Clone volumes

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Clone volume feature allows you to create a consistent copy of volumes that are available or attached to a virtual machine.

Clone volume uses storage consistency group to ensure data consistency during clone operation. This topic explains certain aspects such as prerequisites, use cases, and limitations of cloning volumes.

Prerequisites

  • All volumes that are selected for cloning must have a storage template assigned.
  • All volumes that are selected must be from the same storage provider.

Supported use cases

PowerVC supports the following snapshot use case scenarios:
  • Clone multiple volumes in available state.
  • Clone multiple volumes, which are attached to the virtual machine.
  • Create cloned volumes and assign a different target template from the same storage provider.

Limitations

  • A volume must not part of any volume group.
  • For clone volumes you can select volumes that are using different storage templates. However, when you clone the volumes by assigning a target template, the cloned volumes will have the same target template.
  • The maximum number of volumes which can be cloned depends on the consistency group limits as defined by the storage provider.
  • Clone volume is only supported for IBM Storwize®, Power Max, Pure Storage, and Hitachi storage providers.
  • Clone volume is supported for Storwize global mirror and Hitachi GAD for replicated volumes. Clone Volume is not supported for PowerMax SRDF volumes.