Creating a Converged Storage Pool

Prerequisites

• The storage system has been installed on storage nodes.
• You are advised to configure 32 nodes for each disk pool. If the number of nodes exceeds 32, divide them into multiple disk pools. In this case, it is recommended that the number of nodes in each disk pool be the same. For example, if there are 90 nodes, you are advised to divide them into three disk pools. Each disk pool contains 30 nodes.
• HDD 4KN disks cannot be added to the same disk pool as other types of disks.
• The total capacity of cache disks on a single storage node to be added to a storage pool must be greater than Max. Main Storage Media per Node x 40 GB.

Precautions

Currently, only one converged storage pool can be created.

Procedure

1. Choose Resources > Resources > Storage Pool.
2. Click Create.

   The Create Storage Pool page is displayed.

3. Configure basic information for the storage pool.

   Table 1 describes the related parameters.

   Table 1 Storage pool parameters

   Parameter	Description
   Storage Pool Name	Name of the storage pool. NOTE: The name must be unique. The value can contain only letters, digits, underscores (_), and hyphens (-). The name contains 1 to 64 characters.
   Service Type	Service type of the storage pool. Select Converged.
   Storage Pool Type	Type of the storage pool. Possible options are Common and Self-encrypting. You are advised to select Common. If you have high requirements on data security, select Self-encrypting. Common: This type of storage pools does not support data encryption. Self-encrypting: This type of storage pools supports data encryption. NOTE: A self-encrypting storage pool can be created only after an advanced license is imported.
   Key Service	When creating a self-encrypting storage pool, you need to select a key management service. Internal key service: The built-in key management function of the system is used. External key service: An external key management server is used. If you select this option, you need to configure the external key service first. For details, see Managing the External Key Service.
   Security Level	Security level of the storage pool. Select Node. N data fragments and M parity fragments are stored on different nodes. After M nodes or disks are faulty, the system can read and write data properly without service interruption or data loss.
   Redundancy Policy	Redundancy policy of the storage pool. Possible options are EC and Data copy. In consideration of performance and reliability, EC is recommended. EC: Data redundancy protection is implemented by calculating parity fragments. Data copy: Multiple copies of the same data are stored on different nodes for data protection.
   EC	EC redundancy policy of the storage pool. Select the EC redundancy ratio planned in the Bill of Quotation (BOQ). NOTE: This parameter is available only when Redundancy Policy is set to EC.
   Storage Pool Mode	Only the reliability mode is available when the EC redundancy level of the storage pool is +3 or higher. NOTE: This parameter is displayed only when Redundancy Policy is set to EC and Parity Fragments is set to +3 or a larger value.
   Data copy	Number of redundant copies allowed by the storage pool. When Data Copies is set to 3, if the number of storage nodes is greater than 3, a maximum of two faulty nodes are allowed; if the number of storage nodes is 3, only one faulty node is allowed. NOTE: This parameter is available only when Redundancy Policy is set to Data copy. If Service Type is set to Intelligent video and image, three-copy storage pools cannot be created.

4. Create a disk pool.
   

   For details about how to configure disk pools, see the plan in the BOQ.

   1. In the Disk Pool area, click Create.

      The Create Disk Pool page is displayed.

   2. Set basic parameters for the disk pool.
      Table 2 describes the related parameters.

      Table 2 Disk pool parameters

      Parameter	Description
      Disk Pool Name	Name of the disk pool. NOTE: The name must be unique. The value can contain only letters, digits, underscores (_), and hyphens (-). The name contains 1 to 64 characters.
      Main Storage	Main storage type of the disk pool. When Storage Pool Type is set to Common, possible options are SAS, Self-encrypting SAS, SATA, Self-encrypting SATA, SSD, and SSD card or NVMe SSD. In this case, self-encrypting drives function as common disks and do not use the encryption function. When Storage Pool Type is set to Self-encrypting, possible options are Self-encrypting SAS and Self-encrypting SATA. Each node must be configured with at least four disks of the same type. NOTE: Meanings of the values are: SAS: SAS HDDs SATA: SATA HDDs SSD card or NVMe SSD: NVMe SSD disks SSD: SAS SSDs
      Cache	Cache type of the disk pool. NOTE: This parameter is not required when Main Storage is set to SSD or SSD card or NVMe SSD. Meanings of the values are: SSD card or NVMe SSD: NVMe SSD disks SSD: SAS SSDs
      Max. Main Storage Media per Node	Maximum number of main storage disks that can be used on a single storage node to store user data. The value of this parameter determines the allocation of cache and compute resources on the node. Set this parameter based on site requirements. To ensure that cache resources can be allocated to newly added main storage disks in the case of capacity expansion, you are advised to set this parameter based on the total number of main storage disks after capacity expansion. If the value is too small, newly added main storage disks cannot be allocated with cache resources. Cache resources can be allocated to newly-added main storage disks only after both main storage disks and cache disks are added. If the value is too large, extra cache resources are reserved. As a result, cache resources cannot be fully utilized to improve read/write performance. If you select Self-adaptive, the system automatically determines the value based on the number of selected main storage disks. Assume that the number of selected main storage disks is N: If 4 ≤ N ≤ 12, a single node supports a maximum of 12 main storage disks. If 12 < N ≤ 36, a single node supports a maximum of 36 main storage disks. If the type of nodes in the disk pool is high-density, a single node supports a maximum of 60 main storage disks. If you select Custom, set the value based on site requirements. The value ranges from 4 to 60.
      Tier Grade	Tier grade of the disk pool, which is defined based on the type of main storage disks in the disk pool. Possible values are Hot, Warm, Cold, and Self-adaptive. You can choose Resources > Tuning > SmartTier and set tiering policies to store different files to disk pools of different tier grades. NOTE: If you select Self-adaptive: When Main Storage is set to SSD or SSD card or NVMe SSD, Self-adaptive equals to tier grade Hot. When Main Storage is set to SAS, Self-adaptive equals to tier grade Warm. When Main Storage is set to SATA, Self-adaptive equals to tier grade Cold. If you select a tier grade, you are advised to configure the storage tiers based on the self-adaptive rules.

   3. In the Choose Node and Disk area, select the nodes and disks that are used to create the disk pool.
      

      • You can click Add and add nodes and disks in the cluster to the disk pool on the Choose Node and Disk page that is displayed.
      • You can select one or more added nodes or disks and click Remove to remove them.
   4. Click OK and confirm your operation as prompted.

5. Click Create.
6. Confirm your operation as prompted.