Hosting an IBM i partition - storage issues

Hi Everyone,

I'm having some mainly storage related issues hosting one IBM i partition on another.

Firstly, the storage requirements are very large, we're looking at needing 4TB+ (the hosting partition is just under 12TB). I've heard there is a limit of 1TB for a hosted partition, but I have managed to create one network server description with 7 storage spaces attached for a total of about 1.4TB. So far so good, the partition comes up and I've been able to install LIC and OS.

However, trying to get around any potential size limits, I tried creating multiple server descriptions for the same partition. So, I have another NWSD identical to the first (except it has RSTDDEVRSC(*ALLOPT) as suggested by the Logical Partitioning Redbook), also with 7 storage spaces. We'd still need to add more but I'm just trying to prove it works at the moment. Anyway, when I try and vary them on, the first NWSD works and starts the partition. The second fails with the message " Server already varied on for partition."

So, a couple of questions:


1) Is there something I'm missing in getting both NWSDs to work? The Redbook certainly suggests having more than one NWSD for a partition is possible.

2) I've already gone past the 1TB I'd heard was the limit, but is anyone aware if there is indeed an upper limit? (This partition was actually previously working at 2TB+ with one NWSD, but we broke it trying to increase the size).

3) Am I wasting my time and would it better to save off the hosting partition to tape and reconfigure all that disk in a VIOS server to host both partitions (actually three, there's another smaller hosted test partition that's working perfectly)?

Also, in case anyone asks, we do not have the available slots or controllers to configure this large partition as a physical partition, and purchasing hardware just at the moment is not an option.

Any help greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Adam Driver
IBM Certified Systems Administrator - System i
Consultant - Infrastructure Technician
Exacta Corporation
608.661.6697 ext 2581
adriver@xxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:adriver@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
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