Xyratex Certified Performance Specialist Training - Outline

Performance Basics
   The IO Process
   IO/s, MB/s and Response Time
   Relationship between IO/s and MB/s
   Access methods: Random verses Sequential
   Transfer Size and Command Latency
   Command Queuing & Queue Depth
   Introduction to IO Profiles and Workloads
System Concepts
   Overall System Diagram
   Host System Components
   SCSI Protocol
   PCI types & HBAs
   Fibre Channel & SAS/SATA Topologies and Protocols
   Storage Subsystem Components
Performance Implications
   Non-parity RAID levels i.e. RAID-0/1/10
   Parity RAID levels i.e. RAID-5/6/50
   XOR & Reed-Solomon calculations
   Partial/Full Stripe Writes and Write Hole Protection
   Degraded Performance of Subsystem Components
   Compare and contrast performance: RAID levels, Number of Drives, & Types of Drives
   Services: Rebuilds, Initializations, Parity Scans, and Drive Verifications
   Caching Types: Writeback, Write-through, Fencing, Read-ahead, and Mirroring/non-mirroring
   High Availability: multiple LUNs, Port Mapping and Multi-Host
System Architectures
   5000 Series Products: 5412 & 5404
   6000 Series Products: 6412 & 6500
   Controller Architectures
   Maximum Drive, Array, Host Port and Controller Performance
   Read/Write Caching Architecture
Techsupport Debug
   Capturing techsupport.db Files
   Host Command Time Log
   Allocated Write Cache Utilization
   Statistics: Alignment & Access Size
   Read-ahead: % Hit Rate & Efficiency, Average & Max Command Intervals
   Command Cluster Statistics: Write & Partial Cluster Rates, RAID-5/6 FS Write Rates, Average & Max Cluster Intervals
   Miscellaneous Statistics: Mirror Cache Full, Read/Write & Write/Read Collisions, Read-Ahead/Write & Write/Read-Aheads
   Collisions, Write/Write & Write Stripe Collisions
   Configuration Information & Event Logs
Command Time Trace Debug
   Capturing CTT Files
   Time trace Results
   Queue Depth Detection
   Recognizing Cache Behaviors: WB, WT, RC, RA, RW and Caching Transitions
   Sequentiality Detection and Potential Problems
Xyratex Specific Array Configurations
   Caching Schema
   Rebuild and Initialization Performance
   Performance & Target Queue Management
   Performance Options: Sync Cache Writes to Disk, Target Command Thread Balance & Sequential Write Optimization
   Host Configuration: Logical Drives & SAN/LUN Mapping
   Design Process & Array Configuration
   Performance Measurement
Multipathing & Operating Systems
   Drivers & Configuration Parameters
   OS Version Control
   IO Characteristics of Major Operating Systems
Common Field Problems
Applications & Workloads
   Web, File, and Email Servers
   Database, Video on Demand & Post Production Video
Benchmarking Tools
Server and Storage Virtualization
   VMware & FalconStor

Who Should Attend: Any person that is responsible for the installation, configuration, and maintenance of Xyratex F5404E, E5412E, F6412E and F6500E RAID products.

Course Length: 4 full days – assessment occurs throughout all 4 days culminating in an exam at the end of day 4 – attendance from 09:00 day 1 through 17:00 day 4 is required to achieve certification.