HP Insight Control Storage and Server Module for vCenter is plug-in for vCenter Server that allows HP storage arrays to be managed from a single pane of glass that is integrated into the vSphere client.

Available at no cost from HP, the plug-in can be installed once for the entire vCenter environment using a single, all-inclusive installer.

Let’s take a look at the storage component of this plugin, some of the key features as part of this component are:

• Monitoring the status and health of HP storage arrays
• Automated provisioning of datastores and VMs– Adding, removing, and expanding datastores on the fly
• Creating VM from templates on new datastores
• Using array-based snapshot and snap clone technologies to clone VMs, tapping into VAAI primitives essentially which speeds up operational tasks
• Common provisioning and removal tasks.
• Datastore mapping information

And yes, its supported with VMware vSphere 5.1 and from a storage stand point the following HP arrays:

• HP 3PAR StoreServ Storage
• HP MSA Storage
• HP StoreVirtual Storage including the Virtual SAN Appliance
• HP EVA Storage
• HP XP Storage
• HP StoreOnce Backup appliance

So what it gives you is true and fruitful information on your server farm. I was going to add some screenshots of the GUI here but my lab has temporarily taken a holiday so unable to run it up right now.

The good thing is, these two modules (server and storage) is bundled in one installation package and is very easy to install,  for customers running HP BladeSystem and any of our major storage arrays (3PAR, StoreVirtual VSA/Appliance, MSA, EVA and XP) .

Available @ https://h20392.www2.hp.com/portal/swdepot/displayProductInfo.do?productNumber=HPICE

What is it?

Now this is really cool, at a high level these new announcements now give you the risk free incentive to move your current workloads residing on an HP EVA P6000 to HP 3PAR and benefit from a leading storage platform.

 

HP EVA to HP 3PAR Import

So if you are currently running an existing HP EVA box and love the new HP 3PAR platform. I introduce to Online Import!

 

Online Import migrates volumes from a HP P6000 EVA to an HP 3PAR StoreServ system

Volumes are migrated online, minimally disruptive or offline depending on host OS, and best of all you can migrate full to thin volumes (and back again)

 

Online Import from EVA to 3PAR directly from EVA Command View:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seamlessly move from your legacy HP EVA array to the new 3PAR architecture, and reek the benefits that it has to offer virtual environments including:

 

Thin Conversion

Go thin on the fly! The migration will be performed enabling the reclamation of 128MB regions using the hardware based Gen4 ASIC magic, allowing in-line, wire-speed “fat-to-thin” conversions compatible with any host volume.

Zero Detection.

Stay thin! As data is written to new 3PAR LUN, provided you have zero detect on your existing thick LUNs will shed the weight and become thin!

Note: There are still some operating systems that do not support the automatic reclamation of space using the T10 UNMAP command. Have a read on my VMware-related post on this notion here.

Storage Tiering – LUN and Sub-LUN (Block)

Automatic data-driven and policy-driven response to data placement. Simply put – busy workloads reside on faster disk to service the IO queue, and less busy reside on cheaper disk. Just simple!

Licensing

There is a 180 day time based Peer motion shipped free, this license time starts at installation time, so if the license is enabled at the factory then it will start to tick down.

The license will generate appropriate alerts once the 180 days is drawing close.

Alternatively there is a permanent license too!

 

What is the difference between the existing Peer Motion and Online Import

The fundamental difference between these two offerings is based on the source array:

• Peer Motion deals with HP 3PAR to HP 3PAR arrays only whereas
• Online import deals with HP EVA to HP 3PAR arrays.

 

The other difference that one is disruptive (associated outage for cutover) and one is non-disruptive.  I still recommend VMware Storage vMotion over disruptive methods if time is not an issue for obvious reasons.

 

Supportability – EVA to 3PAR Import roadmap

 

So what’s the catch?

Of course with any migration, there are pre-requisites and requirements some are obvious and some are not.  The main pre-requisites are

• Current version of OI supports only EVA x400 series running min firmware XCS09534000 to EOS/P7000

 

• Destination array: HP 3PAR StoreServ 7000 or 10000 running HP 3PAR OS 3.1.2 (not 3.1.1!!)

 

• So there is no Online Import license for F- and T-Class, meaning F- and T-Class cannot be target for Online Migration …. However we can use the Peer Motion license for F and T (associated costs).

 

• vDisks that are larger than 16TB cannot be migrated (unsupported size on 3PAR presently)
• All vDisks presented to a host are migrated (no subset selection possible…..yet)

 

• No support for HPUX hosts and\or clusters

 

• Does not support Linux or Solaris clusters (Windows and VMware ESXi clusters only)

 

• Can only migrate one HP EVA and one host at a time

 

• Access to a box with HP P6000 Command View 10.2 to facilitate the migration which also has FC connectivity to source P6000 EVA and has IP connectivity to destination HP 3PAR StoreServ system over TCP ports 5781 (3PAR Events) and 5783 (3PAR Secure CLI).

 

How do I get it?

Easy! Online Import is part of the “Typical” Install Set for HP P6000 Command View 10.2

3^RD party array -> HP 3PAR

So what happens if you are running a 3^rd Party Array and wish to transition to HP 3PAR?  No problem, get in touch with our storage consulting team who has a vast amount of experience in this solution.

Have a read of my HP MPX200 post to gain an insight on the method we use, fast, risk-free and best of all giving you the ability to go thin on conversion.

 

Need a hand? Sure! Try our Storage Consulting Migration Services.

Get in touch, we have start-up services and care packs to make the ordering part simple!

 

HP EVA to HP 3PAR StoreServ Acceleration Service

That’s its folks, Some REALLY cool stuff has just been announced, Move to an awesome new storage platform and use a risk-free way to transition from your current EVA to it.

My colleague Francis Scarfi did a good write up on this service

 

Follow me on twitter @andrecarpenter