Protecting File System Volumes

The Protect File System Volume option is available in the Protected Volumes component of the Disk Manager snap-in.  This feature allows you to manage a Windows volume that already contains a file system. The volume can then be mirrored and mapped to application servers, while preserving the existing data.

 

Make sure to keep these points in mind:

  • After protecting a file system volume, the storage server manages the entire Windows volume.

  • To protect a file system volume, the volume must have a file system and all drive letters must be removed.

  • The file system must either a FAT or NTFS file system.

  • The local SANmelody boot disk can NOT be protected.

  • Volumes marked as system disks can NOT be protected.

  • You can disable the protection when desired without destroying the data.

 

Follow these steps to add a protected file system volume:

  1. Remove all drive letters from volumes that are to be managed by SANmelody software. These drive letters will no longer be visible in Explorer on your SANmelody server.

  2. In the SANmelody Disk Manager snap-in, click on the Protected Volumes component and Refresh.

  3. Select the disk in the list and choose Protect File System Volume. The disk will be removed from the list.

  4. In the Storage Server snap-in, select the storage server and click the Refresh button. The disk will appear as a volume for that storage server.

  5. Apply the configuration.

 

Remove the Protection

Follow these steps to remove a protected file system volume from SANmelody management:

  1. In the Storage Server snap-in, select the storage server.

  2. In the volume list, delete the volume.  

  3. Apply the configuration.

  4. In the SANmelody Disk Manager snap-in, select the Protected Volumes component and choose Refresh from the context menu.

  5. In Windows Disk Management, and identify the partition with the file system, add the drive letter again, and rescan the disk.

 

 

 

 

Protecting File System Volumes