Data Center Infrastructure

Module 1.3

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Data Center Infrastructure
Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:
 List the five core elements of a Data Center
infrastructure.
 Describe the role of each element in supporting business
activities.
 Describe the requirements of storage systems for
optimally supporting business activities.
 Describe the challenges and activities in managing the
storage systems of a data center.

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The Core Elements

 Applications
 Databases – Database Management System (DBMS)
and the physical and logical storage of data
 Servers/Operating Systems
 Networks
 Storage Arrays

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An Example
Storage
Server
Array
Client Storage Area
Network
Local Area
Network

Application
User Database
Interface

Consider an order processing system consisting of:

 Application for order entry.
 Database Management System (DBMS) to store customer and product information.
 Server/Operating System on which the Application and Database programs are run.
 Networks that provide
– Connectivity between Clients and the Application/Database Server
– Connectivity between the Server and the Storage system.
 Storage Array.

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An Example ..Closer Look
Storage
Server
Array
Client Storage Area
Network
Local Area
Network

Application
User
Interface

 A customer order is entered via the Application User Interface on a

client.

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An Example ..Closer Look
Storage
Server Array
Client Storage Area
Network
Local Area
Network

 A customer order is entered via the Application User Interface on a

client
 The client accesses the Server over a Local Area Network.

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An Example ..Closer Look
Storage
Server Array
Client Storage Area
Network
Local Area
Network

O/S and
DBMS
 A DBMS uses the operating system on the server to read and write
this data to the physical location on a disk.

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An Example ..Closer Look
Storage
Server Array
Client Storage Area
Network
Local Area
Network

 A DBMS uses the operating system on the server to read and write
this data to the physical location on disk.
 A Network provides the communication link between the server and
the storage array, and transports the read/write commands and data
between the server and the storage array.

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An Example ..Closer Look
Storage
Server Array
Client Storage Area
Network
Local Area
Network

Database

 A DBMS uses the operating system on the server to read and write
this data to the physical location on disk.
 A Network provides the communication link between the client and the
server, and transports the read/write commands and data between the
server and the storage array.
 A storage array receives the read/write commands and data from the
server and performs the necessary operations to store the data on the
physical disks.
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An Example.. Optimal Order Processing
 The Application should be optimized for fast interaction
with the DBMS.
 The tables in the Database should be constructed with
care so that the number of read/write operations can be
minimized.
 The Server should have sufficient CPU and memory
resources to satisfy Application and DBMS needs.
 The Networks should provide fast communication
between Client and Server, as well as Server and
Storage Array.
 The Storage Array should service the read/write requests
from the Server for optimal performance.
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An Example.. A Final Look at Data Access
When the DBMS receives a request from the Application:
 It first searches the Server memory. If data is found there,
the operation takes, perhaps, a millisecond.
 If not, it then uses the Operating System to request the
data from the Storage Array.
 Dedicated high speed networks transport this request to
the Storage Array.
 Intelligent Storage Arrays can deliver the requested data
within a few milliseconds. They are also typically
configured to protect data in the event of drive failures.

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Key Requirements of Storage Systems

Availability

Data Integrity Security

Manageability

Performance Capacity

Scalability

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Some Constraints to Meeting the Requirements
Constraints include:
 Cost
 Physical Environment
 Maintenance and Support
 Compliance – Regulatory & Legal
 Hardware and Software infrastructure
 Interoperability and Compatibility

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Management Activities
Data Center management activities include:
 Provisioning/Capacity/Resource Planning
 Monitoring
 Reporting

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Monitoring
 Performance
 Security
 Data Protection
 Utilization

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Reporting
 Utilization
 Performance
 Internal Chargeback system for cost recovery

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Provisioning
 Capacity
 Security
 Performance

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Module Summary
Key points covered in this module:
 The five core elements of a Data Center Infrastructure.
 The role of each element in supporting business activity
was explained with an example of an order entry process.
 The importance of an Intelligent Storage Array.
 Key requirements of storage systems to support business
activities as well as some of the constraints.
 Management activities in a data center operation with
focus on storage systems.

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 Check Your Knowledge
 What are the five core technology elements of the Data
Center Infrastructure?
 What are the seven requirements of storage technology?
 What are the common management activities in a Data
Center?

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