ZCS on Netapp

[Ian Forbes]

There seems to be many who have installed ZCS on Netapp storage. We currently store the /opt/zimbra on an iSCSI lun and /opt/zimbra/primary, /opt/zimbra/secondary, /opt/zimbra/backup on Netapp NFS volumes. I'm interested in how others have decided to lay out their installs on the Netapp.

One of the nice things about Netapp is their application software solutions (i.e. snapmanager suite). The snapmanager software creates application consistent snapshots for database solutions such as Exchange, Oracle, SQL, etc. It would be great if there were a snapmanager for Zimbra.

In saying that I was wondering how people have been taking advantage of the snapshot capabilities of Netapp with their Zimbra solutions. If you've placed the message and backup stores on NFS volumes it's very easy to schedule snapshots of those volumes. I'm more interested in how people have been snap shotting their ZCS binaries, MYSQL data store, index store, etc. Are you using scripts to place everything into a consitent state and then taking a snapshot, or are you even bothering snap shotting this data?

Obviuosly, ZCS has a built-in backup feature that creates a consistent backup of ldap, database, index directory, and message store. It'd be nice if that was baked into a snapmanager for ZCS product.

In any case, if people could share their experiences with ZCS on Netapp and how they take advantage of snapshots that'd be great.

Cheers

[uxbod]

Ian, interesting post! I think the hardest thing to do will be to quiesce every component. Will be keen to keep a eye on this thread as if something was created it should be pretty easy to adapt for HP EVAs

[Ian Forbes]

Agreed. It'd be nice to know exactly which components need to be quiesced before taking a snapshot. There's no real reason why we shouldn't be able to take advantage of the capabilities of an intelligent storage appliance, while moving important cpu cycles from the server to the stoarge array.

Netapp and Zimbra entered a partnership in July 2007. Maybe someone from the Zimbra team can share if there is anything coming down the road with respect to this collaboration.

[uxbod]

Wonder was storage arrays CCast use ?

[knabe]

I have my /opt/zimbra/store mounted on a NetApp NFS volume. The only issue I see is occassionly the java process hits 100% of 1 cpu and the entire instance becomes unusable. Everything I have found in forums etc is with NFS implimentations. Can anyone recommend what options should be used in mounting a NetApp NFS volume?? Has anyone resolved high java on the cpu causing DOS on the server? I only have 35 active accounts and a 2 - Quad core Xeon with 8GB of RAM. I shouldn't be pushing the servers threshold at all.

[usr]

Hi,

Is there any Application that provides admin interface for Zimbra i.e. if the data is residing on a NetApp FAS ?

Something like SnapManager for Exchange exists from NetApp - similar Application for Zimbra where NetApp is the Storage Appliance ?

Regards,
Udayan

[reinhard]

Originally Posted by Ian Forbes

We decided to place /opt/zimbra (MySQL, OpenLDAP, Indexes, binaries, etc) on an iSCSI LUN and /opt/zimbra/store, /opt/zimbra/backup on NFS mounts.

Oh yah, we're running everything on VMware ESX vm's :-)

Hi Ian,
we're going to do it right the same way - are there any hints you can give me out of your experience?

[reinhard]

Originally Posted by Ian Forbes

Netapp and Zimbra entered a partnership in July 2007.

see: NetApp - Company - News - Zimbra Joins the NetApp® Advantage Partner Program

Originally Posted by Ian Forbes

Maybe someone from the Zimbra team can share if there is anything coming down the road with respect to this collaboration.

Yes: hello to all of the Zimbra team!
What does this partnership meen for us customers?
Is there a whitepaper or best-practices of "Zimbra and Netapp"?
I'd appreciate any informations on how to install and run Zimbra on Netapp :-)

[reinhard]

Originally Posted by Ian Forbes

We currently store the /opt/zimbra on an iSCSI lun and /opt/zimbra/primary, /opt/zimbra/secondary, /opt/zimbra/backup on Netapp NFS volumes.

Hi Ian,
how did you size the iSCSI lun?
We are going to have about 120 Mailboxes for 100 Users.