Novell Dynamic File Services: Intelligent Tiering in Microsoft Active Directory Environments

Novell® Dynamic File Services:Intelligent Tiering in Microsoft Active Directory Environments

© Novell, Inc. All rights reserved.2

Jim NicoletNovell Distinguished [email protected]

Richard KeilNovell Software [email protected]

Brett GarrettNovell Software [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]




Novell® Dynamic File Services

• Dynamic File Services provides– Tiering or relocation of unstructured files via network

“shares on Microsoft Windows Servers

– Seamless end-user experience created with a merged view of files through Microsoft Windows network shares

– Simple easy to use management console > Pair and Policy creation

> Pair and Policy management

> Reports (Policy execution history and Pair inventory history)

– Command line tools> Configuration and management automation


Novell® Dynamic File Services

• Value of Seamless Transparent Tiered Storage

– Reduce back-up window

– Efficient use of expensive storage

– Migration without end user impact

– No agents on desktop


Dynamic File Services Pair

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music

C:\primary

documents

project-A

project-B

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classical

music

F:\secondary

song-3.mp3

song-6.mp3

The primary location contains frequentlyused and volatile files, so it is backed upIncrementally and weekly.

The secondary location contains static or lessimportant files, so it is backed up less often


Dynamic File Services Merged View

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classical

music

C:\primary

documents

project-A

project-B

song-1.mp3

song-5.mp3

classical

music

F:\secondary

song-3.mp3

song-6.mp3

song-1.mp3

classical

music

Primary onserver1.example.com

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song-3.mp3

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song-5.mp3

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documents

project-A

project-B

users

\\server1\primary


Installation and Setup

• Supported Platforms– Server

> Windows* Server* 2003/2008» Windows Clustering supported

– Management Client> Windows XP/Vista/7> Windows Server 2003/2008

• Required Software Components– Microsoft* .NET 3.5 Service Pack 1– NTFS file system– Microsoft Network Sharing

• Workgroup or Domain mode

Demo Install and Setup


Dynamic File Services Architecture

HTTPS Microsoft Networking Share

ManagementConsole

WindowsDynamicStorageServer

End UserMerged View

PrimaryStorage

SecondaryStorage

Mini Filter Driver

File Protocol

File System

DynamicFile

ServicesWindowsService Repair Port

Certificate Firewall

Controller GUI Tools

Microsoft .NET Framework

ManagementConsole

Command Line Interface

Microsoft .NET Framework


Dynamic File Services

• Components– Client Management Console

> Windows based console that runs on the server or a workstation. It connects to the service, allowing pairs and policies to be created and managed

– Client Command Line Application > Text interface that allows scripting of all Dsw commands instead of using

the console

– Service (Windows Service)> Server service that executes policies

– Mini Filter Driver > Windows File System filter driver, managed by the Dynamic File Service

service that provides a merged view of the primary and secondary volumes that can be advertised via a network share


Dynamic File Services

• Components (continued)– Repair Utility

> Utility that allows an administrator to repair the policy and pair databases in the unlikely event of corruption

– Service Controller Application (Windows Notification area)> Service management interface

– Sync Check Utility > Small utility that allows an administrator to check the primary and

secondary paths for file consistency

– Configuration Dump Utility > Diagnostic utility that provides a text file dump of the entire NDFS

system configuration


Client Management Console

• Defines Pairs

• Defines Policies

• Associates Pairs with Policies

• Previews Policies

• Provides file movement and other statistics

• Permits immediate running of policies on a pair

• Allows for the inclusion and exclusion of folders

• Management sessions run via HTTPS

Demo Management Console


Client Command Line Application

• Used to perform similar operations as the Management Console from a command line

• Allows for command scripting (local and remote)

• Encrypted to protect data on the wire

Example:

dswcli.exe -servername="192.168.1.1" -username="Administrator" -password="novell" -pair

Demo Command Line Interface


Windows Service

• Dynamic File Service

– Maintains the databases that describe the pair and policies

– Performs that file movement according to the policies


Windows Mini Filter Driver

• Kernel-level mini filter driver

• Provides a merged view of files from primary and secondary paths viewed via the network share.

• Keeps file and folder attributes and security rights consistent


Service Controller App(Windows Notification Area)

• Component: DswServiceController.exe– Access Client Management Console– Start or stop the Novell® Dynamic File Service (NDFS)– Repair utility – Firewall access– Service port access– Certificate configuration


Repair Utility

• Component: dswrepair.exe

– Check Pair and policy databases for consistency

– Reports information about pairs and policies

– Fixes problems with the pair and policy databases when possible


Firewall Access

• Enable or disable an exception in the firewall.– Modifying firewall setting causes service to be restarted


Service Port Access

• Default port is 8999 (HTTPS/TCP)• Allows port to be changed.

– Modifying port causes service to be restarted.


Certificate Configuration

• Create a new self-signed Certificate– Naming = <hostname>DswSelfSignedSSLCertificate– SHA1 RSA (2048)

• Use certificate provided by the customer– Private key is needed with this certificate– Must be stored as (local computer) certificate and needs to

be placed in the Windows personal certificate store– NDFS was tested with Verisign and used a .P12 file format

Demo Service Controller


Sync Check Utility

• Component: dswsyncpair.exe– Stop Service prior to running Sync Check Utility– Command line tool to check for duplicate files in the source

and destination folders– Reports inconsistencies between folders that reside on

both the source and destination (ACLs and Attributes)– Reports can be saved as a CSV and/or XML File

Examples:dswsyncpair -pair="DemoPair" -folders -files -xml="XmlReport" -csv="CsvReport“

dswsyncpair -pair="DemoPair" -folders -xml="myXmlReport"


Configuration Dump Utility

• Component: Dswdump.exe– Component file list, configuration, log files, policies, pairs

Example:C:\Program Files\Dynamic Storage>DswDump.exe... starting... output file = Config.txt... Configuration Information... Pairs Information... Policies Information... Audit Information... finished

Demo Dynamic File Service Utilities


Tips and Troubleshooting

Log File andEvent

Viewing

Merged ViewIssues

PolicyIssues Auditing


Log File and Event Viewing

• Microsoft Event Viewer– Application log

• NDFS Core log and configuration files– DswMcpCore.log– dswMcpCore.config.xml

• NDFS Enforcer log and configuration files– DswEnforcer.log– DswEnforcer.config.xml


Merged View Issues

• Merged view is not showing expected list of files

– Check that the pair still exists

– Check to see that files exist in either primary or secondary

– Start and stop the Dynamic File Service

– Check that the filter driver is loaded.

> DswDump.exe will display filter driver information if it is loaded

– Check the event log for Dynamic File Services events

– Make sure the file system is NTFS for the primary and secondary


Policy Issues

• Policy is not working correctly.

– Verify that the policy is scheduled.

– Check the policy last run time on the pair statistics page.

– Verify that the policy is associated with a pair or pairs.

– Verify that the policy frequency is correct.

– Verify the policy filter options.

– Check for conflicting policies scheduled for same time.

– Check the policy execution history for files-failed-to-move errors.

– Check that the dynamic file service is running.

– Check the audit log for policy execution.

– Make sure the file system is NTFS for the primary and secondary.


Auditing

• Audit log and configuration files

– DswAuditLog.xml

– DswAuditCfg.xml

• Typical auditing events

– When did this policy or pair get created?

– When did this policy run?

– Who created and ran this policy?

– etc...


Futures

• Remote storage on network shares (secondary)

• Cloud storage

• Policy filters using file patterns

• Move specific files and folders

• Sign up for beta at http://www.novell.com/beta

Question and Answer

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Novell Dynamic File Services: Intelligent Tiering in Microsoft Active Directory Environments