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6 PS Series Template Volumes and Thin Clones: How and When to Use Them | TR1063
2 Configuring template volumes and thin clones
Thin clones are sub-volumes of template volumes in which the template is a read-only version of volume at a
specific point in time. Thin clones can be created from the template and are considered attached to the
template volume but act as individual differencing disks that initially consume minimum volume reserve. As
new writes are written to the thin clone, storage space is consumed and associated with the thin clone while
reads continue to come from the template. At any point, a thin clone can be separated from the template
volume and act as a new volume. In addition, snapshots can be taken of these thin clones and act as
standard volumes to the OS.
For more information and a complete list of options and restrictions on template volumes and thin clones,
refer to the Dell EqualLogic Group Manager Administrator’s Guide available on eqlsupport.dell.com (login
required).
2.1 Creating template volumes and thin clones
Creating a template volume from a standard PS Series volume is fairly simple depending on the application
for the template. Start with a PS Series volume that will serve as the base for the thin clone deployment. This
volume can be cloned from existing data or an existing volume can be turned into a template. This volume
should already be populated with the data that will be used because the base image for all thin clones
spawned from this template.
To convert a volume to a template volume:
1. Set the volume offline.
2. Convert the volume to a template volume by using the Activities panel in the PS Series Group
Manager.
Note: Template volumes are read-only. You will not be able to write to this volume again while it is a
template.
3. Set the template volume online.
The new template volume will show up as volume with a blue icon in the Group Manager. The option to create
thin clones will now show up in the Activities panel when the template volume is selected.
Thin clones can be created from any template volume and can only belong to the template volume from which
they were created. To create a thin clone, simply select the template volume and use the Activities panel to
create the thin clone. Each thin clone will be listed under the template volume they were created from.