MSA 2312 Query

[SANNewbie]

Hi,

I am new with HP SAN, and have following queries:

Total SAN storage space 6.6 TB (22 Disks 300GB) with RAID5

1 Global Spare disk

4.9 TB in use space, 497 Gb Available space, 1.2  TB Reserved space

2 Vdisks

- Array01 > 3.0 TB

   - Volume D1 (3.0 TB)

   - 0  spares

- Array02 > 2.4 TB ( 1.9 TB & 497 GB available space)

   - Volume D2 ( 1.8 TB)

   - Volume D3 ( 100 GB)

   - 1 spares

Hosts>

HostA

HostB

HostC

1) Reserved space is usable space? or can it convert to vdisk?

2) What is the different between create volume and volume set?

3) Can I create a new volume at Vdisk Array02 for the balance 497 GB?

4) Can I create new Vdisk that consist new volume for the balance available space 497 GB?

5) If existing each Volume present to respective HostA, HostB and HostC accordingly, how do I map the new volume that created from available space to HostB? What is the correct step that won't affect existing Volume2 from the new map?

6) If I addin two new 300 GB SAS to the empty HD slot on one of the enclosure, can I create a new Vdisks and volume from there? Is there any limitation for two enclosure?

[Johan Guldmyr]

Hi,

1) How many disks do you have in each array/vdisk?

With RAID5 you'll lose 300 (one in Array01+Array02) + Global Spare.

3) yes
4) no, if I understand there is 497GB free inside Array02 - with this space you can create volume(s).
6) yes, you can add two more disks and create a raid1. Or you can try to expand an existing vdisk/volume. But this last option is a very long process (days).

[SANNewbie]

Array01 - 11 disk
Array02 - 10 disk

1) So the reserved space = Each Vdisks one disk + Global spare 1 disk + Array02 spare with sum up 1.2 TB?

2) What is the exact different between create new volume and create new volume set?

3) If I create the volume with the balance space at Vdisks Array02, how can I map to HostB? Explicit mapping?

4) If that possible to reduce the Vdisks Array02 volume D2 to smaller size or split to three volume 

[Johan Guldmyr]

http://bizsupport2.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01756042/c01756042.pdf

1) Something is missing from that equation. 3 x 300 = 900.
2) In pdf above see page 49. You use the volume set if you want to create multiple similar volumes.
3) In pdf above see page 18. If this is a FC array you can also use zoning to restrict which server sees the volume.
4) It will probably be a lot faster to make backup of the contents, delete volume and re-create as you want it. Perhaps you can use the extra space available in the array to accomplish this. I could not find a command to make size smaller, there is 'expand' however that you can use to enlarge a vdisk and/or volume.