Quick Format specifications

Item

Description

Preparation for executing the Quick Format feature

The internal volume must be in blocked status.

Maximum number of parity groups that can undergo Quick Format

Quick Format can be performed for one or more parity groups at the same time. The number of parity groups on which Quick Format can be performed concurrently depends on the total number of entries for the parity groups. The number of entries for a parity group is based on the capacity of the drives in the parity group as follows:

  • One parity group consisting of drives whose capacity is 8 TB or less: 1 entry
  • One parity group consisting of drives whose capacity is greater than 8 TB: 2 entries

The maximum number of Quick Format operations that can be performed at the same time depends on the storage system model as follows:

  • VSP G800 or VSP F800: 72 entries
  • VSP G400, G600 or VSP F400, F600: 36 entries
  • VSP G200 or Virtual Storage Platform G100: 18 entries

There is no limit on the number of volumes that can undergo Quick Format concurrently.

Concurrent Quick Format operations

While one Quick Format operation is in progress, another Quick Format operation can be performed. The maximum number of concurrent Quick Format operations is determined by the number of entries for the model as specified above.

Preliminary processing

At the beginning of the Quick Format operation, preliminary processing is performed to generate management information. If a volume is undergoing preliminary processing, the status of the volume is Preparing Quick Format. While preliminary processing is in progress, hosts cannot perform I/O access to the volume.

Blocking and restoring of volumes

If a volume undergoing Quick Format is blocked, the storage system recognizes that the volume is undergoing Quick Format. After the volume is restored, the status of the volume changes to Normal (Quick Format).

The number of parity groups in which all volumes undergo Quick Format depends on the number of entries of performing of the Quick Format. To calculate the number of entries of parity groups that have not undergone but can undergo Quick Format, use the following formula for your storage system model:

  • VSP G800 or VSP F800: 72 - X - Y
  • VSP G400, G600 or VSP F400, F600: 36 - X - Y
  • VSP G200 or VSP G100: 18 - X - Y

Where:

X = entries number of parity groups on which Quick Format is being performed.

Y = entries number of parity groups for which all volumes are blocked during Quick Format.

Storage system is powered off and back on

The Quick Format operation resumes when power is turned back on.

Restrictions

  • Quick Format cannot be executed on LDEV in the parity group with Accelerated Compression enabled, external volumes, virtual volumes, or journal volumes of Universal Replicator.
  • The volume migration feature or the QuickRestore feature cannot be applied to volumes undergoing Quick Format. When you use RAID Manager to execute the volume migration operation or the QuickRestore operation on volumes undergoing Quick Format, EX_CMDRJE will be reported to RAID Manager. In this case, check the volume status.
  • Quick format cannot be performed on a deduplication system data volume.

SIM which is output when finishing of the quick format

If a quick format is performed, SIM=0x410100 is output when the format processing is finished. If multiple quick formats are performed, SIM=0x410100 is output when all format processing is finished.

Parent Topic
  • Quick Format function

    The Quick Format function allows you to format internal volumes (LDEVs) in the background. While Quick Format operations are in process, you can perform other tasks to configure the storage system. I/O operations from hosts are allowed during Quick Format, but performance might be affected because shared resources such as MP units and cache paths are used during Quick Format operations.