Updating hardware or consolidating data centers requires data migration – an inherent risk. This process places demands on staff, infrastructure, and systems. It could cause technical incompatibilities and potential data corruption or loss. And, if attempted without expertise, it could result in substantial costs.

However, when executed in the right way, at the right time, by the right experts, data migration can be a seamless project that delivers significant cost and space savings. There are different strategies to data migration. One example is host based migration.

What is a host based migration:
Host based migration, vs array-based migration, is a process/technique of migrating data between storage arrays using the server/host as the primary method of transfer.

Why more customers want host-based migrations.
--> It is difficult to get downtime from the business especially in Financial, insurance and healthcare.
Host based migration offers online or non-intrusive or no-downtime migrations with proper planning.
--> Configuration changes and follow best practices as part of the migration.
--> Host based migration allows to change the size of the devices and host configurations to leverage new technology and more accurately use resources.
--> Allows to modify volume group/VM configurations – Ex # of devices, independent disks, filesystem type.
--> Ability to fix VMguest and minor OS configurations issues.
--> Reclamation of unused storage
--> Allows to reclaim unused storage from system & volume groups, customer may see significant savings by reclaiming stranded storage.
--> Best practices and path validations during migrations - validate and address the cluster & availability issues.
--> Heterogenous migrations (Zero downtime migration from one storage vendor to another).
--> Eliminates the need for storage virtualization hardware – reduces performance bottleneck and costs.
--> No software or hardware to install for the migrations. Native tools may be used for the migrations.
--> Quick movement of the data to new hardware. Customer can use the new hardware quicker and reduces maintenance costs on old hardware.

How we can help with a complex Host based Migration
Host based migrations are complex.
--> Our team employs SMEs with multiple host and storage skills to do the migrations.
--> We’ve developed a tool called ZENfra that validates the configuration required for host-based migration across AIX, VMware, HPUX, Solaris, Linux & Windows before the start of the migration
--> ZENfra helps to manage workflow between the SMEs and PM to reduce the confusion and increases efficiency.

Host based migration requires more resources to do migration.
--> Our team develops plans and automates the migrations using scripts(ZENfra) across host, SAN and Storage to reduces people required to do migration.
--> Scripting and automation reduces human error and increases speed.

Host based migration can cause performance issues on Servers
--> Our team automatically monitors the performance of the servers and adjusts the movement of data based on performance metrics.

Cleanup process and validation
--> Host based migration requires cleanup at the host, SAN and storage level. We automate these processes to reduce errors and increase speed. Using our tools, we automatically verify and validate each migration completion.

Speed of migrations and cost
--> With the ZENfra team and tools, we can move multiple servers in parallel and increase the speed which reduces costs.

If you are planning for a storage refresh, contact our teams for a free expert consultation.

Posted in IT Infrastructure Transformation