What is SRM?
SRM stands for Storage Resource Management. SRM consists of agents running on the storage server which communicate with the application running on management server. The Management server has the database which collects information from the agents in storage server. and also allows for queries,analysis and reporting. Further, a remote administrator can connect to the management server via Ethernet.
Major Communication technologies used in Storage
The two major communication technologies used in storage industry today are Fiber Channel and i-SCSI.
Functionality
SRM products offer various functionality like collection and retention of data about the storage system. They use the information for performace analysis such as pi pointing storage bottlenecks in SANs or reporting when the systems approach designated capacity.
This information is also used to automate certain things which were done manually previously like storage provisioning, forecasting future needs and networkexpansion management.
SRM products can integrate with backup,business continuity and disaster recovery systems.
Some SRM tools like IBM's Total Storage Productivity Centre capture current device configurations for help with recovery if storage system crashes.
They also recognize storage system virtualization and monitor and report on virtualized assets as well as physical ones.
Capacity Utilization
By integrating with filesystems, SRM provides information about file location and data usage.This identifies for ex, little used data that org could archive in lower priority less expensive storage facilities.
Collecting Data
SRM products collect data from storage systems in different ways.They can gather data via systems APIs or command line interfaces or via Secure shell or telnet protocol.
Another new method is the Storage Management Initiative Specification (SMI-S). SMI-S provides common protocols and data models that storage vendors can use. This enables hardware and software interoperability among networked storage products from different vendors.
Coordination with data-center management tools
Many organizations want a single console to manage their data centre not just storage. Thus, some SRM products like:-
1. EMC's Control Center
2. HP's Storage Essentials SRM std Ed
these can communicate with third party system via technologies like Simple Netwrk Management Protocol (SNMP) or commercial integration packages.
Deployment Approaches:
Numerous Products like:-
1. Estorian's Looking glass
2. Monosphere's Storage Horizon
offer SRM feature like cpacity management. They are well suited for limited budget users.
Vendors such as IBM,HP provide broad, integrated SRM functionality in a single product.
System with and without agents
Broad SRM products are typically deployed with agents.The advantage is that these agents analyze each part of the storage system in depth and report back to the management server. The disadvantage is tht these agents must be installed on all storage related equipment and life cycle upgrades applied to each whenever there is an upgrade in the s/w or h/w.
Agentless SRM tools:
Tek tools storage profiler are agentles. This approach is easier to manage because administrators don't have to install and maintain agents on every storage platform.
However, agentless tools workfrom a management interface like API or SMI-S, which don't analyze storage resources in depth and thus don't gather all the information that some administrators require.
They also create communications overhead which increases network traffic and complexity. Agents on other hand, talk directly to SRM systems using their main communications technology such as FC or i-SCSI.
Conclusion
As of now, the major issue is interoperatability between different vendors. Also, once SRM technology matures, many manual processes like reporting,provisioning etc can be automated leading to a roadmap for automation of data centre ops.
Mana
