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VirtualWisdom SAN Performance Probe

VirtualWisdom® SAN Performance Probe - Measure and Analyze Your SAN

SAN Performance ProbeVirtualWisdom SAN Performance Probe Fibre Channel probes analyze every packet on a Fibre Channel SAN. The SAN Performance Probe receives its data from the SANInsight TAPs and views a copy of all frames, extracts the frame header and ignores the data payload. Through the frame header information, the SAN Performance Probe can ascertain all critical information about the transaction in real-time. A SAN Performance Probe can be dedicated to a single SAN link or, using a Virtual Instruments SANInsight Rover physical layer switch, can rove (sample) among many SAN links to provide dozens of critical statistics about storage traffic, transmission errors, and SAN READ and WRITE latency. The SAN Performance Probe is the only product in the industry that can measure the impact of the SAN on application response times.

The Virtual Instruments VirtualWisdom SAN Performance Probe (Model ProbeFC8) supports Fibre Channel SANs at speeds for up to 8 Gbps. A single SAN Performance Probe can be dedicated to up to 8 SAN links, or, using a VirtualWisdom Rover, can rove among many more. The solution provides detailed measurement and statistics about storage I/O traffic as it relates to an application server, storage subsystem, remote replication, virtual or other key SAN device, or application. The SAN Performance Probe detects application performance slowdowns by measuring every SCSI I/O transaction from start to finish, for both reads and writes. Exchange Completion Time (ECT) metrics are maintained for every server/volume combination (initiator/target/LUN).

The SAN Performance Probe can measure latency through wide-area networks and from servers to storage subsystems. A baseline of metrics can be created to verify that there is no impact after server OS or device firmware upgrades, zone modifications, or other changes to the SAN.

Congested storage ports can be identified from the SAN Performance Probe queue depth metrics. VirtualWisdom measures queue depth by monitoring the number of active and pending SCSI exchanges to the same target port. Overrunning storage queues can impact the performance of the entire SAN. Failing SCSI devices can be proactively detected by monitoring link errors and SCSI operation errors using the SAN Performance Probe.

The VirtualWisdom SAN Performance Probe can simultaneously monitor up to 8 fibre channel links. Probes contain algorithms that correlate end-to-end storage traffic between a server and a storage volume. Metrics are calculated within the probes for every active Initiator/Target/LUN (ITL) nexus, including SCSI frame analysis, elapsed time from SCSI read to first data, time elapsed for each complete read or write exchange, and the number of simultaneous open exchanges. Probes also detect Fibre Channel faults, SCSI errors, and device faults. An Ethernet connection allows the probes to communicate with the VirtualWisdom Server. A summary of changed metrics is reported to the VirtualWisdom Server every second.

VirtualWisdom® SAN Performance Probe Features

The VirtualWisdom SAN Performance Probe contains probes that simultaneously monitor up to eight fibre channel links. Probes contain algorithms that correlate end‐to‐end storage traffic between a server and a storage volume. Metrics are calculated within the probes for every active ITL (Initiator/Target/LUN) nexus, including SCSI frame analysis, elapsed time from SCSI read to first data, time elapsed for each complete read or write exchange, and the number of simultaneous open exchanges on the link. Probes also detect and track fibre channel faults, SCSI errors, and device faults. An Ethernet connection allows the probes to communicate with the VirtualWisdom Server software. A summary of changed metrics are reported to the VirtualWisdom Portal Server every second via the Ethernet connection. 

With VirtualWisdom SAN Performance Probe, you can measure:

  • Application I/O performance, san latency measurement
  • Storage protocol faults and failing device detection
  • Congested ports and unauthorized traffic on a SAN link detection
  • Tiered monitoring architecture enabled by a VirtualWisdom Rover extends the monitoring each of the SAN Performance Probes

SANInsight® SAN Performance Probe Specifications

Dimensions Height: 3.5 inches (8.9 cm), 2U
Width: 17.4 inches / 44.2 cm (excluding rack mounting)
Depth:  21" / 53.5 cm (excluding front and rear panel projections).
Weight: 40 lbs / 18 kg (approx)
Connections

SAN Link Connectivity: Probes connect to SAN links via Virtual Instruments SANInsight TAPs or TAP Patch Panel Systems. TAPs are passive, thereby protecting the SAN link from any sort of disruption which might be caused by the SAN Performance Probe or its connections (due to reboot, power-down, intentional disconnection of the Probe from the SAN, cable or signal issues, etc.).

Protocol Analyzer Connectivity: Probes can be connected to a Virtual Instruments Protocol Analyzer for additional VirtualWisdom analysis functionality.

VirtualWisdom Portal Connectivity: the SAN Performance Probe connects to the VirtualWisdom server platform via Ethernet to transfer calculated SAN metrics to the portal for saving to the database, reporting and display.
Indicators
  • Status | Temp | Ready | Power | Power on 4 LED ‘ladder’ next to LCD
  • 32 SFP LEDs for link status
  • Detailed status and configuration on 4 line x 20 column character mode LCD with 6 button keypad
Connectors
  • Management Port: 100/1000 RJ45 Ethernet
  • Power: Male IEC 320 Receptacle
  • Cascade Ports: Not used
  • Trigger Out: Not used
  • Trigger In: Not used
Electromagnetic Compliance
  • EMC: FCC Part 15 Subpart B Class A, CE (EN 55022/EN55024), VCCI, C-Tick, KN 22/24
  • SAFETY: Certified to UL/EN/IEC 60950-1
Power Specifications
  • Input Voltage: 100-240V AC
  • Input Frequency: 50/60 Hz
  • Current Rating: 7/3A
  • Normal Operating Power: 350W
  • Inrush Current: 60/80A @ 115/230V (25° C)
Environment
  • Operational: +10 to +40° C (50° to +104° F), max gradation 10° per hour
  • Operating Humidity: 20% to 80% non-condensing, max gradation 20% per hour
  • Non-Operating Temperature: -20 to +80°C, (-4° F to 176° F) max gradation 20°C per hour
  • Non-Operating Humidity: 5% to 95% non-condensing, max gradation 20% per hour

 

Product Datasheets

  • VIrtualWisdom SAN Performance Probe | The Virtual Instruments VirtualWisdom SAN Performance Probe analyzes every packet on a fibre channel SAN. A SAN Performance Probe can be dedicated to a single SAN link or, using a SANInsight Rover, can rove among many SAN links to provide statistics about storage I/O traffic as it relates to an application server, storage subsystem, remote replication, virtualization or other key SAN device or application.

Related Product Datasheets

VirtualWisdom Solution Components

  • VirtualWisdom Overview | VirtualWisdom provides comprehensive instrumentation and I/O measurement capabilities that reduce application response time, increase availability, and improve resource utilization. VirtualWisdom is the only product that can non-intrusively improve the performance of applications and increase the benefits of cloud-driven virtualization in real time by analyzing actual I/O traffic data.

  • VirtualWisdom Virtual Server Probe | Virtual Server Probe collects information specifically about the utilization and performance of virtual machines within the VMware environment via the VMware vCenter server API. It is a virtual software probe that automatically discovers and monitors 120+ CPU, memory, network and disk I/O metrics for VMware ESX virtual machines, physical servers, and clusters. Actual measured data from VirtualWisdom enables IT managers to proactively balance the provisioning of applications on virtual machines for maximum application performance with the confidence that systems will not slow down or fail.

  • VirtualWisdom SAN Availability Probe | As a component of the Virtual Instruments’ VirtualWisdom solutions, the SAN Availability Probe is a non-agent based software probe that utilizes the MIB (management information block) from Fibre Channel switches via SNMP to gather switch performance and link error statistics in a non-intrusive manner. These critical switch statistics are collected by VirtualWisdom’s Server software and presented to the user in an easy to use configurable, graphical user interface.

SANInsight Hardware

  • SANInsight Fibre TAP Patch Panel System | Virtual Instrument’s new SANInsight TAP Patch Panel System provides a range of options for integrating the unique, patented technology into patch panels. By unifying TAP and patch functions into a single layer of physical infrastructure, SANInsight significantly reduces the cost, complexity, and infrastructure impact of TAP deployment. SANInsight facilitates the broad installation of TAPs into both new and existing physical infrastructures, fully addressing the best practices monitorability requirement and enabling complete SAN optimization.

  • SANInsight Enterprise Rover | The Virtual Instruments’ SANInsight Rover provides advanced capabilities to VirtualWisdom® by maximizing the number of SAN links monitored by a SAN Performance Probe. The Rover extends the reach of VirtualWisdom in large enterprise SANs and lowers the cost of SAN monitoring and analysis.

  • SANInsight Protocol Analyzer | The Virtual Instruments SANInsight Protocol Analyzer is a critical tool for IT personnel to troubleshoot component and systems utilizing the Fibre Channel protocol. It captures traffic and graphically reports performance metrics and data errors in real time whenever there is live Fibre Channel traffic over any monitored link. In addition, users can view MB/s, Kframes/sec, utilization, frame errors, and physical layer errors from each direction of the link.

  • SANInsight Mobile Monitoring Option | As a member of the Virtual Instruments’ VirtualWisdom solutions family, the Mobile Monitoring Option (MMO) is designed to provide all of the features and benefits of VirtualWisdom-based instrumentation, monitoring, and measurement in a purpose-built, mobile cabinet, designed to house SANInsightTM Fibre Channel monitoring equipment. Use of the MMO enables IT staff to easily and quickly deploy an infrastructure optimizing VirtualWisdom solution anywhere in the datacenter.