What's new in IBM Storage Insights
Check out the new features and enhancements that are available in the Q1 2024 update of IBM® Storage Insights and IBM Storage Insights Pro.
IBM is constantly updating the infrastructure, security, and stability of IBM Storage Insights to improve your experience. Enhanced analytics, troubleshooting capabilities, and more robust data collection are built into this update, so that IBM Support team can better assist you in monitoring your storage environment.
Real-time ransomware threat detection
Your ability to identify ransomware threats on storage systems is reaching new heights with the AI-based ransomware threat detection. This feature adds an extra layer of detection that is designed for IBM Storage Virtualize storage systems.
The ransomware threat detection alert operates based on the volumes and Flash Core Module (FCM). For the devices with FCM version 4 and later, IBM Storage Insights receives ransomware alerts from IBM Storage Virtualize devices through Call Home with cloud services and then displays these alerts in GUI. Also, alerts are sent to your email IDs.
You can also configure your enterprise class observability and incident management services such as ServiceNow by creating a webhook in IBM Storage Insights to receive notifications when a ransomware threat alert triggered in IBM Storage Insights.
- Dashboards page
- Storage system details page
- Individual volumes details page
By clicking the Go to Alerts in the ransomware threat notification, you can go to the alerts detail page where you can find details of the potential ransomware-affected volumes. Right-click the volume and select View Alert to see detailed ransomware threat description along with its performance graph. Click the volume to see its detailed properties.
- Block storage systems page: New columns for Ransomware Threat Detection and Threat Notification Recipients are added, enhancing visibility and control.
- Storage system details page: Within section, following changes were introduced:
- To indicate ransomware detection on affected volumes, the (Threat Detected) label is appended to existing statuses in the Status column. For instance, if a volume's status is Warning and ransomware threat is detected on it, the status displays as Warning (Threat Detected). If you acknowledge the alert then the status becomes Warning (Threat Detected) Acknowledged. Also, the Threat Detection Timestamp column is introduced.
- Threat Detected and Threat Detected – Acknowledged with count statuses are added in the health summary.
- Operations dashboard page: Threat Detected and Threat Detected – Acknowledged with count statuses are added in the Volumes component tile of Logical Components.
- Alert details page:
- Workload Anomaly Event alert is renamed to Ransomware Threat Detection.
- Right click the volume that is affected with ransomware threat and select View Alert, two new columns Status and Host Connections are added.
- The Security tab under Volumes in Alert Definitions is removed.
- By default, ransomware threat detection is enabled for IBM Storage Virtualize systems with firmware version 8.6.0.0 or later.
- For the devices with FCM version 4 and later, ransomware threat detection is applicable only if the devices are monitored through Call Home with cloud services.
For more information, see Enabling and disabling ransomware threat detection alerts.
Integrating webhooks for ransomware alerts
A webhook is an HTTP request that is triggered by an event in a source system and sent to a destination system, often with a payload of data. In IBM Storage Insights, webhooks are now available for ransomware alerts, allowing notifications to be sent to target application when potential ransomware threats are detected on your storage systems.
To create a webhook in your IBM Storage Insights, go to .
For more information, see Creating a webhook in IBM Storage Insights.
When you create a webhook, you specify a URL and subscribe to event types. When an event that your webhook is subscribed to occurs, IBM Storage Insights sends an HTTP request with payload data about the event to the URL that you specified. If your application is configured to listen for webhook deliveries at that URL, it can take action when it receives one.
For more information, see Receiving webhook deliveries.
To see an example of how to create a webhook in IBM Storage Insights and configure your third-party application to receive a webhook, see Integrating IBM Storage Insights with ServiceNow.
IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 support
IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 device can now be monitored with IBM Storage Insights through Data Collector (DC) and Call Home with cloud services method.
For more information about IBM Storage Insights FlashSystem 5300, see Table 2 of IBM Storage Insights vs IBM Storage Insights Pro.
Overview dashboard (Carbon)
- Top navigation pane: The top navigation pane provides you the Hamburger menu, Back to Classic theme, Help, Settings, and User options for quick navigation between the pages.
- Side navigation pane: The side navigation pane opens on clicking the Hamburger menu in the top navigation pane. It provides Overview, Storage Systems, and Settings options for quick navigation between the pages.
For more information about the top and side navigation pane, see Overview dashboard (Carbon).
Storage systems tabular view
The tabular view displays all the storage systems that are added to the tenant with all their attributes and properties.
For more information, see Storage systems tabular view.
Individual device dashboard
Individual device overview dashboard enables you to monitor and troubleshoot the specific storage systems usage in their cluster. It also enables you to view the system level information about different aspects, such as Components, Capacity, Sustainability, Workload Protection, System Protection, Performance, Top Volumes in Latency, Throughput and IOPS, etc.
For more information, see Individual device dashboard.
Audit logs
You can download the audit logs of the actions that you perform in IBM Storage Insights. The logs for various actions that are performed in the last 15 days are available to download in CSV format. The Tenant administrators can use this feature to download the audit logs. But, the users with Monitor role cannot download audit logs.
Audit logs are in Cloud Auditing Data Federation (CADF) standard format.
You can download the audit logs by navigating to menu option in IBM Storage Insights GUI or by using IBM Storage Insights REST APIs. For more information about downloading audit logs from GUI, see Navigation.
For more information about downloading the audit logs through REST APIs, see Audit logs.
Maintenance dashboard for IBM block storage systems
You can now access a dashboard that displays warranty and maintenance information for your IBM block storage systems. With this new maintenance dashboard, you can track the timeline of your services, including device warranty, maintenance, and expert care. You can identify services that are soon to expire or already expired, allowing you to renew them as needed.
To access the maintenance dashboard, go to . Here, you can find a holistic overview of your storage systems, including details such as serial number, device type, and the earliest service expiration date. Click a specific storage system to view its components like nodes and enclosure and their maintenance details. Expand the drop-down menu for each component to access additional information such as warranty type, expiration date, response time, coverage, and warranty period. You can also switch to the Expired Storage Systems tab to view details of systems with expired warranties or maintenance contracts.
Upon logging in to IBM Storage Insights, you are notified about storage systems with expired maintenance contracts. You can acknowledge these notifications or access maintenance details by clicking View Details within the notification, or by going to .
Also, for IBM Storage Insights Pro, the alert condition for warranty or maintenance expiry is included in the default alert policy. With this alert, you are notified before 90 days of your service expiry. Moreover, you can customize the alert policy to set the expiry notification between 30 to 365 days.
For more information, see Tracking maintenance contracts of storage systems.
Call Home with cloud services integration for IBM Storage Ceph systems
You can use Call Home with cloud services to establish a direct connection between IBM Storage Ceph systems and IBM Storage Insights. When you enable Call Home with cloud services on an IBM Storage Ceph, you get notified in IBM Storage Insights to approve or decline the IBM Storage Ceph system addition request. You can also access the devices that are pending for approval in . When you approve the request, the device is added to IBM Storage Insights, and you can start monitoring.
For more information on adding IBM Storage Ceph systems through Call Home with cloud services, see Adding IBM Storage Ceph systems.
- Only IBM Storage Ceph systems with version 7 or later are supported for monitoring in IBM Storage Insights.
- IBM Storage Ceph system must be added to IBM Storage Insights through Call Home with cloud services only.
Enhanced DS8000 copy data interface: A streamlined Summary tab
The copy data section in the DS8000 device details page is enhanced to display more accurate and relevant copy data values. The Summary tab in the Copy Data section is introduced with the categories such as primary data, copies of local data, and copies of remote data. These data categories are further subdivided into relevant subcategories to enhance visibility and find relevant copy data.
Access the Summary tab in Copy Data section in DS8000 device details page. The following data categories and subcategories are displayed.
| Data categories | Data subcategories |
|---|---|
|
Primary data |
Synchronous Multi Target Synchronous Synchronous and Asynchronous Asynchronous Multi Target Asynchronous Not protected Note: All these subcategories are further provided with the subcategory Protected
Locally.
|
|
Copies of local data |
FlashCopy Provisioned Capacity
Note: This subcategory is further provided with the subcategory
FlashCopy Used Capacity.
Safeguarded Copy |
|
Copies of remote data |
Synchronous Synchronous Cascaded Asynchronous Asynchronous Cascaded Note: All these subcategories are further provided with the subcategory Protected
Locally.
|
For more information, see Block storage copy data resources.
Optimizing DS8000 safeguarded capacity management: New metrics and alerts
- Safeguarded Used Capacity (%): The percentage of safeguarded capacity currently used.
- Safeguarded Virtual capacity: The total virtual capacity allocated to store safeguarded backups for a safeguarded source.
- Block storage systems page: Go to .
- Pools page: Go to .
- DS8000 details page:
- Volumes in Internal Resources sectionNote: You can also access new metrics by double-clicking a specific volume and selecting the Storage tab.
- Pools in Internal Resources sectionNote: You can also access new metrics by double-clicking a specific pool and selecting the Storage tab.
You can add Safeguarded Used Capacity (%) metric to the capacity charts of storage systems, volumes, and pools. The capacity chart displays the historical behavior of the Safeguarded Used Capacity (%) as per the duration set by you.
Also, you can set alerts for Safeguarded Used Capacity (%) to receive notifications when it reaches a threshold set by you. For example, you can configure an alert when the Safeguarded Used Capacity (%) of a volume is greater than or equal to 25%.
Seamless monitoring DS8000 R9.4
You can add DS8000 devices that are running on R9.4 version to your IBM Storage Insights and monitor them seamlessly.
- Multi target - Global Mirror (MT-GM): A single volume can now be part of two global mirror sessions. You can access this information in the Consistency groups and Remote Relationships tabs of the Copy Data section on the device details page.
- Cascaded Incremental Resynchronization: Enables incremental resynchronization for cascaded PPRC relationships, leveraging multi-target PPRC and supporting various types of cascaded relationships.
For more information about the DS8000 firmware versions supported in IBM Storage Insights, see IBM Storage Insights Support for IBM System Storage DS8000 Series.
Don't forget to upgrade your data collectors
If the automatic upgrade option for data collectors is enabled, you do not need to do anything once IBM Storage Insights is updated. You can pick up right where you left off.
If the automatic upgrade is not enabled, you might be notified to upgrade your data collectors so that you can benefit from all the new features and improvements. To upgrade the data collectors, make sure that you have the Administrator role and click the link in the notification message or select Data Collector from the Configuration menu and click Upgrade.
