3.5.1 Matrix Server Administration Guide

Chapter 6: Configure Dynamic Volumes 83

• Striped dynamic volumes can be extended up to 16 times; however,

the total number of subdevices cannot exceed 128.

Guidelines for Creating Dynamic Volumes

When creating striped dynamic volumes, follow these guidelines:

• The subdevices used for a striped dynamic volume should be the

same size. The Matrix Volume Manager uses the same amount of

space on each subdevice in the stripeset. When a striped dynamic

volume is created, the Matrix Volume Manager determines the size of

the smallest specified subdevice and then uses only that amount of

space on each subdevice. If the subdevices are different sizes, the

additional space on the larger subdevices will be wasted.

This limitation also applies when a striped dynamic volume is

extended. The newly added subdevices constitute a new stripeset. The

size of the smallest subdevice determines the amount of space that

will be used on each of the subdevices.

• The default stripe size should be adequate for most applications and

hardware configurations. However, be sure to check your application

documentation for recommendations regarding the stripe size. Also

consider the requirements and performance of the underlying storage

hardware.

Create a Dynamic Volume

When you create a dynamic volume, you will need to select the

subdevices to be included in the volume. If the volume will be striped,

you will also need to select a stripe size. Optionally, Matrix Server can

also create a filesystem that will be placed on the dynamic volume.

To create a dynamic volume from the Management Console, use one of

the following methods:

• From the Storage menu, select Dynamic Volume > Create Volume

• Select Matrix > Add > Add Dynamic Volume

• Click the Volume icon on the toolbar