HP Surestore Disk Array FC60 HP SureStore E Disk Array FC60 Service Manual (A5 - Page 189

Managing Disk Array Capacity During installation, a volume structure is created on the disk array. This structure may meet your initial storage requirements, but at some point additional capacity may be required. This involves adding disks and creating new volumes. Careful volume planning will ensure that you achieve the desired levels of data protection and performance from your disk array. Configuring Volumes The primary task in managing disk array capacity is creating the volume structure you need. Factors such as capacity, RAID level, and stripe segment size must be determined for each volume group. The volume configuration you select should be based on system environment and application needs. The process of creating volumes is much like adding new disks to your system. Each volume appears to the host as a single hard disk drive. However, unlike conventional hard disks, the disk array gives you the flexibility to control the size and operating characteristics of each volume. When creating volume groups, consider the following: • Any size limitations imposed by Windows NT or Windows 2000. • The maximum numbers of volume groups that can be created on the disk array is 32. Because volume numbering begins at 0, the highest volume number is 31. • Your backup strategy. If you do unattended backup to a device such as tape, you may want to avoid creating a volume that is larger than the capacity of the media. This allows you to backup an entire volume without changing media. Selecting Disks for a Volume Group When creating a volume group, you must select the disks that will be used. The capacity of the volume group is determined by the number and capacity of the disks you select, and the RAID level. Managing Disk Array Capacity 189 Managing the Disk Array