Configuration Advisor (Text version)

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The Configuration Advisor can help you determine which method you should use to configure your storage.

If the answer to all of the following questions is Yes, the Express Configuration method is the recommended method:

• Do you want your RAID array to span four disks instead of eight?
• Is it OK if the array sites are automatically assigned?
• Is it OK if the volumes are named automatically?
• Do you want to create volumes that are the same type and size?
• Will you attach only one host to the volume group that is being created?
• Is it OK if the I/O ports through which the host attaches are automatically assigned?
• Is it OK if two extent pools are created?

If your recommended method is using the Express Configuration, then you can find more information at Creating an Express Configuration.

If you answered No to any of those questions, the manual configuration is recommended. Answer the following questions. If your answer to any question is Yes, then read the corresponding tip:

• Do some of your applications require higher performance than others?

  Corresponding Yes answer tip: Select higher-speed drives for the arrays that will be assigned to the applications that require higher performance. Note that RAID levels can also affect performance. RAID 10 offers faster data reads and writes than RAID 5, but RAID 10 arrays have less capacity.

• Do some of your applications require higher reliability than others?

  Corresponding Yes answer tip: Select enterprise drives (instead of nearline drives) for the array sites that will be assigned to the applications that require higher reliability. Note that RAID levels can also affect performance. RAID 5 offers higher reliability, but RAID 10 offers faster data reads and writes.

• Are you configuring storage for more than one type of host (for example, IBM System z or zSeries, IBM System i or iSeries or open systems)?

  Corresponding Yes answer tip: Create sets of ranks for each type of host. For example, if you have a System z application and a Microsoft Windows operating system application, then you will need to create one pair of extent pools for the System z application and then assign ranks evenly among the pair, based on the amount of storage you need. Then, perform the same task for the Microsoft Windows operating system application.

• Do you have hosts or applications that you do not want to share physical arrays?

  Corresponding Yes answer tip: Create separate arrays so applications do not share arrays. For example, if you have two applications that cannot share physical arrays, create one pair of extent pools for one application and then assign ranks evenly across the pair, based on the amount of storage needed. Then perform the same task for the other application.

If your recommended method is manual configuration, then you can find more information at Creating a custom logical storage configuration.

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