Using Storage Spaces on Data Disks

You can use Windows Storage Spaces on your data disks.

In general, the Stratus implementation of Storage Spaces is very similar to the implementation described in the Windows documentation provided on the Microsoft website. This topic describes the differences.

• Disk Requirements for Using Storage Spaces

• Differences When Creating RDM Disks

• Differences When Creating Storage Pool Virtual Disks

For more information about Storage Spaces, see the following page on the Microsoft website:

Disk Requirements for Using Storage Spaces

When using Storage Spaces on a ztC Endurance system, the following disk requirements apply:

• Storage Spaces is supported only on internal Rapid Disk Mirroring (RDM) data disks.

• Storage Spaces is not supported on dynamic disks, fibre-channel devices (for example, external storage systems), or USB devices.

• Storage Spaces is not recommended on any part of the boot disk.

  Notice: Windows requires that you never select a LUN or pass-through disk to be added to a storage pool if it already contains partitions. If a LUN or pass-through disk is listed in the PHYSICAL DISKS menu inside the Server Manager > File and Storage Services > Volume > Storage Pools menu, always use Windows Disk Management to verify that it is unpartitioned before selecting it to be added to a storage pool. If the LUN or pass-through disk is partitioned, use Windows diskpart to clean the LUN or pass-through disk before adding it to a storage pool.

Differences When Creating RDM Disks

Before you can add a new disk to a storage pool, you must create RDM disks. The Stratus-specific differences in this process are as follows:

• On the Specify enclosure resiliency page, the Enable enclosure awareness check box is always grayed out, as enclosure awareness is not supported on ztC Endurance systems.

• On the Select the storage layout page, select Simple (recommended for best performance).

Differences When Creating Storage Pool Virtual Disks

While running the New Virtual Disk Wizard, when you create a virtual disk and provide the new virtual disk name on the Specify the virtual disk name page, the Create storage tiers on this virtual disk check box is grayed out. Storage tiers do not apply to the NVMe disk drives that ztC Endurance systems support.