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Content Owner: Roman Macek | ||||
Summary
SMI-S / SMP, ODX, Trim, ReFS Accelerated VHDX Operation
Details
(no major updates with WS2019)Server 2012 deliverd significantly improved storage management.
- The Windows Storage Management API (SMAPI)
- PowerShell cmdlets enabling scriptable and remote administration
- A new interface - the Storage Management Provider framework - enabling customers to easily manage 3rd-party Storage subsystems using either a Storage Management Provider (SMP), or SMI-S Provider.
Microsoft has introduced several storage related integration points with Server 2012 that improve virtualization environments. You can now e.g. manage SMI-S / SMP compliant storage arrays directly from with VMM 2012 for virtualization related task (creating LUNs etc.).
Improved storage integration capabilities include:
- Management of compliant arrays directly from VMM 2012
- Windows Offloaded Data Transfer (ODX) enables the arrays to directly transfer data within or between compatible storage devices, bypassing the host computer. Requires ODX-compatible storage arrays and applications (e.g. Hyper-V operations that transfer large amounts of data like creating a fixed size virtual hard disk, merging snapshot or converting virtual hard disks)
- Trim: Windows Server 2012 provides a new API that enables applications to release storage when it is no longer needed. NTFS issues trim notifications when appropriate in real time. In addition, trim notifications are issued as a part of storage consolidation and optimization, which is performed regularly on a scheduled basis. Requires Trim compatible hardware
The improvment of ReFS in Windows Server 2016 brings Accelerated VHDX Operation. This accelerates the checkpoint merging process and the creation of fixed VHDX. ReFS should be used only when deploying Storage Spaces Direct.
- The Windows Storage Management API (SMAPI)
- PowerShell cmdlets enabling scriptable and remote administration
- A new interface - the Storage Management Provider framework - enabling customers to easily manage 3rd-party Storage subsystems using either a Storage Management Provider (SMP), or SMI-S Provider.
Microsoft has introduced several storage related integration points with Server 2012 that improve virtualization environments. You can now e.g. manage SMI-S / SMP compliant storage arrays directly from with VMM 2012 for virtualization related task (creating LUNs etc.).
Improved storage integration capabilities include:
- Management of compliant arrays directly from VMM 2012
- Windows Offloaded Data Transfer (ODX) enables the arrays to directly transfer data within or between compatible storage devices, bypassing the host computer. Requires ODX-compatible storage arrays and applications (e.g. Hyper-V operations that transfer large amounts of data like creating a fixed size virtual hard disk, merging snapshot or converting virtual hard disks)
- Trim: Windows Server 2012 provides a new API that enables applications to release storage when it is no longer needed. NTFS issues trim notifications when appropriate in real time. In addition, trim notifications are issued as a part of storage consolidation and optimization, which is performed regularly on a scheduled basis. Requires Trim compatible hardware
The improvment of ReFS in Windows Server 2016 brings Accelerated VHDX Operation. This accelerates the checkpoint merging process and the creation of fixed VHDX. ReFS should be used only when deploying Storage Spaces Direct.
