Creating Linear Virtual Volumes

After your volumes have been created, the next step is to create linear virtual volumes which will ultimately be mapped to application servers as storage resources. Linear virtual volumes are used in standalone SANmelody configurations. Linear virtual volumes are also used as the basis of virtual volume mirrors used in partnered configurations, so create linears in either case.

Important Notes:

  • Application server operating systems may have limitations on how they work with virtual volumes. Virtual volumes created from NMVs have a default logical size of 2 TB. The maximum logical size of a virtual volume is 1 petabyte (PB). Some application server types may require that you map volumes that have sizes less than the default size. After virtual volumes are created from NMVs, they can be resized prior to mapping them to an application server. Resizing virtual volumes is performed in Virtual Volume Properties (see Virtual Volume Properties.)

  • Each virtual volume name created in the SAN must be unique. In addition, do not use the same virtual volume name on storage servers on different SANs if the possibility exists that the storage servers could map virtual volumes to the same application server. This could cause the application server to operate under the assumption that the same storage volume is configured over multiple paths.

  • You can customize the volume name by entering a name in the Name field. If you leave the field blank,  the new virtual volume will be named according to a default naming scheme. Default virtual volume names begin with VVol1, then VVol2, and so on. When you add multiple selections, the supplied name will be appended with a number so that each name is unique.

To create linear virtual volumes:

  1. Open the Virtual Volumes snap-in by clicking on the Virtual Volumes node in the console tree.

  2. Click the New Virtual Volume button  SANmelody newvv Creating Linear Virtual Volumes on the toolbar to open the New Virtual Volume dialog box.

SANmelody createvvol Creating Linear Virtual Volumes

  1. Select one or more available volumes in the list and click the green down arrow. This moves the volumes to the lower pane. (You can also move volumes back up to the top pane by selecting them in the lower pane and clicking the upward green arrow.)

  2. Click OK to complete the changes and close the dialog box.  The virtual volumes appear in the right pane of the Virtual Volume snap-in.

  3. Click the Apply button SANmelody applyicon Creating Linear Virtual Volumes on the toolbar to apply the configuration changes.

  4. Resize virtual volumes if necessary, see Virtual Volume Properties.

Note: If you have two storage servers in your configuration, you can perform these steps from either server.

 

Back to Getting Started.

Creating Linear Virtual Volumes