Optimal Disk Configuration

Hello Jamie,

welcome to EMC Forums.

I think it's possible to achieve what you are trying to do, you will need to manually create all the different components (slice volumes,metavolumes) and for easy of administrator you could add them to user_defined pools. Take a look at these documents: "Managing Celerra Volumes and File Systems Manually 5.6.44 A04" and "Managing Celerra Volumes and File Systems with Automatic Volume Management 5.6.45 A06". They can be found here:

Home > Support > Technical Documentation and Advisories > Hardware/Platforms Documentation > Celerra Network Server > Maintenance/Administration

I have read through creating volumes and I don't think that goes all the way to the disk. I have no problem using Navisphere and creating the volume that deep, just not sure how to make sure it is visible to the Celerra.

You dont have to stick to the templates, but you can only use the raid group sizes and types that the Celerra support.

For a NS20 that would be:

Disk Group Type Attach Type Storage Profile/ Storage Pool Default Number of Disk Volumes
8+1 RAID5 Fibre Channel clar_r5_economy 2
4+1 RAID5 Fibre Channel clar_r5_performance 2
RAID1 Fibre Channel clar_r1 2
4+2 RAID 6 Fibre Channel clar_r6 2
6+2 RAID 6 Fibre Channel clar_r6 2
12+2 RAID 6 Fibre Channel clar_r6 4
6+1 RAID5 CX ATA clarata_archive 2
6+1 RAID5 CX3 ATA clarata_archive 1
4+1 RAID5 CX3 only ATA clarata_archive 1
8+1 RAID5 CX3 only ATA clarata_archive 2
4+1 RAID3 ATA clarata_r3 1
8+1 RAID3 ATA clarata_r3 2
4+2 RAID 6 ATA clarata_r6 2
6+2 RAID 6 ATA clarata_r6 2

So if you add 15 drives and use 2 for RAID1 its a bit difficult to fit something supported in there.
The only thing I can think of is 6+2R6 and 4+1R5 but I dont think you want another storage pool

I would either get more than one DAE and more disks or:
- just get 11 or 12 disks and go for one 8+1R5 or 2x 4+1R5 plus your 1+1R1
- or 2x 4+1R5 and 2x 1+1R1
- create 2x 4+1R5 on the new disks, migrate your file systems from the 8+1R5 in the first DAE to free it up and then create 2x more 4+1R5 and your 1+1R1

just depends on where you need your additional storage. I find that with too many storage pool types you tend to run out of space in the wrong pool so I prefer systems with all 4+1 or not to many pools



no, in terms of setup_clariion there arent any truly user_defined templates.

You have two choices to configure it freely

1) use NaviSphere - officially thats only if you happen to have a NS-20FC with a FC enablement license
see Powerlink Home > Support > Product and Diagnostic Tools > Celerra Tools > NS20, NS20FC
then Step 5: Configure for Production
then Perform Common Post-CSA tasks
then Configure additional storage for your integrated system
then Fibre Channel (FC) enabled integrated configuration Celerra system (Navisphere Manager)
which should leed you to this: http://corpusweb130.corp.emc.com/ns/common/post_install/Config_storage_FC_NaviManager.htm

2) or the easier way if you have DART 5.6.45 that includes the Storage Provisioning Wizard
that way you cant do any mistakes and you can see how much space you get in which pool before making the config
see attached

I would recommend a DART upgrade and use 2)



no - you can setup an 8+1R5 plus one or two 1+1R1 in the same DAE

yes, for some reason the AVM and MVM manuals dont cover the actual disk and raid group config - that is only documented online on Powerlink right now

to make the LUNs visible to the Celerra its just a server_devconfig - the hard part is to create them with the correct settings so that they are recognzied

The attached PDF file listed limited combinations for RAID 6. But the Technical Module - Managing EMC Celerra Volumes and File Systems with Automatic Volume Management - says: RAID 6 groups have no restrictions on the number of disks.
Could you clarify ?

Rainer,

This would answer my question but I just had a call with Pre-Sales that contradicts this. Any manual which might be able to prove them wrong? They told me I needed to match the templates and order 2 DAE's. I would much prefer your 8+1 R5 and 1+1 R1 configuration on the same DAE into a custom storage pool!

Thanks for your help - great reply.

Thanks for pointing that out - thats definitely an error in the documentation.

The Celerra will only recognize support RAID group sizes as listed on page 21

I'll notifiy the documentation group to get it corrected