Storage pools
Learn about logical volume storage pools and file storage pools.
| Storage pools supported | Virtual I/O Server (VIOS) release |
|---|---|
|
VIOS Version 1.5, and later |
| Shared storage pools | VIOS Version 2.2.0.11, Fix Pack 24, Service Pack 1, and later |
Like volume groups, logical volume storage pools are collections of one or more physical volumes. The physical volumes that comprise a logical volume storage pool can be of varying sizes and types. File storage pools are created within a parent logical volume storage pool and contain a logical volume containing a file system with files.
Logical volume storage pools store logical volume backing devices, file-backed storage pools, and the virtual media repository. File storage pools store file-backing devices.
By using storage pools, you are not required to have extensive knowledge of how to manage volume groups and logical volumes to create and assign logical storage to a client logical partition. Devices created by using a storage pool are not limited to the size of the individual physical volumes.
On the VIOS, you can use shared storage pools. Shared storage pools provide distributed storage access to all VIOS logical partitions in a cluster.
Storage pools are created and managed using the following commands.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| alert | Sets, removes, and lists all the alerts for the storage pool in a cluster. |
| chsp | Changes the characteristics of a storage pool. |
| chbdsp | Changes the characteristics of a backing device within a storage pool. |
| lssp | Displays information about a storage pool. |
| mkbdsp | Assigns storage from a storage pool to be a backing device for a virtual Small Computer Serial Interface (SCSI) adapter. |
| mksp | Creates a storage pool. This storage pool is created by default when you create a cluster. |
| rmbdsp | Removes a backing device from its virtual SCSI adapter, or a VIOS object (Version 2.2.0.11, Fix Pack 24, Service Pack 1, or later), and returns the storage back to the storage pool. |
| rmsp | Removes a file storage pool. This storage pool is removed by default when you remove a cluster. |
| snapshot | Creates, deletes, and rolls back a snapshot image of a single logical unit or multiple logical units. |
In VIOS logical partitions prior to Version 2.2.0.11, Fix Pack 24, Service Pack 1, each VIOS logical partition has a single default storage pool that can be modified only by the prime administrator. By default, rootvg, which is a logical volume pool, is the default storage pool unless the prime administrator configures a different default storage pool.
Do not create client storage in rootvg. By creating one or more distinct logical volume storage pools rather than using the rootvg volume group, you can install any newer versions of the VIOS while maintaining client data by exporting and importing the volume groups created for virtual I/O.
Unless explicitly specified otherwise, the storage pool commands operate on the default storage pool. This situation can be useful on systems that contain most or all of its backing devices in a single storage pool.
