IBM System Storage N series

Abstract
This IBM Redbooks publication gives a basic understanding of the IBM System Storage N series hardware and software features. It discusses topics such as installation, setup and administration from both the N series filer and clients, and provides example scenarios of some features.
Corporate workgroups, distributed enterprises and small- to medium-sized companies are increasingly seeking to network and consolidate storage to improve availability, reduce costs, share information, and protect and secure information. These organizations require enterprise-class solutions capable of addressing immediate storage needs cost-effectively, while providing an upgrade path for future requirements. IT managers need a maximum degree of flexibility to design the architecture that best supports the requirements of multiple types of data and a broad range of applications. IBM System Storage N series is designed to meet these requirements. It supports Ethernet environments, enabling economical NAS and iSCSI deployments. It also functions as an “unification engine” that is designed to allow you to simultaneously serve both file and block-level data across a single network. These are demanding procedures that, for some solutions, require multiple, separately managed systems. The flexibility of N series allows it to address the storage needs of a wide range of organizations, including distributed enterprises and data centers for midrange enterprises. N series also supports sites with computer- and data-intensive enterprise applications, such as database, data warehousing, workgroup collaboration and messaging.

Table of Contents
Part 1. IBM System Storage N series hardware and software features
Chapter 1. IBM System Storage N series
Chapter 2. Data ONTAP
Chapter 3. Write Anywhere File Layout
Chapter 4. Snapshots
Chapter 5. IBM N series data protection with RAID Double Parity
Chapter 6. Aggregates and volumes
Chapter 7. Multiprotocol data access: NFS, CIFS, and HTTP
Part 2. Software technical description
Chapter 8. Recovery with SnapRestore
Chapter 9. Flexible volumes
Chapter 10. FlexClone volumes
Chapter 11. FlexCache volumes
Chapter 12. FlexShare
Chapter 13. Enabling rapid recovery with SnapVault
Chapter 14. Data Permanence with SnapLock
Chapter 15. LockVault
Chapter 16. SnapDrive
Chapter 17. Operations Manager
Part 3. IBM N series High Availability
Chapter 18. SnapMirror
Chapter 19. SyncMirror
Chapter 20. Cluster status and management
Chapter 21. Vfiler
Chapter 22. MetroCluster
Chapter 23. Single Mailbox Recovery for Microsoft Exchange
Chapter 24. Ensuring integrity with IBM N series SnapValidator
Chapter 25. Disk sanitization
Part 4. Initial installation and setup and administration
Chapter 26. Pre-installation planning
Chapter 27. NFS attachment
Chapter 28. Setting up CIFS shares and joining Active Directory
Chapter 29. Subsequent setup
Chapter 30. IBM N series storage system administration
Part 5. Sizing and performance monitoring
Chapter 31. Performance monitoring
Part 6. Appendices
Appendix A. Setup worksheets and cabling diagrams
Appendix B. Power checklists