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Azure NetApp Files Extension 1 Features

| Ralf Klahr | Geert van Teylingen | Bernd Herth |

Infrastructure ANF

YouTube

Anchor

Spotify

Apple

Episode #215

Introduction

In episode 215 of our SAP on Azure video podcast we talk about Azure NetApp Files. WIth the new Extension 1, ANF supports availability zone volume placement as the new default method for placement. This upgrade mitigates the need for AVset pinning and eliminates the need for proximity placement groups. Using availability zone volume placement aligns with the Microsoft recommendation on how to deploy SAP HANA infrastructures to achieve best performance with high-availability, maximum flexibility, and simplified deployment. To tell us more about this, we are happy to welcome Ralf Klahr, Geert van Teylingen and Bernd Herth to our show.

Find all the links mentioned here: https://www.saponazurepodcast.de/episode215

Reach out to us for any feedback / questions:

#Microsoft #SAP #Azure #SAPonAzure #ANF

Summary created by AI

Introduction and Participants:

  • Goran introduced the 215th episode of the SAP on Azure YouTube podcast, featuring Holger, Bernd, and Ralf. They discussed various updates related to SAP and Microsoft, including the Azure NetApp and its new features.
  • Azure NetApp Updates:
  • Bernd provided an overview of the Azure NetApp updates, including the new feature called extension one for the Azure NetApp, which eliminates the need for pinning. He also mentioned updates on the customer side and the focus on SAP and business applications.
    • Extension One Feature: Bernd discussed the new feature called extension one for the Azure NetApp, which eliminates the need for pinning. This feature is significant for both HANA and Oracle databases, simplifying deployment and improving performance.
    • Customer Managed Keys: Bernd mentioned that customer managed keys now have full regional coverage, allowing customers to use these keys across all regions, including US government regions. This feature also supports transitioning volumes from platform-managed keys to customer-managed keys without data migration.
    • Cross-Zone Replication: Bernd highlighted that cross-zone replication is now generally available, providing major benefits and cost savings for customers building in-region disaster recovery solutions. He also hinted at upcoming news regarding cross-region replication.
    • Smaller Volume Support: Bernd noted that Azure NetApp files now support smaller volumes than the previous 100 GB starting size, which is particularly beneficial for shared files, reducing storage footprint and costs.
    • Cool Access Storage: Bernd explained that Azure NetApp files now offer cool access storage across all service levels, allowing customers to perform file or stream-based backups to cool access-enabled volumes, saving on costs while maintaining performance.
  • Application Volume Group (AVG) History:
  • Bernd explained the history and new features of the application volume group (AVG) with the HANA extension one and AVG Oracle. He highlighted the improvements in performance, volume placement, and the use of proximity placement groups (PPG) for low latency.
    • AVG Development: Bernd provided a historical overview of the application volume group (AVG), which was introduced in 2021 to improve performance and volume placement. AVG uses a generic engine with built-in rules for different applications, starting with SAP HANA.
    • Proximity Placement Groups: Bernd explained that proximity placement groups (PPG) were used to ensure low latency by placing VMs and ANF volumes in the same data center. This approach had some restrictions, such as the need for pinning and manual intervention.
    • Extension One Improvements: Bernd discussed the improvements brought by extension one, including availability zone volume placement, which allows ANF to select the zone, and customer managed key support. These enhancements reduce the need for manual pinning and improve deployment flexibility.
    • Performance Enhancements: Bernd highlighted that the new AVG features provide unique storage endpoints for performance-critical volumes, improving performance and reducing latency. The improvements were thoroughly tested to ensure they meet HANA KPIs.
  • Zonal Deployment and Latency:
  • Ralf discussed the benefits of zonal deployment, emphasizing the low latency between data centers, which is well within the limits for any typical deployment. This improvement simplifies the deployment process and eliminates the need for pinning.
    • Latency Improvements: Ralf emphasized that the maximum latency between data centers is 0.1 milliseconds, which is well within the limits for any typical deployment, including high-demand applications like HANA.
    • Zonal Deployment Benefits: Ralf explained that zonal deployment simplifies the process by eliminating the need for pinning and manual intervention. Customers can now deploy VMs and volumes in the same zone without worrying about proximity placement groups.
    • Flexibility and Performance: Ralf noted that the flexibility provided by zonal deployment allows customers to choose VM types and resize them without the constraints of pinning. This leads to better performance and easier management of resources.
  • Oracle AVG and Performance:
  • Bernd and Ralf highlighted the new rule set for Oracle AVG, which supports up to eight data volumes and improves performance with multiple IP addresses. They shared a successful migration of a 200 terabyte Oracle database to Azure, demonstrating the capabilities of the new AVG.
    • Oracle AVG Features: Bernd explained that the new rule set for Oracle AVG supports up to eight data volumes, two log volumes, and a backup volume. This setup provides separate storage endpoints for each volume, improving performance and reducing latency.
    • Successful Migration: Ralf shared a successful migration of a 200 terabyte Oracle database to Azure, using the new AVG features. The migration demonstrated the capabilities of AVG in handling large databases with high performance requirements.
    • Performance Benchmarks: Bernd mentioned that published benchmarks show that AVG for Oracle can achieve up to 800,000 random IOPS with less than a millisecond latency and 10 gigabytes per second throughput, limited only by VM capabilities.
    • Future Enhancements: Ralf hinted at future enhancements with Azure Boost systems, which will provide even higher network throughput, further improving the performance of Oracle AVG deployments.
  • Customer Experiences and Collaboration:
  • Ralf shared his experience with a large customer migration project, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and collaboration. He mentioned that the new AVG features have been successfully used in production environments, providing significant benefits to customers.
  • Transition to AVG and Standardization:
  • Bernd and Ralf discussed the process of transitioning from non-AVG volumes to AVG, highlighting the benefits of standardization and improved performance. They encouraged customers to adopt the new technology for better operational efficiency.
    • Transition Process: Bernd explained that transitioning from non-AVG volumes to AVG involves migrating data, which can be done using methods like HANA system replication. This process allows customers to benefit from AVG’s improved performance and features.
    • Standardization Benefits: Ralf highlighted the benefits of standardizing on AVG, including better operational efficiency, simplified management, and improved performance. He encouraged customers to adopt AVG for a more streamlined and effective deployment.
    • Self-Controlled Transition: Bernd and Ralf noted that customers can plan and execute the transition to AVG at their own pace, without waiting for external intervention. This self-controlled approach allows for better scheduling and minimizes downtime.

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