Problems with Large Hard disks
Hi We are using Informix 7.23UC4 on Solaris 2.5.1. We have installed 2x18.2GB Hard disks. As I understand, a chunk size cannot exceed 2GB in Informix where as in Solaris a disk can have only 8 partitions. Out of 8, one is required for backup (required by Unix) and one for Informix (0-3)cyclinders . Now, we are left with the only combination of 5x 2GB(raw partitions) + 1 x 6.85GB (Unix file system). In short, 18GB Hard disk has been partitioned as under: Part Cylinders Size 0 0 - 3 9.2MB ( required for Informix for Raw disks) 1 4 - 3050 6.85GB 2 0 - 7505 16.8GB backup - (created by Unix by default) 3 3051 - 3941 2GB (raw disk) 4 3941 - 4832 2GB (raw disk) 5 4833 - 5723 2GB (raw disk) 6 5724 - 6814 2GB (raw disk) 7 6815 - 7505 2GB (raw disk) Is there any suggestions? Is there a better way of doing the things? Thanx Muhammad Usman
On Sun, 29 Aug 1999 17:44:40 +0400, "Muhammad Usman" <mu999@hotmail.com> wrote: >Hi > >We are using Informix 7.23UC4 on Solaris 2.5.1. We have installed 2x18.2GB >Hard disks. >As I understand, a chunk size cannot exceed 2GB in Informix where as in >Solaris a disk can have only 8 partitions. >Out of 8, one is required for backup (required by Unix) and one for Informix >(0-3)cyclinders . Now, we are left with the only combination of 5x 2GB(raw >partitions) + 1 x 6.85GB (Unix file system). >In short, 18GB Hard disk has been partitioned as under: > > Part Cylinders Size > 0 0 - 3 9.2MB ( required >for Informix for Raw disks) > 1 4 - 3050 6.85GB > 2 0 - 7505 16.8GB backup - >(created by Unix by default) > 3 3051 - 3941 2GB (raw disk) > 4 3941 - 4832 2GB (raw disk) > 5 4833 - 5723 2GB (raw disk) > 6 5724 - 6814 2GB (raw disk) > 7 6815 - 7505 2GB (raw disk) > > > >Is there any suggestions? Is there a better way of doing the things? > >Thanx > >Muhammad Usman > Have you considered using Volume Manager? I'm not an S.A., so I don't know the gory details, but I believe it's a Solaris feature. It permits you make "logical" raw devices out of your physical disk space, and it can get around the 8 partitions/drive limit you mention. BTW, I'm not sure why you refer to slice 2 as "backup". Under Solaris, slice 2 always seems to be set up to map the entire drive. Jude
>Have you considered using Volume Manager? I'm not an S.A., so I don't >know the gory details, but I believe it's a Solaris feature Absolutely. Use a VM if you can. I believe that Solaris comes bundled with Veritas. Use of it will circumvent the "8 slices" limitation AND make disk administration easier. >BTW, I'm not sure why you refer to slice 2 as "backup It's true that it is convention to reserve slice 2 as an indicator of the topography of the whole disk, but it is just a convention. I believe that when you first use the Solaris "format" tool it shows "BACKUP" as the slice label. Neil Truby Londis Stores hampton Hill, UK
Muhammad Usman wrote: > > Hi > > We are using Informix 7.23UC4 on Solaris 2.5.1. We have installed 2x18.2GB > Hard disks. > As I understand, a chunk size cannot exceed 2GB in Informix where as in > Solaris a disk can have only 8 partitions. > Out of 8, one is required for backup (required by Unix) and one for Informix OK, this is a misconception. Having partition #2 be the whole drive for archiving purposes is a BSD CONVENTION (and convenience) that Solaris inherited not a REQUIREMENT! Since you will only be archiving the Informix partitions using Informix archive tools this is an unneccessary convention and can be dropped. As to the need to skip the first cylinder or so, you do not need to waste a partition to do that just begin partition zero (0) on cylinder 4 and let cylinders 0-3 be orphaned. Now you truly have 8 partitions or 16GB useful on each drive or you can make seven 2GB chunks for Informix and a 4+GB partition for some quiet filesystem somewhere and not waste the last 2+GB. These inner tracks are as much as 3X slower than the outer tracks anyway on modern zoned drives. > (0-3)cyclinders . Now, we are left with the only combination of 5x 2GB(raw > partitions) + 1 x 6.85GB (Unix file system). > In short, 18GB Hard disk has been partitioned as under: > > Part Cylinders Size > 0 0 - 3 9.2MB ( required > for Informix for Raw disks) > 1 4 - 3050 6.85GB > 2 0 - 7505 16.8GB backup - > (created by Unix by default) > 3 3051 - 3941 2GB (raw disk) > 4 3941 - 4832 2GB (raw disk) > 5 4833 - 5723 2GB (raw disk) > 6 5724 - 6814 2GB (raw disk) > 7 6815 - 7505 2GB (raw disk) > > Is there any suggestions? Is there a better way of doing the things? Yes, there is a better way, you can get a volume manager like Veritas VM or the Sun repackaged version of Veritas or most other VMs will let you create as many partitions as you need. Art S. Kagel