1 Overview of HP StorageWorks XP External Storage Software

This chapter provides an overview of XP External Storage.

•“XP External Storage” (page 9)

•“Unifying Copy Operations between Different Storage Systems” (page 9)

•“Unifying Connections from a Host to Different Storage Systems” (page 10)

Unless otherwise specified, the term storage system in this document refers to the following disk arrays:

•HP StorageWorks XP24000 Disk Array

•HP StorageWorks XP20000 Disk Array

The GUI illustrations in this guide were created using a Windows computer with the Internet Explorer browser. Actual windows may differ depending on the operating system and browser used. GUI contents also vary with licensed program products, storage system models, and firmware versions.

XP External Storage

XP External Storage provides the virtualization of a multi-tiered storage area network comprised of heterogeneous storage systems. It enables the operation of multiple storage systems connected to an HP XP storage system as if they were all one storage system and provides common management tools and software. The shared storage capacity comprised of external storage volumes can be used with storage system-based software for data migration and replication, as well as any host-based application. Combined with HP StorageWorks XP Auto LUN Software, XP External Storage provides a data lifecycle management solution across multiple tiers of storage.

The key features and benefits of XP External Storage include:

•Virtualizes external storage attached to the XP storage system

•Enables deployment of multi-tiered storage

•Integrates heterogeneous systems

•Creates extended storage capacity independent of physical location

•Creates new opportunities based on enhanced capability of existing business continuity software and management tools to manage external storage devices

Unifying Copy Operations between Different Storage Systems

When you copy data between different storage systems, the copy operations are usually different depending on the storage system that you use.

If you install XP External Storage, you can perform the following copy operations in the same way as when you copy data between volumes in the XP storage system.

•To copy data between a volume in the XP storage system and a volume in an external storage system.

•To copy data between a volume in an external storage system and a volume in another external storage system.

XP External Storage

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