About Operation Mode Optimization

This topic describes the operation modes available for 3PAR SAN backends for Eucalyptus cloud.

The Eucalyptus 3PAR backend provider implements a mapping between EBS and 3PAR concepts. Operation mode optimization allows you to make storage operations more efficient in your cloud. Predominant use cases are described below.

Important: Operation modes are mutually exclusive and cannot be combined. Choose the strategy that is best for your 3PAR storage operations. The setting is at the SC level.
Snapshot to volume optimization

The default use case assumes that you snapshot rarely, create volumes from snapshots (without growing volumes) often, and you run EBS-backed instances often.

Supporting this use case, the default threeparoptimizesnaptovol setting is true.

Summary of operations:
  • EBS volumes and snapshots map to 3PAR virtual volumes
  • EBS snapshot from EBS volume translates to 3PAR physical copy operation
  • EBS volume from EBS snapshot translates to:
    • 3PAR virtual copy operation when both EBS volume and snapshot are of same size
    • 3PAR physical copy operation when EBS volume is greater in size than EBS snapshot
Volume to snapshot optimization

This use case assumes that you snapshot often, but create volumes from snapshots rarely.

If this use case is the best strategy for your storage operations, set threeparoptimizesnaptovol to false.

Summary of operations:
  • EBS volumes and snapshots map to 3PAR virtual volumes
  • EBS snapshot from EBS volume translates to 3PAR virtual copy operation
  • EBS volume from EBS snapshot translates to 3PAR physical copy operation