Monday, March 3, 2014

Enable/Disable auto meta using Solution Enabler SYMCLI

Product:

Solutions Enabler SYMCLI 7.x, Enginuity: 5773, 5874,5875

Description:

Procedure to enable/disable auto meta using Solution Enabler SYMCLI and SMC.

Solution:

If you want to create a single regular device larger than the maximum size, Symmetrix will create a metadevice instead when auto meta feature is enabled. If auto meta is disabled (which is by default), creating device fails. Auto meta feature was introduced with Solutions Enabler V6.5.1 running Enginuity version 5773, which allows metadevices to be created in a single configuration change session.

For Enginuity 5874, the maximum device size in cylinders is 262668.
For Enginuity 5773 and earlier, the maximum device size in cylinders is 65520.

Auto meta can be enabled only if the other auto meta parameters min_auto_meta_size, auto_meta_config and auto_meta_member_size are set to valid values. The settings are Symmetrix-wide.

Min_auto_meta_size: Specifies the size threshold that triggers auto meta creation. When you try to create a device greater than min_auto_meta_size and auto_meta is enabled then a meta will be created. The min_auto_meta_size cannot be set less than the auto_meta_member_size, and needs to be less than or equal to the value in the table below.
Auto_meta_member_size: Specifies the default meta member size in cylinders when the auto_meta feature is enabled. Needs to be less than or equal to the value in the table below.
Auto_meta_config: Specifies the default meta config when the auto_meta feature is enabled. Possible values are CONCATENATED, STRIPED, or NONE.

Enginuity versionMax single device size (CYL)Max single device size (GB)Min_auto-meta_size (CYL)Auto_meta_member_size (CYL)
5874262668240262669262668
5773 65520596552165520

To enable auto meta using Solution Enabler:

  1. Run the following command to verify if auto meta is disabled: symcfg list -sid xxxx -v
  2. If not, create a file 1.txt and add the following text: set Symmetrix auto_meta=enable, min_auto_meta_size=xxxx, auto_meta_member_size=xxxx, auto_meta_config=xxxx;
  3. Run the following command: symconfigure -sid xxxx -f 1.txt commit -nop
  4. Verify if auto meta is enabled.

To enable the auto meta using SMC:

  1. Right-click the Symmetrix ID and select Symmetrix Admin, Set Symmetrix Attributes
  2. Enable Auto Meta feature, and enter the Minimum Auto Meta Size, Auto Meta Member Size, Auto Meta Configuration.
  3. Click Add to Configure Session List and Commit the change.

NOTE:
  • Auto meta feature is not applicable for CKD devices.
  • Internal device types DATA, SAVE, DRV cannot be metadevices, therefore, they can't be larger than maximum size.
  • You can override the auto_meta_member_size and the auto_meta_config in the create device command line only if auto_meta is ENABLED and the total device size is greater than min_auto_meta_size.