SAN Volume Controller storage configuration for hosts running the Linux operating system

Each of the attached SAN Volume Controller LUNs has a special device file in the Linux® directory /dev.

Hosts that use Linux 2.4 kernel operating systems have a maximum of 128 fibre-channel disks that are based on the major numbers that are available. The entries for all 128 devices are added by the operating system automatically.

Hosts that use Linux 2.6 kernel operating systems can have as many fibre-channel disks as the number allowed by the SAN Volume Controller. The following Web site provides the most current information about maximum configuration for the SAN Volume Controller:

www.ibm.com/storage/support/2145

The range of devices for each type of kernel is detailed below:
Device range without a subsystem device driver (SDD)
/dev/sda to /dev/sddx
Device range with an SDD
  • Linux 2.4 kernel operating systems have the following range:
    • /dev/vpatha, vpathb...vpathp
    • /dev/vpathaa, vpathab...vpathap
    • /dev/vpathba, vpathbb...vpathbp...
    • /dev/vpathza, vpathzb...vpathzp
    • /dev/vpathaaa, vpathaab...vpathaap...
  • Linux 2.6 kernel operating systems have the following range:
    • /dev/vpatha, vpathb...vpathz
    • /dev/vpathaa, vpathab...vpathaz
    • /dev/vpathba, vpathbb...vpathbz...
    • /dev/vpathza, vpathzb...vpathzz
    • /dev/vpathaaa, vpathaab...vpathaaz...
Figure 1 and Figure 2 show examples of the range for the devices.
Figure 1. Example of range of devices for a host running the Linux operating system when not using the SDD
# ls –l /dev/sda
brw-rw---- 1 root disk 8, 0 Aug 24 2005 /dev/sda
Figure 2. Example of range of devices for a host running the Linux operating system when using the SDD
# ls –l /dev/vpatha
brw-rw---- 1 root disk 8, 0 Aug 24 2005 /dev/vpatha
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