NetApp - Simple Steve

On Stubbornness

I recently had a chance to talk with some new college hires at NetApp.  One of the topics of discussion was how to have a successful engineering career at NetApp. 

I told them: if you want to be successful, you don't necessarily want to emulate me. 

That caused some nervous laughter. 

(I get that reaction a lot, but don't really mind - it helps confirm that the mental gears are meshing.)

It appears that I sometimes

• take on tasks that people think are doomed to failure
• work hard on projects that others say are low priority

and so on, generally because I disagree, or just simply like the challenge.

It's a risky approach, because things need to come out well for you to be proven right.

And you might not end up as popular with your managers as you could have been :-)

The expedient choice is easier, and might do more to further your career:

Just do what your manager tells you

But meh - what fun is that?

 

Making Choices

Sometimes it's a better choice to do what you think is right, even if it's not enormously popular.  If things work out well, you might succeed in shifting the popular mind set in a useful new direction. 

If things don't work out well, you have the satisfaction of knowing you did what you thought was the right thing at the time.

 

On Stubbornness

I recently read a quote from John Adams that I liked:

Thanks to God that he gave me stubbornness when I know I am right

Here's to knowing :-)

 

(Thanks for reading - Steve Klinkner)

// TODO: error handling

While I do blog about storage issues, NetApp employs me primarily as a software engineer.

As a result, I spend a good chunk of my time thinking about development methodologies, software quality, usability, teamwork, process efficiency, work place issues, and so on.

Error Handling

One of the topics I sometimes obsess over is the handling of errors, and their associated presentation to the end user. 

My obsession arises from very real customer pain and quality issues that result when these issues are not addressed in a systematic and consistent fashion.

While this could be the subject of a number of future articles, today I have a mildly amusing story on the topic.

Browser Stack Trace

The other day, I was browsing an online store, when I encountered the page shown at above right (I've shrunken it substantially, having no desire to embarrass either the retailer or the maker of the related web software).

What's pictured is a fatal server error, with several verbose stack traces, locations of code stored on disk, and so on. 

After a detailed read, it appears that the store's database was offline.

But, this was only clear to me after a detailed read as a software engineer; to a consumer (it's a consumer retail site) it would just be gibberish. 

Clearly it's not an ideal presentation of the underlying issue.

// TODO: error handling

But the part that really caught my eye and caused me to chuckle was this little snippet that came directly from the source:

Where there's a handy note to do a better job here. 

Someday.

When it comes to error handling, there's no day like today.

 

(Thanks for reading - Steve Klinkner)

System Manager 1.0.1

I'm happy to announce that System Manager 1.0.1 is now available. 

You can download it from the NetApp NOW site.

While this release is a minor update of System Manager 1.0, it has a few useful bug fixes and permits management of any FAS system running an ONTAP 7 release 7.2.3 or higher.

You can read some more about this version in the release notes, and more about System Manager in this blog article and others that I've written in the past few months.

Comments and follow up questions are welcome here, or on our NetApp Communities site.

 

(Thanks for reading - Steve Klinkner)

Moving Packets

I think that an article is overdue covering some of the funny things that sometimes happen in NetApp engineering.

I've previously mentioned how the conference rooms got re-named, that the bull statue got decorated for Christmas, and how a sign announcing a new Starbucks appeared.

In another such incident, one day everyone in engineering received fake office relocation announcements, resulting some chaos.

But there is an explanation as to why this happened ...

 

NetApp HQ, Circa 2004

To frame the current story, you need to understand how the buildings at NetApp headquarters in Sunnyvale were laid out back in 2004.

Most of the employees were nestled in three buildings tucked between two fairly busy roads (Java and Crossman), as shown to the right.

Building 3 housed most of NetApp engineering in cozy offices, with a nice cafeteria directly downstairs. 

Life was simple, and good.

 

Enter Building 10 ...

Space started to get tight, and NetApp acquired a new building (Building 10) across the street (see picture to the left).

The trouble started when NetApp managers started shopping around for new tenants willing to "volunteer" to move into the new building.

But there were a few obstacles.

First, Building 10 didn't have offices, it had cubicles.

Second, to get from Building 10 to the other buildings, one had to cross the Highway of Death (Crossman Avenue).

Perhaps most objectionable of all, Building 10 did not have a cafeteria. Engineers would actually have to

Cross the Street

in order to eat lunch at the cafeteria.

The proposed moving arrangements looked something like the diagram pictured to the right.

Needless to say, managers didn't have much luck pitching the virtues of the new building.

 

April Arrives

On the morning of April 1, 2004 (with moving arrangements still undecided)engineers arrived at work to find a colorful "Moving Packet" in their offices.  It announced their involuntary relocation to Building 10.

It had details regarding the new office location, plus text like this

This is part of the engineering “All Mixed Up” initiative.  Engineers have become complacent, which has enhanced productivity.

We will be moving engineers to relatively random new locations, to help facilitate communications.  Some might think this is foolish, but we think it will help create new ideas and energy.

Also included was the contact information for the managers extolling the virtues of Building 10, with the names slightly obfuscated.

I understand that at least one manager's voice mailbox reached full capacity shortly afterward.

 

Aftermath

The experience ended up being somewhat cathartic. 

After tempers settled down, people realized that moving to the new building wasn't such a big deal after all, and the transition to the new building proceeded smoothly.

Looking back, crossing the street feels like a metaphor for company growth.  At the time, people were used to a smaller company, and the convenience of always working close together, physically.

Crossing the street felt like a big step, then. 

It seems quaint now ...NetApp has grown a lot since then!

 

(Thanks for reading - Steve Klinkner)

Final Hints from Bangalore

I've been back from Bangalore for a couple of weeks now (catching up), but have a few more small notes to share.

Electricity

Most electronic accessories these days have dual 110/220V 50/60Hz power supplies, so you shouldn't need to worry about a transformer. 

Many places now have electrical receptacles that accept several different types of plugs, so you may be able to do without an adapter entirely.

That said, an electrical adapter is a handy travel item. 

The Franzus NWG-14C pictured at right is a simple adapter with the 3-prong plug style that you'll find in Bangalore.

Places to Eat

It's helpful if you're flexible on food and willing to try the local cuisine.  If you want to play it really safe (boring), you might consider sticking with the restaurants at one of the top-end hotels. 

For example the Oberoi has several good places, featuring Thai, Szechwan, Indian and Western cuisines.  La Brasserie, at Le Meridien features world cuisine.

Here are a few restaurants that I've tried and enjoyed

• Samarkand, 66 Infantry Rd, Afghani and Indian cuisine.
• Bombay Post, Carlton Towers, 1 Airport Road, North Indian cuisine
• Kyra, # 2001 Kattima Centre, 100FT Road, Indian and Mediterranean cuisine
• Angeethi, Museum Inn, 1 Museum Road, nice lunch buffet on pleasant roof top setting

Coffee

If you're looking for the local equivalent of Starbucks, look for a nearby Cafe Coffee Day or Barista.

Pubs

Bangalore has a reputation as a "pub city".  Indeed, there are a number of bars and pubs.  Western visitors might be surprised to find that they generally close by 23:00 each night.

There are plenty of pubs and clubs listed here. 

Take5 and The Beach are relatively near to Tristar (which I've previously recommended elsewhere).

Other

Wiki Travel has a page on Bangalore with some additional helpful hints.

 

 (Thanks for reading - Steve Klinkner)

Honey, I Shrunk the LUNs

I previously wrote about a nice set of demos featuring Hyper-V on NetApp storage, with use of NetApp System Manager.

There's another video titled Honey, I Shrunk the LUNs available on YouTube which also features NetApp storage efficiency with Hyper-V, using System Manager and SnapDrive.

Also worth a look.

Fellow NetApp blogger Vaughn Stewart has also put together a demo titled NetApp Simplicity Demonstrated showing integration of NetApp storage with Windows and VMware (also including System Manager). 

That demo is supposed to have been recorded; I'll post an update when it's available.

 

(Thanks for reading - Steve Klinkner)

Bangalore Service Apartments

I've been in Bangalore for a few weeks, on business for NetApp. I promised to share a few travel tips, in case you ever find yourself headed there.

Hotels in Bangalore are not necessarily cheap (supply and demand, I suppose).  In the past year, prices seem to have fallen somewhat, but the top end hotels remain relatively pricey.

That said, if you're willing to pay for it, it's hard to beat the Taj West End, The Oberoi, or The Leela.  Each is a lovely, top-end hotel.

However, if you're interested in something slightly more practical and affordable, you should consider one of the local service apartments.  For comparable facilities in the US, if you think of something like Courtyard by Marriott or Homewood Suites, you have about the right idea.

These are typically equipped like a studio apartment, with a small kitchen and some furnishings.  They provide cleaning facilities and other basic hotel services, but will lack some amenities of a higher-end hotel (a pool, or multiple restaurants, for example).

But they're substantially cheaper, and sometimes more convenient in terms of distance to work.

Several NetApp favorites in Bangalore include

Tristar Apartments 1216 100 ft Road Indiranagar.  Nice facility, close to restaurants and shopping.  Close to Embassy Golf Links Business Park which hosts NetApp, Yahoo, and other companies.

Orchard Suites They used to have a Koramangala location close to Embassy Golf Links Business Park, but it seems to be closed now.  I've been to their Infantry Road location, which was quite nice.

Melange Located closer to Brigade and MG Roads.

These and the other service apartments are worth considering if you'd like to have a comfortable and affordable stay in Bangalore.

 

Disclaimer: These suggestions are based solely on my personal experience.

 

(Thanks for reading - Steve Klinkner)

Getting a SIM Card in India

If you're a globe-trotting road warrior, you might be used to traveling the world with your GSM phone, charging huge roaming charges back to the parent company.

Or you could be on a budget. 

Or just plain cheap, like me :-)

I'm in Bangalore for a few weeks on business for NetApp.  I’ve been making trips here for nearly six years now.

On past trips, I’ve often used company-provided "loaner" phones while in town, though this has gotten more difficult as the office has grown.  It’s also inconvenient not to have a phone when you first arrive, or to receive calls intended for a long-departed colleague.

This trip, I finally broke down and decided to get a local mobile number of my own.

Here is how you can get your own SIM card in India.

 

Getting a SIM Card

I have an unlocked GSM phone (an old Nokia 6102i tri-band).  I've also got an HTC Fuze smart phone – not yet unlocked – that would have cost $6US/month to allow international roaming, plus $2.49US/minute to call back to the US on my current plan. 

Yikes.  That kind of money buys a nice dinner here.

I visited a Vodafone store on 100 Feet Road in Bangalore (photo above).  It’s a little like visiting mobile shops in the US, you register, wait a few minutes, then get assistance.  The staff there were efficient and helpful.

Here’s what I needed to get a pre-paid SIM card:

• a passport
• a passport photo
• Rs 147 ($3US) – this included over an hour of talk time

I had previously read that I would need a passport, but the requirement for a photo was a surprise – I got that taken care of at a local photo shop. 

In hindsight, it would have been easier to get an extra set of photos while my business visa was being processed – consider getting an extra set of photos, and bring them along with you.

 

Local Address Not Required

Vodafone had initially insisted that I needed to have a local address in India.  After speaking with a manager, they backed down.  If they insist, however, you might consider using the address of your company, or a willing friend or colleague.

That’s pretty much it.  The SIM card worked in my phone on the first try.

Within a few hours, I was receiving junk phone calls in Hindi – this helped to make me feel locally connected :-)

(The junk calls are annoying, like telemarketing in the US.  However they don’t hurt the wallet – incoming mobile calls are generally free here.)

 

What Did I Get?

What did I get for my efforts?

• a pre-paid SIM card, with affordable pay-as-you-go usage
• lifetime SIM card validity (my phone number in India is permanent)
• per-minute cost of Rs 1 ($0.02US) or less to most numbers
• per-minute cost of Rs 6.4 ($0.13US) back to the US
• incoming calls free
• correspondingly affordable SMS

You can re-charge these cards online, or by visiting a phone store and paying cash.

I’ve seen sites online advertising pre-paid SIM cards in India for $60US or more.  It’s much, much cheaper to walk into a store and buy your own card.

 

(Thanks for reading - Steve Klinkner)

Back in Bangalore

Or Bengaluru, as you might prefer.

I'm back in Bangalore for a few weeks, working with our team here on a forthcoming storage management project (sorry - it's a little too early to describe it in detail).

It seems that working in the technology sector these days often involves an occasional trip to India, whether it's Bangalore, Chennai, Pune or elsewhere.  That means a trip here might be in your future (whether or not you work in the storage industry).

I've been making trips to India fairly regularly for over five years now, since shortly after we opened our office in Bangalore.  Having helped to hire some of the early NetApp India employees, I've had a chance to see the site grow into an integrated part of the company.

Since I've got travel on my brain, I'll next offer a few tips that might make a trip to India simpler for you.

 

(Thanks for reading - Steve Klinkner)

Thin LUN Provisioning in System Manager

Following my recent article on Simple LUN Creation in System Manager, a reader asked how to turn off space reservations. 

In NetApp System Manager, it's a simple procedure.  Here's how you do it in just a few clicks.

 

Select a LUN

First, navigate to the LUNs page for your controller, and select the LUN that you want to have thinly provisioned.

Below, I've selected a LUN aptly named "klinkLun":

 

Edit the LUN

Now, click "Edit" to modify the LUN.  De-select the "Reserved" check box under "Space", as shown below. 

Click "OK" to close the dialog.

 

Volume Before

Upon creation, I placed the 10GB LUN into an existing 20GB volume named "HomeDirs". 

Below, you can see that the volume was previously 77% full with space reserved (prior to disabling the space reservation and thereby enabling thin provisioning).

 

Volume After

With the LUN thin provisioned, the volume space consumption drops to just 15% (the LUN isn't using much of its 10GB, yet).

Below you can see the "after" view of the volume, with the LUN space reservation disabled.

 

Plus a Demo Video

You can see a nice video here of System Manager used to achieve impressive space utilization using a combination of thin provisioning and deduplication.

It's a nice demo, worth a watch.

I mentioned this video previously in my post on Microsoft 2009 Storage Solutions Partner Demo Videos.  In that article, I give the video time stamps where the action happens (it's the 4th video, on storage optimization).

If you're short on time you can jump straight to the juicy parts.

 

(Thanks for reading - Steve Klinkner)