts 100/120VAC/220/240VAC 6 Amps @220 VAC Heat output: 1475 BTU/hour Internal: 3.38 cm x 17.5 cm x 25.75 cm (packaged/shipping) External: 8.59 cm x 44.45 cm x 65.41 cm (packaged/shipping) Internal SCSI: 47.18 lb (unit) and 60 lb (shipping) External SCSI: 214 lb (shipping)

Humidity range

Power consumption Nominal voltage Operating current Heat dissipation Dimensions (HxWxD)

Weight

Software specifications Operating system Administration interface Software features Cluster Windows Storage Server 2003 Web browser, remote via iLO or console management Microsoft ShadowCopy for snapshot functionality, storage resource manger for quota Non-clusterable
Diagnostics and predictive monitoring iLO, HP diagnostics, CIM and HP OpenView Supported network protocols CIFS, NFS, NCP, AFP, HTTP, FTP
Hardware specifications Dedicated storage Maximum raw capacity HP StorageWorks 4400 series U320 SCSI enclosures 27 TB (3x6404/256 Smart Array controllers and 13 HP StorageWorks 4400 series U320 SCSI enclosures cabinets per 2000s)

Floppy drive DVD drive

Yes Yes, for Quick Restore and Rapid Launch configuration and deployment utility
Tools specifications System management tools Functions with popular systems management applications, including HP OpenView Network Node Manager, HP Toptools, CA Unicenter TNG, IBM Tivoli Netview, and BMC Patrol HP OpenView Data Protector 5.0 (full agent integration), NDMP certification for VERITAS NetBackup and NDMP and network backup support for Legato NetWorker; Computer Associates Intl. BrightStar ARCserve (basic network only), VERITAS Backup Exec (basic network only), IBM Tivoli Storage Manager (basic network only)

Backup

Ordering information Product number 345645-001 345645-421 345646-001 345646-421 Product name NAS 2000s Internal SCSI US NAS 2000s Internal SCSI EURO NAS 2000s External SCSI US NAS 2000s External SCSI EURO Product description 587.2 GB raw internal storage US/JPN only 587.2 GB raw internal storage EURO only 587.2 GB raw external storage via a SCSi JBOD US/JPN only 587.2 GB raw external storage via a SCSi JBOD EURO only

Whats included

Internal storage model: HP ProLiant DL380 G3 based server, 3.06 GHz processor, 1 GB RAM, dual 10/100/1000 Broadcom NICs, iLO, embedded 5i smart array technology, 587.2 GB raw storage internal (4x146 GB) External storage model: HP ProLiant DL380 G3 based server, 3.06 GHz processor, 1GB RAM, dual 10/100/1000 Broadcom NICs, iLO, embedded 5i smart array technology, 587.2 GB raw storage external in a SCSI enclosures (4x146 GB drives), 2000s user documentation kit, Rapid Launch CD utility for discovery and configuration, Quick Restore DVD for quick recovery, rack mount power distribution unit (PDU) power cords, Quick Start Guide, services for UNIX 3.0 CD kit

Warranty and support

Warranty: Hardware warranty (3-1-1) 3-year parts, 1-year on-site (8x5, next business day response), and 1-year labor Note: The hardware warranty covers firmware and embedded non-saleable software. Saleable software carries its own warranty. Software warranty: HP limited software warranty the software media will be free of physical defects for a period of ninety (90) days from delivery. Exclusive Remedy. The entire liability of HP and its suppliers and your exclusive remedy for software that does not conform to this Limited Warranty shall be the repair or replacement of the defective media. This warranty and remedy are subject to your returning the defective media during the warranty period to HP in the country in which you obtained the software. Service options: The basic warranty service can be enhanced and/or HP Installation services can be purchased. Support options with various response time and durations are available. These services include, but not limited to, 4 hour same day and next day, as well as extended coverage periods, 24x7, 1-year and 3-year. CarePaq information: CarePaq is defined as an upgrade to the product warranty attribute, available for a specific duration and hours of coverage. CarePaq is not available for less than the products warranty duration. CarePaq is available for sale anytime during the warranty period for most products, but the commencement date will be the same as the Warranty Start Date (delivery date to end user customer). Proof of purchase may be required.

For more information

For more information on the HP StorageWorks NAS 2000s solution, contact any of our worldwide sales offices or visit: www.hp.com/go/nas
2003 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein. Microsoft and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. Intel is a trademark or registered trademark of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

www.hp.com/go/nas

5982-0908EN, 09/2003