The IBM® System Storage® DCS3700 is designed to meet the storage needs of highly scalable, data streaming applications in high-performance computing environments. The DCS3700 offers optimal space usage, low power consumption, and high performance. The DCS3700 is equally adept at delivering throughput to bandwidth-intensive applications and I/O operations to transactional applications. By combining proven IBM storage controllers with up to 60 drives in just 4U of rack space, the DCS3700 can reduce operational costs for capacity-intensive applications.

The DCS3700 is composed of an IBM System Storage DCS3700 storage subsystem and IBM System Storage DCS3700 expansion unit. The DCS3700 features the latest technologies, including 6 Gbps SAS and 8 Gbps Fibre Channel host interfaces, along with 6 Gbps SAS drives. The DCS3700 also has a 10 Gbps iSCSI host interface with an optional Performance Modules system.

The DCS3700 provides a simple, efficient, and flexible approach to storage that is based on seven generations of design knowledge and firmware development. The DCS3700 can act as a cost-effective, fully integrated complement to IBM System x® servers, IBM BladeCenter®, and IBM Power Systems™ for a wide variety of intensive computing environments

This IBM Redbooks® publication specifically addresses the hardware features, configuration, and implementation of the DCS3700. We present detailed descriptions of the hardware configurations and options that are offered with the DCS3700. We then present the concepts and functions that are used in planning and managing the storage servers, such as multipathing and path failover. This book offers a step-by-step guide to using the Storage Manager to create arrays, logical drives, and other basic (and advanced) management tasks.

This book also contains practical information about diagnostic tests and troubleshooting, and includes practical examples of how to use scripts and the command-line interface (CLI).

This book is intended for customers, IBM Business Partners, and IBM technical professionals who want to learn more about the capabilities and advanced functions of the DCS3700 storage servers with Storage Manager Software V10.8x. It also targets those who have a DCS3700 storage subsystem and need detailed advice about how to configure it.

This book was produced by a team of specialists from around the world working at the International Technical Support Organization, Raleigh Center.

Sangam Racherla is an IT Specialist and Project Leader working at the ITSO in San Jose, CA. He has 12 years of experience in the IT field and has been with the ITSO for the past eight years. Sangam has extensive experience in installing and supporting the ITSO lab equipment for various IBM Redbooks publications projects. He has expertise in working with Microsoft Windows, Linux, IBM AIX®, IBM System x, and IBM System p® servers, and various SAN and storage products. Sangam holds a degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering.

Diego Silva Cogo is an IT professional that specializes in cloud and virtualization solutions. He has more than 11 years of experience in the IT industry. Diego resides in Porto Alegre, Brazil, where he works as a VMware IT Specialist for the Gerdau Long Steel North America Strategic Outsourcing account. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Network Technology and more than 20 Microsoft certifications.

Mario David Ganem is an IT professional that specializes in cloud computing and storage solutions. He has 15 years of experience in the IT industry. Mario resides in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he works as Infrastructure IT Architect in the IBM Global Delivery Center. Before he started his career with IBM in 2006, Mario worked for many companies, such as Hewlett Packard, Compaq, and Unisys. He developed the internal virtualization products curricula training that he teaches to DCA professionals. He holds, among others, many industry certifications from Microsoft, Red Hat, VMware, Novell, Cisco, CompTIA, Hewlett Packard, and Compaq.

Hartmut Lonzer is a Technical Consultant at the Partnership Solution Center Southwest / Germany. As a former Storage FTSS member, his main focus is on Storage and System x. He is responsible for educating and supporting the Business Partners and customers in his area in technical matters. His experience regarding DS Storage goes back to the beginning of this product. He has been with IBM in various technical roles for 35 years.

Minja Obradovic is an IT Specialist in Technical Support Services at IBM Serbia since 2007. He is a member of the CEEMEA Virtual Front End Midrange Storage Support team, which provides storage subsystems support in Central Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. His primary focus is post-sales Storage Virtualization, SAN, and Midrange Storage support. His areas of expertise include SAN switches (Brocade and Cisco MDS), SAN Storage (IBM System Storage DS3000, IBM System Storage DS4000®, IBM System Storage V7000, and IBM XIV®), IBM System x, and Power Systems.

Gabriel Requejo is an IT professional with more than 15 years of experience in the IT field. For the last 4 years, he has worked on several virtualization projects for different companies around the world by using VMware products with different IBM Storage solutions. Gabriel worked for several domestic and international customers providing Citrix and Windows oriented solutions using System x servers. Gabriel has experience with AIX, Linux, Novell, and Microsoft products.

Thanks to the following people for their contributions to this project:

Jon Tate, David Bennin, David Watts, Tamikia Barrow, Shari Deiana
IBM International Technical Support Organization

Dahn Le, Richard Mancini, Gene Cullum, Alexander Watson, John Sexton, Mousa Hammad, Kerry Anders, Jason M Schwarz, Patrick Caporale, Jim Gallagher, Syman N Lee,
Nelson YH Hsu,
IBM

Doug Merrill, John Bish, David Worley, Stephen Carl, Michael Tischendorf
NetApp

Brian Steffler and Steven Tong
Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.

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