Tandberg Data Viking FS-1600, Viking FS-1500 manual Guidelines for Managing Disks & Volumes

Tandberg DataStorage & File Server Management

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

3.6.Guidelines for Managing Disks & Volumes

When managing disks and volumes:

•Read the online Disk Management Help found in the utility.

•Do not alter the Operating System Disk labeled C:. This logical drive is configured for the storage server operating system and should not be altered in any manner, unless return to factory image is desired.

•Tandberg Data does not recommend spanning arrays (volume set) with dynamic volumes. The use of software RAID-based dynamic volumes is not recommended. Use the array controller instead; it is more efficient.

•Use meaningful volume labels with the intended drive letter embedded in the volume label, if possible. For example, volume F: might be named “Disk F:.” Volume labels often serve as the only means of identification.

•Record all volume labels and drive letters in cases when OS recovery is necessary.

•When managing basic disks, only the last partition on the disk can be extended unless the disk is changed to dynamic.

•Basic disks can be converted to dynamic without bringing the system offline or loss of data, but the volume will be unavailable during the conversion. However, it cannot be converted back to basic without deleting all data on the disk.

•Basic disks can contain up to four primary partitions (or three primary partitions and one extended partition).

•Format drives with a 16 K allocation size for best support of snapshots, performance, and defragmentation.

•NTFS formatted drives are recommended since they provide the greatest level of support for snapshots, encryption, and compression.

•Only basic disks can be formatted as FAT or FAT32.

3-7 Tandberg Viking Series Storage Server Administration Manual