Creating and mapping a new storage volume (LUN)

The IBM® Storage Enhancements for VMware vSphere Web Client allow you to create new volumes (LUNs) directly from the vSphere Web Client interface. These volumes can be used as storage devices in the vSphere environment.

About this task

Any created volume is mapped to either ESXi hosts, clusters, or datacenters, so that the virtual machines on these hosts, clusters, or datacenters would be able to save datastore information on that volume.

In addition to single volume creation, you can create multiple volumes simultaneously. If you choose this option, the created volumes are appended with differently numbered suffixes that are automatically generated by the system in consecutive order.

Important:

You can create volumes only on storage pools that have been attached to the relevant vCenter server on the Spectrum Control side. For more information, see GUI – Managing integration with vSphere Web Client
The ESXi hosts and clusters to which you map the created volumes must be predefined on the storage system side. For more information, refer to your IBM storage system documentation.

Procedure

In vSphere Web Client, navigate to the relevant vCenter server and then to the specific IBM storage array on which you want to create the new volume. The IBM storage array and the relevant storage pools should already be associated with the vCenter server (see Viewing the IBM storage resource information).

Click Actions > Create New Volume. Alternatively, from the Top Level Objects view on the relevant vCenter server, click Actions > All IBM Storage Enhancements for VMware vSphere Web Client Actions > Create New Volume.

This image illustrates clicking Create New Volume from the IBM storage array view. — Figure 1. IBM storage array view – Clicking Create New Volume

This image illustrates clicking Create New Volume from the Top Level Objects view. — Figure 2. Top Level Objects view – Clicking Create New Volume

You can also right-click the storage array or click the dedicated icon in order to invoke the Create New Volume option.

The Create New Volume dialog box is displayed.

This image illustrates the Create New Volume dialog box. — Figure 5. Create New Volume wizard (XIV example)

Note: When you create a single volume, a LUN (logical unit number) is assigned to that volume, and you can later change the LUN assignment. If you create multiple volumes, LUNs (logical unit numbers) are automatically assigned to those volumes and cannot be modified later.

In the Volume Size text box, enter the size for the new volume. Alternatively, place the mouse pointer on the graphic image of the storage pool, and then click and slide the space marker rightward to set the new volume size. The numerical value in Volume Size is automatically updated accordingly.

This image illustrates setting the volume size with the graphic space marker. — Figure 6. Setting the volume size with the graphic space marker

Note:

It is recommended to define the size of an XIV® volume in a multiple of 17 GB. The Volume Size box appears with a yellow rectangle around it if the size value is not a multiple of 17 GB. The XIV Recommended Volume Size (GB) information is displayed below.
The largest available storage pool on the storage array is automatically selected.
The minimum size for compressed XIV volumes is 87 GB, and their recommended size is 103 GB.

In the Volume Name text box, enter the name that you want to assign to the new volume.
If you want to create multiple volumes simultaneously (otherwise, go to step 6): In the Number of Volumes text box, enter the number of volumes that you want to create simultaneously. The text box next to the Volume Name entry displays vol_{1} by default. The {1} represents the suffix value, and it must be kept as part of the volume name. You edit the volume name and also move the suffix value within the name (the {1} suffix does not have to be at the end of the volume name).
Figure 7. Creating multiple volumes
If you want to change the automatically selected storage pool (otherwise, skip to next step), select a different storage pool from the Storage Array/Pool list box. The list box displays the storage resources that were created on compatible services, as explained in GUI – Adding a storage service. Incompatible storage pools are grayed out and cannot be selected for volume creation.

If you are creating a single volume, you can select the LUN that should represent the new volume on the storage system, or keep the automatically selected LUN. The LUNs are automatically selected when creating multiple volumes.

This image illustrates selecting LUN — Figure 8. Selecting LUN

Note: After the volume is created, the specific LUN association cannot be changed, and the same number cannot be assigned to a different volume. The specific LUN can become available for reassignment only after its associated volume is deleted.

Only if you are creating the volume on an IBM FlashSystem®, DS8000®, SAN Volume Controller, or Storwize® storage system (otherwise, skip to the next step):

Select the I/O Group to which the volume should belong. Not applicable to DS8000.
Optional: Select Enable Thin Provisioning if you want the volume to be defined as thin provisioned and not as a fixed hard disk allocation. When this option is selected, the available capacity and total capacity are displayed based on the requested volume size. For DS8000, the over-provision ratio information is also displayed.
Optional: Select Enable Data Compression if you use data compression on SAN Volume Controller or Storwize V7000, on Storwize V3500 or Storwize V3700, or on Storwize V7000 Unified. Not applicable to DS8000.
Optional: Select Enable Vdisk Mirroring if you want to use virtual disk mirroring for the volume or volumes that you create. Not applicable to DS8000. If selected, a list of storage pools appears and you must select the secondary storage pool on which you want the mirrored volume or volumes to be created.

Note:

XIV volumes are not associated with I/O groups and are thin-provisioned if created in a thin-provisioned storage pool.
Compressed volumes of SAN Volume Controller or Storwize storage systems (if supported by the microcode) are always thin-provisioned.

From Host Mapping, select the host(s), cluster(s), or datacenter(s) to which you want to map the new volume. You can click Custom to specify a custom mapping in the Advanced Host Mapping dialog box.

This image illustrates selecting the hosts, clusters, or datacenters for LUN mapping. — Figure 9. Advanced Host Mapping dialog box

Note: Any ESXi host that is connected to the storage array can be selected. Hosts that are not connected to the storage array are marked and a message notifies you about any connectivity problem. If you select a datacenter, its member clusters and hosts are automatically selected under it.

Important: You must map the volume to at least one ESXi host, cluster, or datacenter in order to enable vSphere management of the created volume.

Review the details of the new volume that is about to be created, and then click OK to confirm its creation as detailed.