The document provides information about IBM's General Parallel File System (GPFS) 3.5 and introduces the GPFS Storage Server (GSS). It summarizes that GPFS is a scalable high-performance file management system that can scale from 1 to 8192 nodes. The GSS is a new storage solution using IBM servers and JBOD storage to provide high capacity and performance storage in a scalable building block approach. The GSS has no storage controllers and provides a single integrated storage solution built on GPFS software.

1. IBM General Parallel File System (GPFS™) 3.5
and GSS Introduction
Karl Hansen, Nordic HPC/Technical Computing Sales Manager
IBM Systems & Technology Group
A New Era in Technical Computing: Powerful. Comprehensive. Intuitive.
IBM Confidential

2. Technical Computing: Powerful. Comprehensive. Intuitive
The IBM General Parallel File SystemTM (GPFSTM)
Shipping since 1998
Extreme Scalability
File system
263 files per file system
Maximum file system
size: 299 bytes
Production 19PB file
system
Number of nodes
1 to 8192
Proven Reliability
Manageability
No special nodes
Add/remove nodes
and storage on the fly
Rolling upgrades
Administer from any
node
Data replication
Snapshots
Integrated tiered storage
Storage pools
Quotas
Policy-Driven automation
Clustered NFS
SNMP monitoring
TSM / HPSS (DMAPI)
File system journaling
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3. Technical Computing: Powerful. Comprehensive. Intuitive
IBM General Parallel File System (GPFS)
IBM General Parallel File
System (GPFS) is
a scalable highperformance file
management
infrastructure for
AIX®, Linux® and
Windows™ systems.
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A highly available cluster architecture
Concurrent shared disk access to
a global namespace
Capabilities for high performance
parallel workloads
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4. Technical Computing: Powerful. Comprehensive. Intuitive
File data infrastructure optimization
Databases
GPFS enables:
A global namespace
across platforms
High performance
common storage
Eliminating copies
of data
Improved storage
utilization
Simplified file
management
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Connections
SAN TCP/IP
InfiniBand
File servers
Management
Centralized
Monitoring
Automated
File Mgmt
Availability
Data Migration
Replication
Backup
Backup
and
archive
Application
servers
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5. Technical Computing: Powerful. Comprehensive. Intuitive
How is GPFS different?
Massive namespace support
GPFS
SAN
Centrally deployed, managed,
backed up and grown.
Seamless capacity and
performance scaling
All features are included. All software features: snapshots, replication and multi-site
connectivity are included in the GPFS license. With no license keys except for client and
server to add on, you get all of the features up front.
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6. Technical Computing: Powerful. Comprehensive. Intuitive
Network-based block input output
Application data access on network
attached nodes is exactly the same as
a SAN attached node. GPFS
transparently sends the block level IO
request over a TCP/IP network.
NSD clients
LAN
NSD
servers
GPFS
SAN
SAN
Why?
Enable virtually seamless multi-site operations
Reduce costs for data administration
Provide flexibility of file system access
Establish highly scalable and reliable data storage
Future protection by supporting mixed technologies
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7. Technical Computing: Powerful. Comprehensive. Intuitive
IBM General Parallel File System (GPFS™) – History & Evolution
GPFS 2.1-2.3
First
called
GPFS
HPC
GPFS
General File
Serving
Standards
Portable
operating
system
interface
(POSIX)
semantics
-Large block
Directory and
small file perf
Data
management
1998
Linux®
Clusters
(Multiple
architectures)
IBM AIX®
Loose Clusters
GPFS 3.3
GPFS 3.4
GPFS 3.5
HPC
Virtual
Tape Server
(VTS)
GPFS 3.1-3.2
Information
lifecycle
management (ILM)
Restricted
admin functions
Enhanced
Windows cluster
support
- Homogenous
Windows server
Caching via
Active File
Management
(AFM)
Research
Visualization
Digital media
Seismic
Weather
Life sciences
32 bit /64 bit
Inter-op (IBM AIX
& Linux)
GPFS Multicluster
Storage pools
File sets
Policy engine
Ease of
administration
Multiplenetworks/ RDMA
Distributed token
management
GPFS over wide
area networks
(WAN)
Large scale
clusters
thousands of
nodes
2002
Windows 2008
Improved
installation
New license
model
Improved
snapshot and
backup
Improved ILM
policy engine
GSS - GPFS
Storage Server
Performance and
scaling
improvements
GPFS File
Placement
Optimizer (FPO)
Enhanced
migration and
diagnostics
support
NFS v4 support
2005
Multiple NSD
servers
Small file
performance
2006
2009
2010
2012
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8. Technical Computing: Powerful. Comprehensive. Intuitive
A Disruptive HPC Play - GPFS Storage Server (GSS) At a Glance
The New High Capacity, High PerformanceStorage Solution
New Storage Solution fulfilled exclusively through IBM Intelligent
Cluster
High capacity, High performance, High Value offering
Product importance
Single, integrated, fully supported IBM solution
Built to leverage a strong GPFS software market
High capacity, scalable building-block approach - performance and
capacity increases as you add multiple building blocks
Cost competitive
Extreme data integrity and reduced latency with faster rebuild times
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© 2012 IBM Corporation

9. Technical Computing: Powerful. Comprehensive. Intuitive
GPFS Storage Server - Product Description
GSS is a new storage solution fulfilled exclusively through the IBM Intelligent Cluster
Two x3650 servers combined with either four or six JBODs
Two models: GSS 24 and GSS 26
– GSS 24 (Entry): 4 JBODs – starts at nearly 500TB of storage
space
– GSS 26 (Main): 6 JBODs – starts at over 700TB of storage
space
Data
striped
across
all disks
2 and 3 TB options
10GbE or FDR Infiniband interconnects, or both!
Scalable Building Block approach to HPC Storage - performance
and capacity increase as you add multiple building blocks
Complete Storage Solution with no Storage controllers
GSS 24 Model
De-Clustered RAID Techniques
Built on GPFS software
Industry standard components
– Leverages standard components including x3650s, NetApp
JBODs, LSI SAS cards and lots of HDDs, and Intelligent
Cluster fulfillment as a single, integrated, fully supported IBM
© 2012 IBM Corporation

10. Technical Computing: Powerful. Comprehensive. Intuitive
IBM System x GPFS Storage Server provides a comprehensive
storage solution with a scalable building block approach
Storage solution includes Data Servers,
Disk (2TB or 3TB NL-SAS, SSD), Software,
InfiniBand / Ethernet with no Storage Controllers
x3650 M4 Server
JBOD
Disk Enclosure
GSS 24: Light and Fast
GSS 26: HPC Workhorse
High-Density HPC Option
2 3650 servers +
4 JBOD 20U rack
10 GB/Sec
2 3650 servers +
6 JBOD Enclosures, 28U
12 GB/sec
6 3650 servers + 18 JBOD
2 - 42U Standard Racks
36 GB/sec
© 2012 IBM Corporation

11. Technical Computing: Powerful. Comprehensive. Intuitive
Why you should care…
Affordably Scalable Building Block
approach to HPC Storage
Performance and capacity increases as you add
multiple buidling blocks
Start Small and Scale via incremental additions
Add capacity AND bandwidth
Cost competitive
Extreme data integrity and reduced
latency
Built on GPFS
Fewer parts means lower cost
Leverages System x servers and Commercial JBODs
• Fast rebuild times and industry-leading performance
• Better sustained performance
• Industry-leading throughput using efficient DeClustered RAID Techniques
• The Infrastructure for Global Technical Computing
Data Management
Single, integrated, fully supported IBM solution
Fully integrated, fully supported
Complete Storage Solution with no Storage
controllers
Easy to order through Intelligent Cluster
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© 2012 IBM Corporation

12. Technical Computing: Powerful. Comprehensive. Intuitive
A data management portfolio for Technical Computing
Focus:
Managed Building
Block
Focus:
Ease of Use
Reliability
Focus:
Raw Raw Performance
I/O Bandwidth
IBM Data
Management
Leadership
Government
High
GPFS
Petroleum Storage Server End
Research
Media/Ent.
Financial
SONAS
Bio/Life Science
CAE
Services
Higher End
University
DCS3700
DCS3700+
Direct Attached
Smaller
(DS3500 + V3700)
Installations
IBM Tape, Tivoli Storage Manager, and HPSS
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13. Technical Computing: Powerful. Comprehensive. Intuitive
What makes this different
Clients
Clients
FDR IB
10 GbE
File/Data Servers
NSD File Server 1
x3650
NSD File Server 2
Custom Dedicated
Disk Controllers
JBOD Disk Enclosures
NSD File Server 1
GPFS Native RAID
Migrate RAID
and Disk
Management to
Standard File
Servers!
NSD File Server 2
GPFS Native RAID
JBOD Disk Enclosures
© 2012 IBM Corporation

14. Technical Computing: Powerful. Comprehensive. Intuitive
System x
Smarter Systems for a Smarter Planet
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© 2012 IBM Corporation

15. Technical Computing: Powerful. Comprehensive. Intuitive
For more information
ibm.com/systems/software/gpfs
Email gpfs@us.ibm.com or contact your IBM Representative
© 2012 IBM Corporation