Redhat 6.5 Installation using 3.6TB and 8TB Array

[Ruel Alojado]

Hardware: Proliant DL380p G8

HDD: Drive Cage 1 connected to P420 PCI Array Controller: 4 X 1.2TB HDD

           Drive Cage 2 Connected to P420i Embedded Array Controller:  8X1.2TB HDD

Requirement:  LVM Mount Point Requirement:  11TB.  Internal Storage (No SAN Storage required)

Problem: 

1. Using Intelligent Provisioning 1.6, Redhat Installation, Manual Option, it creates only MBR partition.  We lost 1TB size of space due to partition and size limitation. 

2. Using Intelligent Provisioning, Redhat Linux Recommended settings, is give us the requirement of 11TB using GPT format but does not meet our FileSystem Mapping requirement.

3.  Direct installation of Redhat 6.5, we were able to set the Filesystem Mapping Requirement and it automatically set the partition type to GPT (may because that it detects that its more than 3TB logical disk).  But after the installation, ther server is not booting.

In the Intelligent Provisioning, there's no manual option in the installation of redhat. It seems Intelligent Provisioning creates a partition that holds some HP Proliant related startups and drivers.

May I know from your technical experience what does HP IP load into that partition to make it bootable?

Your inputs/help is highly appreciated.

Regards,

Ruel

[Jimmy Vance]

Red Hat article states that unless using UEFI,  the boot disk must use the DOS MBR-style partition table and cannot exceed 2.2TB if the full disk is to be utilized. BIOS based systems cannot boot from GPT disks

[Ruel Alojado]

Thanks and we know that.  If you read scenario 2 installation, Using Intelligent Provisioning Redhat recommended Installation, the OS was label as GPT and its booted.  The Problem is, it used all the Logical Disk resource, and don't give us the option to define /, /var, /opt, /home, /tmp, swap, /boot.

As i have said, HP IP, created a partition and load some startups and drivers.  What is it?  Why if we use, HP IP using Manual Option, it formats the Partition as MBR (msdos)?

Regards,

[Jimmy Vance]

The only differernce between manual and recommended is there is a kickstart file for the recommended.  In both cases a small ext2 partition is created that is deleted and the space reclaimed during the installation process.