If you work with EMC Symmetrix systems, you know the importance of VCMDB. Introduced with Symmetrix 4.0 and used in every generation after that, VCMDB stands for Volume Control Manager Database). Also in the latest generation of systems the VCM device is at times also referenced as VCM Gatekeeper.
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EMC Symmetrix: Bin File
EMC Symmetrix BIN file, largely an unknown topic in the storage industry and practically there is no available information related to it. This post is just an attempt to shed some light as to what a BIN file is, how it works, what’s in it and why is it essential with the Enginuity code.
Symmetrix: The Journey of 20 Years
So this year will mark the history of the Symmetrix products, 20 years since its inception and the Symmetrix has come long ways. Initially released in 1990, today’s Symmetrix does not come any close to what the product was 20 years ago. The underlying code (Enginuity) is what drives and gives the Symmetrix its personality. Symmetrix was a compute / storage beast 20 years ago and so it is today.
EMC Symmetrix, 20 Years in the making
So next year will mark a history of Symmetrix Products within EMC, still classified as one of the most robust systems out there after 20 years of its inception. In this blog post, we will talk about some facts on Symmetrix products as it relates to its features, characteristics, Enginuity microcode versions, model numbers, year released, etc.
EMC Symmetrix DMX-4 and Symmetrix V-Max: Basic Differences
In this post we will cover some important aspects / properties / characteristics / differences between the EMC Symmetrix DMX-4 and EMC Symmetrix V-Max. It seems like a lot of users are searching on blog posts about this information. From a high level, I have tried to cover the differences in terms of performance and […]
EMC Symmetrix DMX device type, COVD: Cache Only Virtual Device
Here is some information on Cache Only Virtual Devices. I do not have a very clear picture on the overall operation of this device type, but from a high level it can be summed up as following based on it characteristics.
EMC Symmetrix V-Max: Enginuity 5874
EMC Symmetrix V-Max systems were introduced back in the month of April 2009. With this new generation of Symmetrix came a new name V-Max and a new Enginuity family of microcode 5874.
EMC Symmetrix DMX-4: Supported Drive Types
In this blog post we will discuss the supported drive models for EMC Symmetrix DMX-4. Right before the release of Symmetrix V-Max systems, in early Feb 2009 we saw some added support for EFD’s (Enterprise Flash Disk) on the Symmetrix DMX-4 platform. The additions were denser 200GB and 400GB EFD’s.
Vaulting on EMC Symmetrix V-Max Systems
In this blog post we will cover the Vaulting technology related to the EMC Symmetrix V-Max and the DMX-4 technology. Vaulting is a key feature added on DMX-3 series of machines, which was further extended into the DMX-4’s and now the Symmetrix V-Max Systems. With power outages or major power fluctuations or other critical environmental conditions (temperature, water, fire and environmental hazards) in data centers, the vaulting technology saves all the data during the shutdown of the machine offering additional safety features with the customer’s data in transit (channels, cache – memory, etc).
EMC Symmetrix DMX-4: Components
In my previous posts on EMC Symmetrix 3, 5, 8 Series and EMCSymmetrix DMX, DMX-2 Series we discussed some important components comprised in these systems. In this post we will discuss components of EMC Symmetrix DMX-4.