1.2.1 Hardware overview
The DS6000 series consists of the DS6800, Model
Figure 1-3 DS6800 with five DS6000 expansion enclosures in a rack
DS6800 controller enclosure (Model 1750-511)
IBM TotalStorage systems are based on a server architecture. At the core of the DS6800 controller unit are two active/active RAID controllers based on IBM’s industry leading PowerPC® architecture. By employing a server architecture with standard hardware components, IBM’s storage division can always take advantage of the best of breed components developed by other IBM divisions. The customer gets the benefit of a very cost efficient and high performing storage system.
The processors
The DS6800 utilizes two
When data is written to the DS6800, it is placed in cache and a copy of the write data is also copied to the NVS of the other controller card, so there are always two copies of write data until the updates have been destaged to the disks. On zSeries, this mirroring of write data can be disabled by application programs, for example, when writing temporary data (Cache Fast Write). The NVS is battery backed up and the battery can keep the data for at least 72 hours if power is lost.
The DS6000 series controller’s Licensed Internal Code (LIC) is based on the DS8000 series software, a greatly enhanced extension of the ESS software. Since 97% of the functional code of the DS6000 is identical to the DS8000 series, the DS6000 has a very good base to be a stable system.
