Create a LUN

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2003 R2

Storage Manager for SANs includes the Create LUN Wizard, which can help you create logical unit numbers (LUNs).

Note

If you want to use the Create LUN Wizard to assign the LUN that you create to a server or cluster, you must first configure the storage area network (SAN) server connections by using the instructions in Manage Server Connections.

Note

If the LUN that you are creating is on an iSCSI subsystem and you want to use the Create LUN Wizard to assign that LUN to an iSCSI target, you must first configure the iSCSI targets in your SAN by using the instructions in Manage iSCSI Targets.

To create a LUN

  1. In LUN Management, click Create LUN.

  2. Follow the steps in the Create LUN Wizard pages:

    Wizard Page Details

    Before You Begin

    Before you create a LUN, verify that the following steps have been completed:

    • At least one subsystem is listed in the Subsystems node.

    • Storage space is available on at least one of the available subsystems.

    • If you want to use the wizard to assign the LUN to a server, the SAN server connections have been configured.

    Subsystem and Type

    Select the subsystem on which to create the LUN and specify the type of LUN to create:

    • Fault tolerant LUN types require more disk space than simple LUNs. Therefore, the maximum size of the LUN is smaller than for a simple LUN.

    • For more information about the different LUN types, see Overview of Storage Manager for SANs.

    Size and Name

    Type a name for the new LUN and specify the size of the LUN:

    • The LUN name can have as many as 63 characters.

    • Depending on the version of the Virtual Disk Service (VDS) provider that the subsystem is running, you may not be able to type a name for the LUN.

    • Click the drop-down list to select between megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB) and terabytes (TB).

    Target Access (iSCSI only)

    If iSCSI targets have already been created on the subsystem, you can assign the LUN to one of those targets now. You can also leave it unassigned for later use.

    Server Access

    If you have already configured your server connections, you can assign the LUN to a server or cluster now. You can also leave it unassigned for later use.

    noteNote
    If you are creating a LUN on an iSCSI subsystem, then this LUN must also be assigned to an iSCSI target. The server or cluster you select on the Server Access page will only have access to the LUN after the iSCSI initiator on that server or cluster logs on to the target the LUN has been assigned to.

    Create Volume (Fibre Channel only)

    If on the Server Access page you chose to assign the LUN to the server you are currently managing with the Storage Manager for SANs snap-in, you can create an NTFS volume for the LUN. If you select to format the volume:

    • As a general rule, leave the Allocation unit size option as Default. The allocation unit size is the smallest amount of disk space that can be allocated to hold a file. Windows picks default sizes based on the size of the volume. These default sizes are selected to reduce the amount of space that is lost and the amount of fragmentation on the volume.

    • The Quick Format option speeds the volume creation process on large LUNs. If you want to scan for bad sectors during the formatting process, unselect this option and a full file format will be done.

    Note

    If you prefer, you can select not to format the volume and can use Disk Management to format it later. For more information, see Disk Management at the Microsoft Web site.

    Create New LUN

    Before creating the LUN, the wizard lists all the properties you have selected for the new LUN. Click Create LUN to start the LUN creation process.

    Note

    Depending on the properties you selected, especially those related to the LUN size and the volume creation options, the LUN creation process may take some time to complete.