Block Storage and Fabric Management using Microsoft System Center 2012 Virtual Machine Manager and SMI-S

Virtual Machine Manager automates the discovery and provisioning of iSCSI, FC, and SAS storage using SMI-S, including the discovery and provisioning of zones in a FC fabric. Virtual Machine Manager builds on top of Windows Server 2012 which introduces native support for SMI-S providers. Microsoft is working with multiple to deliver storage automation capabilities across a large number of partners: EMC, NetApp, HP, IBM, Dell, Hitachi, Fujitsu, StarWind, DotHill, and LSI.

Learning Objectives

Deep dive into Windows Server 2012 Storage Management API and native support for SMI-S based providers. Understand how Virtual Machine Manager integrates with the Storage Management API and all of the block storage capabilities. Capabilities include deep discovery, storage provisioning, masking/unmasking and much more. Virtual Machine Manager also offer APIs for end-to-end automation. Developers have access to all these APIs, enabling the development of powerful tools and products across a large number of arrays that already work with Windows Server 2012, allowing you to focus more on value-add capabilities.
Learn how Virtual Machine Manager uses Pass Through in the Storage Management API allowing deeper integration with SMI-S providers. Learn how Virtual Machine Manager uses Pass Through to discover and manage FC devices, fabrics, zones, and zone members. This also includes the automation of zone provisioning and zone member modification. Developers can use these same patterns for their own tools and products.
Lessons learned by the Virtual Machine Manager team – product development across a large number of SMI-S providers that span block, NAS, and fabric; engaging and working with the storage community to define updates to SMI-S; how SMI-S can help developers be more productive by reducing the development effort to manage more devices over time.