Help on volume creation..

[Prashant Zanwar_4]

For me I have VG and volume creation process ongoing..I have few things scripted, but want to do it better. Here is my need.

If I create new environment:

- I Might create 8-10 VG's of few GB's or whatever sizes. My convention of creation is

/dev/vg[1-9][1-9]

Under this I usually use striping, and then I create LV's, LV's I name them as v2000-0001 thru whatever possible number.
When I create vols I create v2000-0001 in 1st VG and v2000-00002 in second VG and so forth.

Even if it is not a new VG, my environment is like this, I have to pick up last vol and create new vols..just running alternatively through all VG's..

I know there will be good ideas which might come up from lots of guys..

Few things are - this is standard, so not really I can change standard.

- I got script to get last VG major number and creae after that.

- Also I have scripts to fix VG' across different hosts..

Please let me know if you guys have ideas on creating vols alternatiely running through all VG's.

Thanks a lot
Prashant

[harry d brown jr]

HUH?

Why?

What is the underlying storage device?

Is this for a database?

live free or die
harry d brown jr

[Prashant Zanwar_4]

I dont get your question. yes this is database and we use raw vols. Underlying storage is EMC.
Usually I get say some LUNs, those I allocate to VG's. While doing so, I usually take alternate paths on LUNs. Like c1 first then c2, and next time c2 first and then c1...like that we roll for performance..


Prashant

[harry d brown jr]

Ahhh, now I understand, you are basically micro-managing your storage.


This is for an informix database, right?

Are you using EMC's PowerPath?

Is the storage a Symmetrix, DMX or clariion?

Hypervolumes? Metavolumes? disk drive size and speeds? scsi/fibre channel?

live free or die
harry d brown jr

[Prashant Zanwar_4]

I am not sure that information is required when I am asking for the script.
I use powerpatch, Symmetrix/DMX..Hypervolumes 34GB...I have many environments, like ERP, EDW..CYBER..many more..
Thanks and regards
Prashant

[TwoProc]

Prashant,

I've done scripting that follows the same idea. It's a round robin through through all possible paths to brings you to the next pv path for the next lv. Consider 4 cards going to a storage system, then hooking to a switch with two paths to each LUN presented via to cards into the storage system. This gives 8 paths to each LUN right? The trick then becomes to generate a list of primary paths and alternate paths in a rotation of cards, slots on the switch, and into the storage system.

OK, I've got those scripts, but, They are SO hard coded for my McData switch presenting itself at a certain level in the hardware path, and dependent on 4 cards from the system and 2 into the storage server per LUN, well, I'm not going to post it b/c it's just not at portable unless you've got the same configuration.

So, I can attest that what you're doing is in the realm of what some (or at least - me) would call a proper method to allocating and balancing your disk structures. But, since I did all this HP now has AutoPathing which is pretty inexpensive and can keep you from having to do all this. I'm sure EMC has something which is similar which will keep you from having to do this, and probably provide better balance than the above round-robin approach. Given the opportunity just to purchase a better answer after going through all of the work of doing it by hand - I'd suggest you purchase your way through it. But, if you've got the time, doing it like you're thinking does produce a system that is relatively well balanced.