Details about Symmetrix Optimizer

Posted by Diwakar
Symmetrix Optimizer improves array performance by continuously monitoring access patterns
and migrating devices to achieve balance across the disks in the array. This is process is carried
out automatically based on user-defined parameters and is completely transparent to end users,
hosts and applications in the environment. Migration is performed with constant data availability
and consistent protection.
Optimizer performs self-tuning of Symmetrix data configurations from the Symmetrix service
processor by:
Analyzing statistics about Symmetrix logical device activity.
Determining which logical devices should have their physical locations swapped to enhance
Symmetrix performance.
Swapping logical devices and their data using internal Dynamic Reallocation Volumes (DRVs)
to hold customer data while reconfiguring the system (on a device-to-device basis).
Symmetrix Optimizer can be utilized via EMC Symmetrix Management Console or SYMCLI,
where user can defines the following:
1) Symmetrix device to be optimized
2) Priority of those devices.
3) Window of time that profiles the business workload.
4) Window of time in which Optimizer is allowed to swap.
5) Additional business rules.
6) The pace of the Symmetrix Optimizer volume copy mechanism.
After being initialized with the user-defined parameters, Symmetrix Optimizer operates totally
autonomously on the Symmetrix service processor to perform the following steps.
1) Symmetrix Optimizer builds a database of device activity statistics on the Symmetrix back
end.
2) Using the data collected, configuration information and user-defined parameters, the
Optimizer algorithm identifies busy and idle devices and their locations on the physical drives.
The algorithm tries to minimize average disk service time by balancing I/O activity across
physical disk by locating busy devices close to each other on the same disk, and by locating busy
devices on faster areas of the disks. This is done by taking into account the speed of the disk, the
disk geometry and the actuator speed.
3) Once a solution for load balancing has been developed the next phase to carry out the
Symmetrix device swaps. This is don using established EMC Timefinder technology, which
maintains data protection and availability. Users can specify if swaps should occur in completely
automated fashion or if the user is required to approve Symmetrix device swaps before the action
is taken.

4) Once the swap function is complete, Symmetrix Optimizer continues data analysis for the next
swap.

How Symmetrix Optimizer works:1) Automatically collects logical device activity data, based upon the devices and time window
you define.
2) Identifies hot and cold logical devices, and determines on which physical drives they
reside.
3) Compares physical drive performance characteristics, such as spindle speed, head actuator
speed, and drive geometry.
4) Determines which logical device swaps would reduce physical drive contention and minimize
average disk service times.
5) Using the Optimizer Swap Wizard, swaps logical devices to balance activity across the back
end of the Symmetrix array.
Optimizer is designed to run automatically in the background, analyzing performance in the
performance time windows you specify and performing swaps in the swap time windows you
specify.