Formatting volumes
If you initialize LDEVs that are being used, you will need to format the LDEVs.
About formatting LDEVs
The LDEV formatting function, which includes Normal Format and Quick Format, enables you to format volumes (LDEVs). Volumes must be in the blocked status to be formatted.
The following table lists the formatting functions and specifies the LDEV types on which each formatting function can be performed.
|
Formatting function |
Corresponding volume |
|
Normal Format1 |
Internal volume Virtual volume External volume |
|
Quick Format 2 |
Internal volume, except for a volume in a parity group with accelerated compression enabled |
|
Notes:
| |
When an LDEV is added, the storage system performs one of the following actions depending on the setting:
- The storage system automatically formats the added LDEV. This is the default setting.
- The storage system blocks the LDEV and does not automatically format it.
To confirm or change the formatting setting on the storage system, contact the administrator. Users who have the Storage Administrator (Provisioning) role can change the formatting setting.
Quick Format function
The Quick Format function allows you to format internal volumes (LDEVs) in the background. While Quick Format operations are in process, you can perform other tasks to configure the storage system. I/O operations from hosts are allowed during Quick Format, but performance might be affected because shared resources such as MP units and cache paths are used during Quick Format operations.
Do not start more than four quick format operations at the same time.
Quick Format specifications
|
Item |
Description |
|
Preparation for executing the Quick Format feature |
The internal volume must be in blocked status. |
|
Maximum number of parity groups that can undergo Quick Format |
Quick Format can be performed for one or more parity groups at the same time. The number of parity groups on which Quick Format can be performed concurrently depends on the total number of entries for the parity groups. The number of entries for a parity group is based on the capacity of the drives in the parity group as follows:
The maximum number of Quick Format operations that can be performed at the same time depends on the storage system model as follows:
There is no limit on the number of volumes that can undergo Quick Format concurrently. |
|
Concurrent Quick Format operations |
While one Quick Format operation is in progress, another Quick Format operation can be performed. The maximum number of concurrent Quick Format operations is determined by the number of entries for the model as specified above. |
|
Preliminary processing |
At the beginning of the Quick Format operation, preliminary processing is performed to generate management information. If a volume is undergoing preliminary processing, the status of the volume is
|
|
Storage system is powered off and back on |
The Quick Format operation resumes when power is turned back on. |
|
Restrictions |
|
|
SIM which is output when finishing of the quick format |
If a quick format is performed, SIM=0x410100 is output when the format processing is finished. If multiple quick formats are performed, SIM=0x410100 is output when all format processing is finished. |
Blocking LDEVs
Use this procedure to block internal and external volumes (LDEVs). A volume must be blocked before you can format it or shred it.
When you want to block volumes, you can locate and select the volumes using any of the following methods:
- Use the Parity Groups window if you want to block one or more volumes in a specific parity group.
- Use the Pools window if you want to block one or more volumes in a specific pool.
- Use the Logical Devices window if you want to select the volumes to be blocked from a list of all volumes in the storage system.
Before you begin
- The Storage Administrator (Provisioning) role is required to perform this task.
Procedure
Click Storage Systems, and then expand the Storage Systems tree.
Locate and select the volumes to be blocked:
- To block one or more volumes in a specific parity group, expand Parity Groups, expand Internal or External, select the desired parity group in the tree, and then select the desired volumes on the LDEVs tab.
- To block all volumes in a specific parity group, click Parity Groups, and then select the desired parity group on the Parity Groups tab.
- To block one or more volumes in a specific pool, expand Pools, select the desired pool, click the Virtual Volumes tab, and then select the desired volumes.
- To select the volumes from a list of all volumes in the storage system, click Logical Devices, and then select the desired volumes. You can sort the volume list as needed by clicking on the desired column.
Click .
Verify the settings in the Confirm window, enter a unique Task Name or accept the default, and then click Apply.
If Go to tasks window for status is checked, the Tasks window opens.
Formatting a specific LDEV
Use this procedure to perform Normal or Quick formatting on a volume.
- If DP-VOLs with deduplication and compression enabled are formatted, the pool usage might increase by the format processing.
- If you format the deduplication system data volume for a pool that has DP-VOLs for which the capacity saving setting is disabled and Deduplication Data is Enabled, the capacity saving setting for the DP-VOLs might become Deduplication and compression. Therefore, verify the capacity saving setting of the DP-VOLs after the format operation completes.
- If Normal formatting is performed on the same storage system by multiple applications, the operation requested first is performed, and the operations requested later fail. For example, if Normal LDEV formatting is being performed by a maintenance PC and a Normal LDEV format is requested by the SVP, the LDEV format requested by the SVP fails.
Before you begin
- The Storage Administrator (Provisioning) role is required to perform this task.
- The status of the LDEV to be formatted must be Blocked. For information about blocking internal volumes, see Blocking LDEVs. For information about blocking external volumes, see the Hitachi Universal Volume Manager User Guide.
Procedure
Click Storage Systems, and then expand the Storage Systems tree.
Click Logical Devices.
In the Logical Devices window, select the LDEV ID of the LDEV you want to format.
NoteWhen you format a deduplication system data volume, you must select only the (one) deduplication system data volume. Do not select any other volumes.Click More Actions, and select Format LDEVs.
In the Format LDEVs window, select the desired format type (Normal or Quick), and then click Finish.
You can select Quick only when the Provisioning Type of the selected LDEV is Basic and the parity group to which it belongs does not have accelerated compression enabled.Verify the settings in the Confirm window, enter a unique Task Name or accept the default, and click Apply.
If Go to tasks window for status is checked, the Tasks window opens.
Formatting all LDEVs in a parity group
Use this procedure to perform Normal formatting on all of the volumes (LDEVs) in the parity group you select.
When formatting all LDEVs in a parity group do the following:
- Specify a parity group
- Format the LDEV
Before you begin
The Storage Administrator (Provisioning) role is required to perform this task.
Before you format the LDEVs in the selected parity group, make sure that all the LDEVs in the parity group have been blocked. See Blocking LDEVs for blocking an internal volume. See the Hitachi Universal Volume Manager User Guide for blocking an external volume.
Procedure
Click Storage Systems, and then expand the Storage Systems tree.
Click Parity Groups.
In the Parity Groups window, select a Parity Group ID of parity group with the LDEVs you want to format.
You can select multiple parity groups that are listed together or separately.Block the LDEV to be formatted.
For information about blocking internal volumes, see Blocking LDEVs. For information about blocking external volumes, see the Hitachi Universal Volume Manager User Guide.Click More Actions, and select Format LDEVs.
In the Format LDEVs window, select the format type from the Format Type list, and then click Finish.
In the Confirm window, click Next to go to the next operation.Click Apply.
If Go to tasks window for status is checked, the Tasks window opens.
Format LDEVs window
|
Item |
Description |
|
Format Type |
Select the type of formatting to be used on this LDEV.
|
|
Number of Selected Parity Groups |
Number of selected parity groups. |
Stopping the LDEV formatting process
Use this procedure to stop the normal LDEV formatting process. You can stop only the normal LDEV formatting process. The quick LDEV formatting process cannot be stopped after it has started.
If you want to restart the LDEV formatting process, you must specify the LDEVs and format the LDEVs again.
Before you begin
The Storage Administrator (Provisioning) role is required to perform this task.
Procedure
To stop all normal LDEV formatting tasks in the storage system, select Logical Devices in the Device Manager - Storage Navigator tree, select the LDEVs tab, and click .
In the Confirm window, click Apply.
If Go to tasks window for status is checked, the Tasks window opens.
Restoring blocked LDEVs
Use this procedure to restore blocked volumes (LDEVs).
When you want to restore blocked volumes, you can locate and select the volumes using any of the following methods:
- Use the Parity Groups window if you want to restore one or more volumes in a specific parity group.
- Use the Pools window if you want to restore one or more volumes in a specific pool.
- Use the Logical Devices window if you want to select the volumes to be restored from a list of all volumes in the storage system.
Before you begin
- The Storage Administrator (Provisioning) role is required to perform this task.
Procedure
Click Storage Systems, and then expand the Storage Systems tree.
Locate and select the blocked volumes to be restored:
- To restore one or more volumes in a specific parity group, expand Parity Groups, expand Internal or External, select the desired parity group in the tree, and then select the desired volumes on the LDEVs tab.
- To restore all volumes in a specific parity group, click Parity Groups, and then select the desired parity group on the Parity Groups tab.
- To restore one or more volumes in a specific pool, expand Pools, select the desired pool, click the Virtual Volumes tab, and then select the desired volumes.
- To select the volumes from a list of all volumes in the storage system, click Logical Devices, and then select the desired volumes. You can sort the volume list as needed by clicking on the desired column.
Click .
Verify the settings in the Confirm window, enter a unique Task Name or accept the default, and click Apply.
If Go to tasks window for status is checked, the Tasks window opens.