Creating Virtual Volumes

After your volumes have been created, the next step is to create virtual volumes which will ultimately be mapped to application servers as storage resources.

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 is 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.)

  • 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.

  • Mirror path configurations, such as using specific mirror paths or redundant mirror paths, must be configured prior to creating a mirror. After a mirror configuration exists for a virtual volume, mirror path settings cannot be changed. Refer to Specifying the Mirror Path to configure prior to creating mirrors.

  • NMV-based virtual volumes must have a size which is a multiple of the NMV SAU size. Creating mirrored virtual volumes from pools of the same size SAUs allows for greater optimization.

  • If your storage is dual path (shared between two storage servers), refer to About Dual Path for special considerations.

  • For information concerning virtual volumes used with Traveller, refer to Notes about Traveller.

To create virtual volumes:

  1. In the Virtual Volumes tab of SANmanager, open the SDS folder in the upper-left pane. It will contain a list of all storage servers in the region (those that can be managed by SANmanager).

  2. Select the appropriate storage server. A list of volumes will appear in the upper-right pane.

  3. Select one or more volumes and drag them to the Virtual Volumes folder in the lower-left pane. New virtual volume icons will appear under that folder.

The default virtual volume names begin with VVol1, then VVol2, and so on. You can change this name in the Virtual Volume Properties dialog box (before mapping) to make it more meaningful to you.

  1. If you are using mirrors, refer to Specifying the Mirror Path to configure redundant mirror paths if necessary. (Redundant mirror paths cannot be changed after mirror paths exist.)

  2. Add a second volume to your virtual volume (or a third for tertiary mirrors) to create a mirror set, refer to Creating Mirrors for Virtual Volumes.
    Important: Verify any mirror mappings before applying the configuration, refer to Mapping Properties. Mirror mappings cannot be changed after applying.

  3. Apply the configuration.

Related Topics:

Virtual Volume Properties

Virtual Volume Properties (Multiple)

Deleting a Virtual Volume

Creating Virtual Volumes