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superbeps
Contributor
Contributor

Large Cyrus IMAP Server --- VMDK/RDM/iSCSI

Hi,

I'm going to virtualize our mail server which is and will be a Linux VM with cyrus IMAP and postfix.

Actually the mailstore is about 1.6TB with a 2GB day growth.

The Virtual Machine will have a 1TB mailstore on a SAS aggregate of our Netapp Storage and a 5TB mailstore for archiving purposes residing on SATA aggregate on the same Netapp and the storage is connected to VSphere via NFS and iSCSI.

I think that there are only three possible storage setups:

1- Linux VM system disks on VMWare Datastore and mailstore via direct linux iscsi initiator

2- Linux VM system disks on VMWare Datastore and mailstore on linux LVM of 2TB VMWare vmdk disks

3- Linux VM system disks on VMWare Datastore and mailstore on two VMWare RDMs

I think that the best setup is the RDMs one but the second one should be more flexible in future expansions.

What do you think?

What are the pro and cons of theese setups in your experience?

Thanks

Giuseppe

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mcowger
Immortal
Immortal

1- Linux VM system disks on VMWare Datastore and mailstore via direct linux iscsi initiator

2- Linux VM system disks on VMWare Datastore and mailstore on linux LVM of 2TB VMWare vmdk disks

3- Linux VM system disks on VMWare Datastore and mailstore on two VMWare RDMs

#1) leaves all the data on the NetApp, and gives plenty of options for doing things like netapp snaps, etc.  Potentially more problematic from a multipathing scenario.

#2) LEaves everything in VMware, and gives the option of things like storage vmotion, etc.  Potentially more pain with LVM, etc.

#3) Basically the same as #1, but leaving the multipathing to VMware.  Difficult to do vmotions with, though.

--Matt VCDX #52 blog.cowger.us
superbeps
Contributor
Contributor

Assuming that I've no problems in managing large/complex LVMs do you think that the solution 2 should be the more flexible from vmware point of view?

Thanks

Giuseppe

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mcowger
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Well, it lets you do things that storage vmotion pretty easily, and use ESXi's multipathing, but mostly kills your ability to do snapshots, so its up to you.

--Matt VCDX #52 blog.cowger.us
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