Inside Storage Networking

        I had a client recently ask me what was the most effective thing his company could do to get me the data that would be the most helpful in troubleshooting problems in his solution.  This was after we were unable to provide a definitive root cause to a problem that occurred intermittently in his solution.   He had a fairly simple fabric that consisted of two 96-port switches, a few IBM Storage Systems and 30 or so hosts.   His problem was an issue with performance on the hosts.  At the time the best I was able to tell him was data indicated a slight correlation between host read activity and a performance problem but I was not able to confirm anything with certainty.       My answer was simple:  configure better event detection and system logging.  This is something I teach as a best-practice at IBM Technical University.   I also suggested that his company install at least the free vers...

IBM Announced IBM SANnav today.  You can register for a webinar to learn more about SANnav  here.      SANnav is a next-generation SAN management application.  It was built from the ground up with a simple, browser-based user interface.   It can streamline common workflows, such as configuration, zoning, deployment, troubleshooting, and reporting. The modernized GUI can improve operational efficiency by enablog enhanced monitoring capabilities, faster troubleshooting, and advanced analytics.  Key features and capabilities include: C onfiguration management : You can use policy-based management to apply consistent configurations across the switches in your fabrics.  SANnav also makes zoning devices easier by providing a more intuitive interface than previous management products.   Dashboards:   You can see  at-a-glance views and summary health scores for fabrics, switches, hosts, and targets that may be contributi...