16 Implementing the IBM Storwize V7000 with IBM Spectrum Virtualize V8.2.1
In thick-provisioned environments (available on FlashSystem 900 and Storwize), this capacity 
is allocated to a host whether it has data that is written. For thin-provisioned environments 
(available on the Storwize), this data is written and used. This difference occurs because of 
the different ways in which thick and thin provisioning use disk space. 
These systems are available worldwide, but specific client and program differences exist by 
location. Contact your IBM Business Partner or sales person for more information.
2.3.3  IBM Storwize V7000 functions
The following functions are available with the current release of IBM Spectrum Virtualize:
/SM590000Thin provisioning
Traditional fully allocated volumes allocate real physical disk capacity for an entire volume, 
even if that capacity is never used. Thin-provisioned volumes allocate real physical disk 
capacity only when data is written to the logical volume.
/SM590000Volume mirroring
Provides a single volume image to the attached host systems while maintaining pointers to 
two copies of data in separate storage pools. Copies can be on separate disk storage 
systems that are being virtualized. If one copy is failing, IBM Storwize V7000 provides 
continuous data access by redirecting input/output (I/O) to the remaining copy. When the 
copy becomes available, automatic resynchronization occurs.
/SM590000FlashCopy
Provides a volume level point-in-time copy function for any storage being virtualized by 
IBM Spectrum Virtualize. This function creates copies for backup, parallel processing, 
testing, and development, and has the copies available almost immediately. 
IBM Storwize V7000 includes the following IBM FlashCopy functions enabled by IBM 
Spectrum Virtualize V8.1:
– Full or incremental copy
This function copies only the changes from the source or target data since the last 
FlashCopy operation, and enables completion of point-in-time online backups much 
more quickly than the use of traditional FlashCopy.
– Multitarget FlashCopy
IBM Storwize V7000 supports copying of up to 256 target volumes from a single source 
volume. Each copy is managed by a unique mapping and in general, each mapping 
acts independently and is not affected by other mappings sharing the source volume.
– Cascaded FlashCopy
This function is used to create copies of copies, and supports full, incremental, or 
nocopy operations.
– Reverse FlashCopy
This function enables data from an earlier point-in-time copy to be restored with 
minimal disruption to the host.
– FlashCopy nocopy with thin provisioning
This function provides a combination of using thin-provisioned volumes and FlashCopy 
together to help reduce disk space requirements when making copies.