RE: [linux-lvm] Core questions from a LVM neophyte...

["Stephen Perkins" <perkins@netmass.com>]

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I'm interested in a block level export.  The exported space will be used
as the disk part of an Hierarchical Storage Manager that is backed up by
qualstar tape libraries.  We have several such systems and I would like
to try to consolidate the disk portions of each into a "SAN" like
environment.  At the same time, we are also looking at more customer
disk based storage.  I have several storage servers (hopefully running
Linux soon but running W2K now) that need access to large areas of
storage.  I would like to carve and export virtualized chunks for this
as well.  

The main reason for the block level export is that the software we use
does not support "NAS" type network disks.  They only support "locally
attached" drives.  iSCSI would at least appear as a local SCSI disk.

For management purposes, I would like to have a single way to export
everything.  This may or may not be feasible at present.

- Steve

> Stephen,
> 	What do you want it for - backups? Why not samba over GigE?
> 
> --
> Christopher Barry
> Manager of Information Systems
> InfiniCon Systems
> http://www.infiniconsys.com
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stephen Perkins [mailto:perkins@netmass.com]
> Sent: Monday, March 10, 2003 4:14 PM
> To: linux-lvm@sistina.com
> Subject: RE: [linux-lvm] Core questions from a LVM neophyte...
> 
> 
> Hi all,
>  
> > 	I have built a very cool NAS box, and want to use LVM2 
> > on it. My machine is as follows:
> > 
> > Tyan Thunder i7500 w/ 2-2.4GHz XEON processors.
> > 2GB RAM
> > 3ware Escalade 7500-12 IDE RAID controller
> > 12-160GB Maxtor IDE HDs
> > System on a separate 20GB Maxtor HD
> > Floppy, slimline CDROM, and a DVDRW drive.
> > All in a 12-bay chassis from 
> > http://www.rackmountpro.com/productpage.cfm?> prodid=1460
> > 
> > This 
> > config gives me 1.8TB of RAID 5 for under 
> > $8K - not too shabby.
> 
> This is a superb value and I'm very interested in your 
> proposed "how-to"
> site.
> 
> I am wanting to deploy some larger virtualized storage in a mixed
> Linux/W2K environment.    Is anybody out there exporting virtualized
> volumes to Win2K boxes?  If so, how?  I checked HyperSCSI and they do
> not appear to have a Win2K client (although a beta is supposed to be
> coming soon).  I have not yet found target information for Linux along
> with a known interoperable Win2K initiator.  Anybody doing it?
> 
> Disk performance is not so much an issue for me since the disk arrays
> will be replacing large tape libraries.  Even with pathetic 
> performance,
> they should behave much faster than large AIT libraries.  
> 
> Question 1:  Is it possible today to:
> 
> Have a large IDE RAID5 array that is virtualized through LVM and then
> exported to a Dynamic Disk on Win2K over a LAN (not necessarily WAN)?
> 
> I believe iSCSI and HyperSCSI would both work... However I have not
> found the approporiate interoperable software drivers.
> 
> Question 2: The system that is described above is a linux system with
> direct attached storage.  It is a SPOF.  Any inexpensive 
> solutions that
> would allow the Linux portion to be clustered for active/pasive
> failover?  Is FC the only alternative here?
> 
> TIA,
> 
> - Steve
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> read the LVM HOW-TO at http://tldp.org/HOWTO/LVM-HOWTO/
> 

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