This IBM® RedpaperTM publication provides an overview of containers and their framework. Container technology enables prepackaged and pre-configured software with the elements that are needed to run in any environment. Because they are meant to be portable, containers normally restrict applications from storing data on external storage. To overcome this limitation, IBM has developed a solution to provide persistent storage for containers on IBM storage systems, known as the IBM Storage Enabler for Containers. The Enabler tightly integrates with IBM SpectrumTM Connect (formerly IBM Spectrum ControlTM Base Edition). IBM Storage Enabler for Containers v1.0 extends IBM Spectrum Connect to Kubernetes orchestrated container environments. The paper focuses on containers implementation, management, and control by using IBM Spectrum Connect and IBM Storage Enabler for Containers plug-in, with IBM FlashSystem® A9000 or A9000R.

This IBM® Redbooks® Product Guide is an overview of the main characteristics, features, and technology that are used in IBM FlashSystem® A9000R Model 415 and Model 425, with IBM FlashSystem A9000R Software V12.3.2. Software version 12.3.2, with Hyper-Scale Manager version 5.6 or later, introduces support for VLAN tagging and port trunking.. IBM FlashSystem A9000R is a grid-scale, all-flash storage platform designed for industry leaders with rapidly growing cloud storage and mixed workload environments to help drive your business into the cognitive era. FlashSystem A9000R provides consistent, extreme performance for dynamic data at scale, integrating the microsecond latency and high availability of IBM FlashCore® technology. The rack-based offering comes integrated with the world class software features that are built with IBM SpectrumTM Accelerate. For example, comprehensive data reduction, including inline pattern removal, data deduplication, and compression, helps lower total cost of ownership (TCO) while the grid architecture and IBM Hyper-Scale framework simplify and automate storage administration. The A9000R features always on data reduction and now offers intelligent capacity management for deduplication. Ready for the cloud and well-suited for large deployments, FlashSystem A9000R delivers predictable high performance and ultra-low latency, even under heavy workloads with full data reduction enabled. As a result, the grid-scale architecture maintains this performance by automatically self-optimizing workloads across all storage resources without manual intervention.

This IBM® RedpaperTM publication shows you how to deploy a database instance within a container using an IBM CloudTM Private cluster on IBM Z®. A preinstalled IBM SpectrumTM Scale 5.0.3 cluster file system provides back-end storage for the persistent volumes bound to the database. A container is a standard unit of software that packages code and all its dependencies, so the application runs quickly and reliably from one computing environment to another. By default, containers are ephemeral. However, stateful applications, such as databases, require some type of persistent storage that can survive service restarts or container crashes. IBM provides several products helping organizations build an environment on an IBM Z infrastructure to develop and manage containerized applications, including dynamic provisioning of persistent volumes. As an example for a stateful application, this paper describes how to deploy the relational database MariaDB using a Helm chart. The IBM Spectrum Scale V5.0.3 cluster file system is providing back-end storage for the persistent volumes. This document provides step-by-step guidance regarding how to install and configure the following components: IBM Cloud Private 3.1.2 (including Kubernetes) Docker 18.03.1-ce IBM Storage Enabler for Containers 2.0.0 and 2.1.0 This Redpaper demonstrates how we set up the example for a stateful application in our lab. The paper gives you insights about planning for your implementation. IBM Z server hardware, the IBM Z hypervisor z/VM®, and the IBM Spectrum Scale cluster file system are prerequisites to set up the example environment. The Redpaper is written with the assumption that you have familiarity with and basic knowledge of the software products used in setting up the environment. The intended audience includes the following roles: Storage administrators IT/Cloud administrators Technologists IT specialists

This IBM® RedpaperTM publication is a brief overview of synergistic aspects between various VMware offerings and the IBM SpectrumTM Accelerate family, including IBM XIV® and IBM FlashSystem® A9000 and IBM FlashSystem A9000R servers. After reviewing different integration concepts and explaining general implementation aspects for attaching the IBM Spectrum AccelerateTM family to VMware ESXi deployments, the paper focuses on components that are enabled by IBM Spectrum Connect v3.4. This paper is intended for planning to use or implementing the IBM Spectrum Accelerate family of storage systems in a VMware environment.

IBM Storage for Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform is a comprehensive container-ready solution that includes all the hardware & software components necessary to setup and/or expand your Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform V3.11 environment. IBM Storage, bringing enterprise data services to containers. In this blueprint, learn how to: • Combine the benefits of IBM Systems with the performance of IBM Storage solutions so that you can deliver the right services to your clients today! • Build a 24 by 7 by 365 enterprise class private cloud with Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform • Leverage enterprise class services such as NVMe based flash performance, high data availability, and advanced container security IBM Storage for Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform: designed for your DevOps environment for on-premises deployment with easy-to-consume components built to perform and scale for your enterprise. Simplify your journey to cloud with pre-tested and validated blueprints engineered to enable rapid deployment and peace of mind as you move to a hybrid multicloud environment. You now have the capabilities.

This IBM® Redbooks® Product Guide is an overview of the main characteristics, features, and technology that are used in IBM FlashSystem® A9000Model 425, with IBM FlashSystem A9000 Software V12.3.2. Software version 12.3.2, with Hyper-Scale Manager version 5.6 or later, introduces support for VLAN tagging and port trunking. IBM FlashSystem A9000 storage system uses the IBM FlashCore® technology to help realize higher capacity and improved response times over disk-based systems and other competing flash and solid-state drive (SSD)-based storage. The extreme performance of IBM FlashCore technology with a grid architecture and comprehensive data reduction creates one powerful solution. Whether you are a service provider who requires highly efficient management or an enterprise that is implementing cloud on a budget, FlashSystem A9000 provides consistent and predictable microsecond response times and the simplicity that you need. The A9000 features always on data reduction and now offers intelligent capacity management for deduplication. As a cloud optimized solution, FlashSystem A9000 suits the requirements of public and private cloud providers who require features, such as inline data deduplication, multi-tenancy, and quality of service. It also uses powerful software-defined storage capabilities from IBM SpectrumTM Accelerate, such as Hyper-Scale technology, VMware, and storage container integration.