Module 9:Configuring Storage
Overview
Initialize and partition a disk
View and update disk properties
Manage mounted drives
Convert a disk from basic to dynamic and from dynamic to basic
Create volumes on a disk.
Create fault-tolerant volumes
Lesson 1: Preparing Disks
Use Disk Management
Use the DiskPart tool
Describe disk partitions
Describe Windows file systems
List best practices for preparing disks
Disk Management
A snap-in located in the Computer Management console
Use to view disk information and perform disk management tasks
Enables you to perform most disk-related tasks without shutting down the system or interrupting users
The DiskPart Tool
With the DiskPart command-line tool: Select an object, then type a command Use it to manage disks, partitions, and volumes Use scripts for repetitive tasks
Partitions
A physical disk is sectioned into separate partitions
Basic disks can have up to:
Four primary partitions Three primary partitions
and one extended partition
Extended partitions are subdivided into logical drives
C:C:
D:D:
E:E:
F:F:
Extended with logical drives
Extended with logical drives
Basic DisksBasic Disks
C:C:
D:D:
E:E:
F:F:
G:G:
H:H:
OROR
PrimaryPrimary PrimaryPrimary
File Systems
FAT or exFAT
FAT32
NTFS
If the removable storage device will be permanently attached to a system NTFS is the best choice.
If the removable storage device will move between Windows-based computers a FAT-based file system such as exFAT is the appropriate choice
Lesson 2: Managing Disk Properties
Describe disk properties
Convert FAT and FAT32 file systems to the NTFS file system
Disk Properties
Disk Management:
GeneralVolume
DiskPart provides:
Disk propertiesDisk IDDisk type
The Convert Utility
Converts FAT and FAT32 volumes to NTFS
All data is preserved
No reboot is required for most volumes
Lesson 3: Managing Mounted Drives
Describe a mounted drive
Describe how to use a mounted drive
Describe the Virtual Disk Service
Mounted Drives
Is assigned a path rather than a drive letter
Can unify different file systems on a logical drive
Allows you to add more drives without using up drive letters
Uses for Mounted Drives
Adds volumes to systems without adding separate drive letters for each new volume
Logical organization of data
Facilitates storage expansion
Adds volumes to systems without adding separate drive letters for each new volume
Logical organization of data
Facilitates storage expansion
VDS
A layer of abstraction between disk management tools and disk providers
Allows vendors to write additional providers that interface with VDS
Software providers operate on volumes, disks, and disk partitions
Hardware providers manage storage subsystems
Lesson 4: Converting Disks
Describe the differences between basic and dynamic disks
Describe the results of a conversion to a dynamic disk
Basic Disks vs. Dynamic Disks
Benefits of basic disks include:Benefits of basic disks include:
Setup and Recovery Console access
Disk utility availability
Setup and Recovery Console access
Disk utility availability
Benefits of dynamic disks include:Benefits of dynamic disks include:
Spanning multiple disks
Volume limits per disk
Fault-tolerant capability
Spanning multiple disks
Volume limits per disk
Fault-tolerant capability
Results of Dynamic Disk Conversion
Basic disk partitions become volumes
Data on the disk is preserved
The disk gains a disk group identity
Basic disk partitions become volumes
Data on the disk is preserved
The disk gains a disk group identity
Reverting a dynamic disk to a basic disk results in the loss of all partitions and data on the diskReverting a dynamic disk to a basic disk results in the loss of all partitions and data on the disk
Lesson 5: Creating Volumes
Describe the characteristics of a simple volume
Describe the characteristics of an extended volume
Describe the characteristics of a spanned volume
Describe the characteristics of a striped volume
Simple Volumes
Contains space on a single disk
Can be created only on dynamic disks
Can use the NTFS, FAT, or FAT32 file systems
Can be extended if formatted with NTFS
Simple VolumeSimple Volume
Extended Volumes
Created by extending a simple volume onto unallocated space on the same disk or a different disk
The unallocated space must be unformatted or formatted with a version of NTFS
Extended VolumeExtended Volume
Spanned Volumes
Spanned VolumeSpanned Volume
3994 MBUnallocated
New Volume (G)100 MB NTFSHealthy
Disk 1Dynamic4094 MBOnline
3994 MBUnallocated
New Volume (G)100 MB NTFSHealthy
Disk 2Dynamic4094 MBOnline
Free space combinedinto one logical volumeFree space combined
into one logical volume
Striped Volumes
Data written across all disks in 64 KB unitsData written across all disks in 64 KB units
Striped VolumeStriped Volume
3994 MBUnallocated
New Volume (G)100 MB NTFSHealthy
Disk 1Dynamic4094 MBOnline
3994 MBUnallocated
New Volume (G)100 MB NTFSHealthy
Disk 2Dynamic4094 MBOnline
Free space combinedinto one logical volumeFree space combined
into one logical volume
64 KB64 KB 64 KB
Lesson 6: Creating Fault-Tolerant Volumes
Describe fault tolerance
Describe the characteristics of a mirrored volume
Describe the characteristics of a RAID-5 volume
Describe the difference between hardware RAID and software RAID
Describe types of external storage
Define iSCSI initiators
Configure the Microsoft iSCSI Initiator
Describe the characteristics of foreign disks
Describe how to work with offline disks
Fault Tolerance
The ability to survive hardware failure
Fault-tolerant volumes provide data redundancy
Fault-tolerant volumes require dynamic disks
Fault-tolerant volumes are not a replacement for backups
Simultaneously written data to two volumes on two physical disks
Almost any volume can be mirrored, including the system and boot volumes
Many mirrored volume configurations use duplexing
Mirrored Volumes
Mirrored VolumeMirrored Volume
DataData
RAID-5 Volumes
Disk 1 Disk 2 Disk 3
Parity
Parity
Stripe 6Stripe 5Stripe 4Stripe 3Stripe 2Stripe 1
Parity
Parity
Parity
Parity
Software RAID vs. Hardware RAID
RAID Type Benefits
Software RAID
Configured in Disk Management
Requires dynamic disks
Used mostly in smaller organizations
Failed mirrors may require boot.ini changes
Can move disks to any computer running Windows 2008 Server
Hardware RAID
Configured with vendor utilities
Does not require dynamic disks
Higher performance
Does not require boot.ini changes
Can expand existing RAID-5 volumes
External Storage
External and auxiliary disk space
External Array
Storage Area Network (SAN)
Network Attached Storage (NAS)
iSCSI Initiator
Can be used over a LAN, a WAN, or the internet
Microsoft iSCSI Software Initiator is integrated into Windows Server 2008
Can use a Host Bus Adapter (HBA) or Network Adapter
Can use an iSCSI bridge to access Fibre Channel
Configuring the Microsoft iSCSI Initiator
Manages targets using node name and initiator instance settings
Discovery mechanisms:
Command-Line Using SendTarget PortalsiSNSHBA DiscoveryManually Configured Targets
Foreign Disks
A dynamic disk moved to a different computer
Offline Disks
A disk management status option
A corrupt or intermittently unavailable dynamic disk
A failed foreign disk
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