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SF Basic missing features?

BenHu
Level 2

Hi!

   Just trying out SF Basic on a freshly-built Windows 2008 R2 Standard server.  The GUI installer won't allow me to check any of the features except the one to replace the Windows storage MMC.

   According to the SF 6.0 compatability guide, the array I'm using, an IBM DS3524, is supported, and Windows 2008 R2 is definately supported.  The docs on the Basic version would seem to imply that DMP is included, too.  I'm logged in with administrator rights (and have tried it logging in directly as the Administrator, too...).  The MPIO feature is installed in the Windows Server Manager.  Any idea why I can't install DMP, or any of the other features?  The web page http://www.symantec.com/business/storage-foundation-basic clearly indicates that Dynamic Multipathing is part of the package...

 

   If DMP isn't part of SF Basic anymore, what's the advantage to use of SF?  Are there any performance benefits anymore over the standard vendor DSM and Windows LDM?

 

Thanks!

-Ben

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

joseph_dangelo
Level 6
Employee Accredited

Ben,

I have confirmed (as Wally indicated) that DMP was removed from the Basic release as of 5.1 SP2. This coincided with the release of DMP standalone. DMP however is now part of the the SFW standard release where previously you had to purchase the option for multipathing.

In terms of advantages, there a a number of reasons to implement SFW over native Windows LVM:

1. Transparent Array Migrations:

2. Fully compliant VSS SnapShot Provider (both Full Copy and Copy-on-Write) for all major Microsoft Software Packages (SQL, Exchange, SharePoint)

3. The largest Compatibility List for mulipathing avaiable with FC and iSCSI

4. Thin reclamation support using the Thin Reclaim API (Developed by Symantec and Array Vendors)

5. Dynamic Disk Support for MSCS and WSFC

6. Volume Based replication with the Replicator Option (Array and application independent).

These are just some of the features that differentiate SFW from Native LVM.

Hope this helps,

Joe D

View solution in original post

7 REPLIES 7

joseph_dangelo
Level 6
Employee Accredited

Ben,

SFW Basic does in fact include DMP,  You will however I have to enter the license key that is displayed on the download page for SF Basic.to activate it.

Please take a look at this post let me know if it resolves your issue.

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/storage-foundation-windows-basic-51-sp2-windows-2008-...

Thanks,

Joe D

BenHu
Level 2

Nope...

When you go to the SF Basic page, and hit "download now", it takes you straight to the download page, where I can click the download button for each platform.  No license keys are ever displayed...

Any idea where I can get the key then?

 

Many thanks!

 

-Ben

Marianne
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited Certified

Please see if the following helps (haven't tried it myself - FAQ doc is a bit old....).

Extract from http://eval.symantec.com/mktginfo/enterprise/other_resources/ent-sf_basic_5%200_faq_01_2009.en-us.pdf :

How much does Storage Foundation Basic cost?

A free license is downloadable at http://www.symantec.com/sfbasic or via your sales representative,
including free self-service support. For production workloads, a range of annual support subscriptions are
available, starting at under $100 per processor. For details on how to purchase, please visit
http://www.symantec.com/sfbasic.

 

joseph_dangelo
Level 6
Employee Accredited

Ben,

I will inquire with the SFW team an get back to you with an explanation.

Sorry for the confusion.

Joe D

Wally_Heim
Level 6
Employee

Hi Ben,

I think DMP was removed from the SFW-Basic product on the 5.1 and 6.0 releases.  This is different than all other platforms that Basic will run on. 

Just to make sure that I'm correct or not on this, I've engage our Product Management team to get to the bottom of this issue.  I'll let you know what I find out or a member of our Product Management team will post a response.

Thank you,

Wally

joseph_dangelo
Level 6
Employee Accredited

Ben,

I have confirmed (as Wally indicated) that DMP was removed from the Basic release as of 5.1 SP2. This coincided with the release of DMP standalone. DMP however is now part of the the SFW standard release where previously you had to purchase the option for multipathing.

In terms of advantages, there a a number of reasons to implement SFW over native Windows LVM:

1. Transparent Array Migrations:

2. Fully compliant VSS SnapShot Provider (both Full Copy and Copy-on-Write) for all major Microsoft Software Packages (SQL, Exchange, SharePoint)

3. The largest Compatibility List for mulipathing avaiable with FC and iSCSI

4. Thin reclamation support using the Thin Reclaim API (Developed by Symantec and Array Vendors)

5. Dynamic Disk Support for MSCS and WSFC

6. Volume Based replication with the Replicator Option (Array and application independent).

These are just some of the features that differentiate SFW from Native LVM.

Hope this helps,

Joe D

BenHu
Level 2

Hi!

   Thanks for the clarification.  And I see that the SF Basic web page now specifically says that the Windows version no longer includes DMP.

   Just out of curiousity though, why only pull DMP from the SF Basic for Windows version and not from all the Basic versions?  I don't mean to sniff a gift fish, but that hardly seems equitable.  I get it from a business standpoint though.

   Without DMP, does SF Basic provide any performance advantages, or just more convenient management and greater flexability?

 

Thanks much!