Disk Striping

An optional enhancement of the Cisco StrataView 9.1 release is disk striping, which requires three raw partitions for dual disk option.

Disk striping allows faster access. Spreading data across a stripe provides you increased performance, as reads and writes are spread across multiple disk arms.

Note For complete information, refer to the Sun Solstice DiskSuite Tool 4.0 User's Guide.

When disk striping is used for Informix raw partitions, limit each partition to 2.0 GB, as Informix OnLine does not support single raw partitions larger than 2.1 GB.

Figure B-1 provides (only as an example) partition information for three disks attached to three controllers.

Figure B-1: Disk Partition Example for a 2.1 GB Secondary Drive

Disk Striping Procedure

When disk striping is used for Informix raw partitions, limit each partition to 2.0 GB, as Informix does not support single raw partitions larger than 2.1 GB.

For complete information on the disk striping procedure, refer to the following technical manuals:

Sun Solstice DiskSuite Tool 4.0 Installation Guide
Sparc Storage Array User's Guide for information on the Enterprise 4000

To install the SunSolstice DiskSuite, perform the following steps:

Step 1 Install the DiskSuite CD in CD-ROM drive.

Step 2 Log in as the user root:
host% su
host% Password: <su root password>
host#

Step 3 Enter the following commands at the command line prompt:
host# cd /cdrom/cdrom0
host# pkgadd -d `pwd`

Step 4 Select options 2 and 3 to be installed. (Follow on-screen instructions.)

Step 5 Enter the following at the command line prompt:
host# /usr/opt/SUNWmd/sbin/metatool

The DiskSuite Tool is started. Figure B-2 shows the DiskSuite Tool: Metadevice Editor window.

Figure B-2: DiskSuite Tool: Metadevice Editor Window

Step 6 Open a Concat/Stripe template from the Metadevice Editor window.

Figure B-3: Disk Suite Tool with Metastate DB Message

Step 7 The first time the DiskSuite Tool is started on a system, a warning message appears. Click on the OK button.

Figure B-4: Slice Browser

Step 8 Open the Slice Browser, (see Figure B-4).

Step 9 Select the slices to be striped. Scroll through the list of devices in the Slice Browser and locate the two slices to be striped.

Step 10 Drag the slices into the Stripe/Concatenate template.

To check the status of the database and the replicas, you can move the MetaDB object from the device list and view the Status Field on the object.

Step 11 When the Stripe/Concatenate dialog box appears, click the Stripe button. The Stripe/Concatenate window appears.

Figure B-5: Stripe/Concatenate Window

Step 12 Click the Commit button to commit the new device.

Information about the new devices is written to the appropriate files.

Table of Contents

Disk Striping

Disk Striping

Disk Striping

Disk Striping Procedure