Talon FAST™ Reference Architecture NetApp ONTAP

Revision 20170516.3

© 2017 TALON STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INCPHONE: +1 856-481-3990

EMAIL: INFO@TALONSTORAGE.COM WEB: WWW.TALONSTORAGE.COM

Contents

Introduction ....................................................................................................3

Deployment Methodologies ......................................................................3

Operating Environment Summary ...........................................................4

Centralized data store with NetApp ONTAP storage .........................4

NetApp ONTAP 9 ...........................................................................................4

Unified data management .....................................................................5

Non-disruptive operations .....................................................................5

Integrated data protection .....................................................................5

NetApp ONTAP 9 and Talon FAST™ software: ......................................5

Talon FAST™ Fabric .......................................................................................6

Talon FAST™ Core Instance ........................................................................6

Talon FAST™ Edge Instance ........................................................................7

Network Connectivity ...................................................................................7

Configuration Guidelines ............................................................................7

User experience .............................................................................................7

Summary ..........................................................................................................8

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FAST™ Fabric

IntroductionTalon FAST™ allows businesses to centralize data into a single footprint, leveraging a customer’s existing traditional datacenter or cloud storage infrastructure by consolidating distributed storage and IT assets. The software enables enterprises to transparently extend this centralized data to users globally, with real-time global file sharing and collaboration, without changing their workflow or experience.

Deployment MethodologiesTalon FAST™ software can be deployed in various ways, either

on physical hardware or on virtualization platforms including

Microsoft Hyper-V, VMware or others. Depending on the client’s

needs, the software can be architected as a hub-and-spoke,

symmetric, or hybrid deployment.

The most common topology is a hub-and-spoke deployment,

as it is typically used for the purpose of data centralization

and consolidation of storage from distributed branch offices

into a traditional or cloud datacenter. This paper describes the

integration of Talon FAST™ with NetApp ONTAP storage, allowing

consolidation of all of the enterprise data onto the secure and

scalable NetApp platform for access by any/all users worldwide.

Operating Environment SummaryThe topology referenced herein is a ‘hub and spoke’ model,

whereby the network of distributed offices/locations are all

accessing one common set of data in the customer’s datacenter.

The key points of the reference architecture are:

1. Centralized data store: NetApp ONTAP storage

in customer’s datacenter

2. Talon FAST™ Fabric: Extension of the central data store

to the distributed locations

a. Talon FAST™ Core Instance, co-located with and mounting

the ONTAP shares (CIFS/SMB) in the datacenter

b. Talon FAST™ Edge Instance, running in each

distributed location

i. Presents a Virtual File Share that provides

access to central data

ii. Hosts the Intelligent File Cache on a custom-sized

NTFS volume (D:\)

3. Networkconfigurationa. MPLS

b. Virtual Private Network connectivity

c. SSL connection

4. Integration with customer’s Active Directory Domain Services

5. DFS-Namespace for the use of a global namespace (recommended)

Centralized data store with NetApp ONTAP storageThe main repository for the unstructured data is a share (or

number of shares) configured on the customer’s NetApp ONTAP

storage platform using the iSCSI storage protocol or leveraging

SMB/CIFS integration directly. The customer’s datacenter file

storage solution provides volumes associated with corporate file

shares hosted on NetApp ONTAP storage. See figure below.

This centralized approach to storage management enables

organizations to leverage their datacenter best-practices for any/

all data in the enterprise, and to scale storage on-demand, using

their proven solutions and processes for file capacity expansion,

offsite storage, and data archiving.

NetApp ONTAP 9With NetApp ONTAP 9, organizations can build a private or

hybrid cloud that is the foundation of a Data Fabric that spans

flash, disk, and cloud. IT teams can then seamlessly manage

data as it flows to wherever needed most, leveraging a centrally

managed approach to all data.

ONTAP 9 addresses the challenges that face the digital

enterprise by:

• Simplifying deployment and data management

• Flexibly supporting your changing business needs

• Powering your enterprise applications

NetApp ONTap Data FabricDistributed Locations

FAST™ Fabric

SAN/NAS/Flash, Disk

Hybrid Cloud/Converged

ONTap Cloud

Enterprises can simplify their storage environment with

proven operational efficiency. Known for its ability to deploy

and configure new storage systems for an array of enterprise

workloads—including Oracle, SAP, Microsoft SQL Server, VDI,

and VMware—in under 10 minutes, teams can now automate

important processes to increase productivity. Data can be

secured with built-in encryption, and a consolidated approach

gives a global view of storage with a single management

console and a single physical footprint.

UnifieddatamanagementONTAP allows the enterprise to simplify operations by unifying

data management across a consolidated data footprint and/

or hybrid cloud that can span flash, disk, and cloud running

SAN and NAS workloads. This benefit is further expanded when

all of the enterprise data – even that used primarily by users

outside of the datacenter locale – are using the consolidated

ONTAP resource. This brings the ability to increase the

efficiency of IT staff as they can easily move data and scale

storage resource when/where it’s needed most. ONTAP

as a foundation for a global Data Fabric brings increased

flexibility, control, and security across the enterprise storage

environment

Non-disruptive operationsONTAP allows critical tasks to be performed without

interrupting the business, with ability to dynamically assign,

promote, and retire storage resources without downtime over

the lifecycle of an application. For optimization, data can be

moved between controllers without

application interruption, and storage controllers or disk shelves

can be added/replaced without disruption. This level of real-

time resource management is not normally available to the

smaller, distributed file servers normally found in distributed,

non-datacenter locations.

Integrated data protectionONTAP provides integrated data protection (IDP) to safeguard

operations and protect the business’ ability to run smoothly.

Technologies include near-instant backup and recovery with

space-efficient Snapshot® and SnapVault® technology and

synchronous and asynchronous replication with MetroCluster™

and SnapMirror®, which can meet even the most demanding

requirements for business continuity and disaster recovery.

Again, this is a level of technology normally restricted to

datacenter storage platforms, which through a consolidation

paradigm can now apply to the data and operations of all

distributed locations in the enterprise.

NetApp ONTAP 9 and Talon FAST™ software: s Centralizes and consolidates unstructured data workloads

into NetApp ONTAP enabled data center storage and hybrid

cloud infrastructure

s Provides a transparent SMB/CIFS interface via the Talon

FAST™ Fabric, presented by NetApp ONTAP NAS services

s Software-Defined Storage and data management (LUNs,

Volumes, ACLs, NTFS Permissions) using flash, disk or cloud

deployment options

s Leverages Data Deduplication, Compression and Volume

Encryption

s Integrates with Microsoft Active Directory authentication

and authorization

s Integrates with NetApp ONTAP and StorageGRID / AltaVault

business continuity solutions (RTO / RPO) for snapshots,

backup/restore and archive

s Ensures Disaster recovery using SnapMirror and Talon

FAST™ Fabric clustering

s Transparently extends central file storage to distributed

locations, integrating the Talon FAST™ intelligent file

cache at the edge with NetApp storage infrastructure and

virtualization platforms, including Microsoft Hyper-V and

VMware vSphere

 

Talon FAST™ FabricBy introducing the Talon FAST™ software, integrating the FAST™

Fabric with traditional storage at the datacenter, all distributed

locations can use the centralized ONTAP file storage resources

as if they were local. The result is a single, centralized storage

footprint, versus a distributed storage architecture that requires

local data management, backup, security management, storage

and infrastructure footprint, etc. in each location.

The Talon FAST™ Edge instances transparently integrate

with the FAST™ Fabric at the customer’s traditional or cloud

datacenter:

1. Distributed locations connect to traditional or cloud

datacenter via the Talon FAST™ Fabric

2. Software provides a Virtual File Share and Intelligent

File Cache at each location

3. Enables high performance global file sharing with

real-time distributed file locking

The software overlays the Microsoft Windows File Sharing

mechanism, fully integrating with Microsoft security principles

like Active Directory, ACLs and NTFS permissions allowing it to

perform at a global scale, even in locations that are challenged

with poor connectivity (low bandwidth or high latency).

• Flexible: Storage agnostic, works with any

NetApp ONTAP SMB/CIFS infrastructure

• Intelligent: Caches only what’s needed at

the branch (active dataset)

• Zero-touch: Automatically purges ‘stale’ cached

files over time (LRU)

• Performant: Compresses, streams and

reduces data

• Consistent: Distributed file locking for

enterprise applications

 

Talon FAST™ Core InstanceSitting in front of the NetApp ONTAP storage infrastructure

is a FAST™ core instance, configured on a virtual machine in

the datacenter. The FAST™ core will extend the centralized file

shares to the organization’s distributed location and acts as a

‘traffic cop’ between users in the distributed locations and the

actual file server(s) in the datacenter.

By leveraging the Talon FAST™ core instance, AD ACLs and

NTFS file semantics are fully supported to ensure data

coherency and integrity; in addition, distributed file locking is

ensured regardless of where in the world users are physically

located when they open and work on files.

Talon FAST™ Core Instance1. Mounts corporate file shares,

hosted on NetApp ONTAP storage

2. Provides streaming and compression

between datacenter and edge

3. Manages distributed file locks / leases

n

n

n

FAST™ Fabric

Talon FAST™ Edge InstanceEach distributed office will run an instance of the Talon FAST™

software, configured as an ‘edge’ instance; the edge VMs

provide the critical performance-enhancing functions such as

file caching, file-level differencing, and local service to users.

Each Edge will present the users in that location full visibility

to all the datacenter shares to which they are authorized,

essentially allowing even smaller locations the ability to

leverage all of the enterprise information assets, without the

need for that data to be physically housed on-site.

The Edge instances can run on Windows Server 2012 R2 and

above, either on physical hardware or virtual infrastructure

in the distributed location, and will employ an Intelligent File

Caching partition which uses an array of algorithms to retain

the most active data set for that location, ensuring optimal

performance for users located there.

Talon FAST™ Edge Instance1. Software Installation Package or Virtual Appliance

running on Windows Server 2012 R2 and above

2. Creates a Virtual File Share: \\Edge\FASTData\

[datacenter]\[fileserver]\[share]\[folder]\

3. Contains the FAST™ Intelligent File Cache (NTFS volume)

Network ConnectivityConnectivity is provided by the customer’s existing network

infrastructure, either MPLS or a secure site-so-site or point-

to-site Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection between

each location needing access to the centralized data and the

datacenter. With Talon FAST™ version 4.1, there is also the

choice of enabling an SSL connection between the Core and

Edge instances if there is no MPLS or VPN available or feasible.

When using a VPN, the VPN must be capable of carrying

bidirectional traffic on TCP ports 6618 – 6622 between the

FAST™ Edge and the corresponding FAST™ Core instance(s).

ConfigurationGuidelinesPlease review the Talon FAST™ Hardware and Software

requirements and Application Best practices guides at www.

talonstorage.com/support/download (needs registration) to

ensure optimal deployment and performance.

User experienceBy using the Talon FAST™ solution to extend NetApp ONTAP

centralized file shares to globally distributed users, these users

have access to these shares via either a UNC path or a DFS

Namespace. The user experience for properly configured

systems is analogous to the experience of having a local file

server; i.e. users or applications can navigate to a directory

structure, select shares/folders, and work with files. The

complete range of file operations (open, save, copy, paste, etc.)

are available to the user requiring no change in workflow.

• When a user requests use of a file in the central repository,

Active Directory will authenticate that user’s access rights

• After a successful authentication, the file is opened centrally

from the backend file server by the FAST™ core, and a lock is

applied (centrally) to that file

• If the file has not ever been used by a user in that particular

location, the file is served using the proprietary streaming

and compression technologies inherent in the FAST™

solution to improve performance

- If, however, the file has been used by (any user in) that

location before, it is likely resident in the local cache; in this

case the file will be served out of the local cache without

incurring network transfer operations, thereby providing a

high performance experience

- If the file version in local cache is not the most up-to-date

version that is in the authoritative backend file server

repository, any differences (and only the differences)

will be sent to the local cache and merged with the

cached version of the file upon open; this maximizes

performance and minimizes network resource use

- note: the file remains locked at the central repository,

and was only served after authentication and lock were

performed

• User operations continue as normal, and any updates/

changes/writes will be cached locally

• Upon save/exit, any changes to the file will be ‘differenced’

back to the authoritative central copy

• Upon exit, after the saves are completed centrally the file is

closed and the lock will be released and available to other

users

SummaryThis combination of NetApp ONTAP storage technologies

and Talon FAST™ Software allows enterprises to migrate their

unstructured data to a centralized ‘single set of data’, taking

advantage of the flexibility, availability, and economics of a

centralized storage model for one of their largest use cases,

that of unstructured data while maintaining a reduced storage

footprint at the datacenter and distributed branch locations.

The resulting effect(s) on the business are significant:

• a reduced storage infrastructure footprint

at distributed locations

• significant cost savings in the hardware and management

aspects of providing file services to distributed users

• the ability to leverage the enterprise-class scale,

flexibility, and security of ONTAP-resident data across

all users, regardless of location

• increased flexibility and agility through enhanced

global collaboration

• enhanced security and compliance by removing the risk

of data loss/leak at distributed locations through error,

disaster, and intrusion

For more information, please visit www.talonstorage.com

© 2017 TALON STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INCPHONE: +1 856-481-3990EMAIL: INFO@TALONSTORAGE.COM WEB: WWW.TALONSTORAGE.COM