Log in as an ssconfig user.
Select the controller that you want to configure.
Determine whether the optimization mode of the logical drive is
to be Sequential I/O (default) or Random I/O.
The optimization mode you select determines the maximum number
of disks you can include in an array and the maximum usable capacity
of a logical drive, total array capacity, and stripe size. Optimization
is set in the Cache tab of the Change Controller Parameters window
and is set to Sequential by default. For more information
on Sequential I/O and Random I/O, and for steps on how to change
the optimization mode, see Changing
Controller Parameters - Cache tab.
Choose Configuration > Standard Configure. A Standard Configuration
Warning message is displayed. Click OK to continue.
The Standard Configuration Options window is displayed. If
you are not currently logged in as ssconfig, a login dialog
is displayed.
The options on the window might be disabled, depending on the number
of drives available and whether you have a Solaris OS on the server.
NOTE: In FC and SATA configurations with large device capacities,
the size of the logical drive might exceed the device capacity limitation
of your OS. Be sure to check the device capacity limitation of your
OS before using Standard Configuration.
The cluster configuration option creates a quorum RAID 5 logical
drive (100 Mbyte), and then allocates the remaining capacity over
two large RAID 5 logical drives. For this option, three or
more physical drives are required.
Verify the server and the controller IDs displayed at the top of
the window are correct.
If the server and the controller displayed at the top of the window
are not correct for the new logical array, click Cancel to
exit the configuration window and return to the main window. Select
the appropriate device and select the window again.
Indicate whether you want to use one of the drives as a standby
drive.
When you select Use a standby drive, Sun StorEdge Configuration
Service deactivates the RAID levels that do not use standby drives.
(For example, RAID 0 has no fault tolerance; therefore, a standby
drive provides no benefit.)
From the RAID levels made available, select the appropriate RAID
level for the logical drive you are configuring.
For definitions of the RAID levels, refer to RAID
Levels.
If you select RAID 3 or 5, Standard Configuration normally
configures one logical drive. However, if the array has more than
31 physical drives or exceeds 2 Tbyte, more than one logical drive
is created. Also, you need a minimum of three drives to use
RAID 3 or 5.
If you select RAID 1, every logical drive requires at least
two physical drives. If you select four or more drives, a logical
drive with a RAID 1+0 is created.
If you select RAID 0, and if the array has more than 36 drives, more
than one logical drive is created.
(Solaris OS only). If you want the new logical drive to be
automatically labeled, which enables the OS to use the drive, click
Write a new label to the new LD.
To use the logical drive immediately, select On-line Initialization.
Because logical drive initialization can take up to several hours,
you can choose to initialize a logical drive on-line. On-line initialization
enables you to begin configuring and using the logical drive before
initialization is complete. However, because the controller is building
the logical drive while performing I/O operations, initializing
a logical drive on-line requires more time than off-line initialization.
If you do not select On-line initialization, you can configure
and use the drive only after initialization is complete. Because
the controller is building the logical drive without having to also
perform I/O operations, off-line initialization requires less time
than on-line initialization.
Select the Stripe Size.
Select Default to assign the stripe size per Optimization
mode as specified in the default stripe size table shown in Changing
Controller Parameters - Cache tab, or select a different stripe
size.
Once the stripe size is selected and data is written to logical
drives, the only way to change the stripe size of an individual
logical drive is to back up all its data to another location, delete
the logical drive, and create a logical drive with the stripe size
that you want.
CAUTION: Only change the stripe size after you have tested
the effects on your application.
Specify Default, Write-through, or Write-back
as the Write Policy for the logical drive.
The write policy determines when cached data is written to the
disk drives. The ability to hold data in cache while it is being
written to disk can increase storage device speed during sequential
reads. Write policy options include write-through and write-back.
Using write-through cache, the controller writes the data to the
disk drive before signaling the host OS that the process is complete.
Write-through cache has lower write operation and throughput performance
than write-back cache, but it is the safer strategy, with minimum
risk of data loss on power failure. Because a battery module is
installed, power is supplied to the data cached in memory and the
data can be written to disk when power is restored.
Using write-back cache, the controller receives the data to write
to disk, stores it in the memory buffer, and immediately sends the
host OS a signal that the write operation is complete, before the
data is actually written to the disk drive. Write-back caching improves
the performance of write operations and the throughput of the controller
card. Write-back cache is enabled by default.
NOTE: The setting you specify you specify in the Write Back
field on the Cache tab of the Change Controller Parameters window
is the default global cache setting for all logical drives. ( See
Changing Controller
Parameters - Cache tab.
Click OK. The Confirm Configuration Operation window
is displayed showing the new configuration.
Click OK to accept the configuration as indicated; otherwise,
click Cancel to return to the console.
(HP-UX OS Only) To ensure the environment is stable and accurate
after making configuration changes, you need to run the ioscan
-fnC disk command.
NOTE: If you used System Administrator (sam) to unmount
the file system, make sure it is closed before running the ioscan
command.
(IBM AIX OS only) To ensure the environment is stable and
accurate after making configuration changes, you need to update the
Object Data Manager (ODM) as explained in Updating
the Object Data Manager on an IBM AIX Host.