Relationship of Groups, Pools, Arrays, Folders, and Volumes

A group is a collection of one to four arrays that are physically connected. Logically, they represent a single storage entity to aggregate performance and capacity, and to simplify management. Arrays in the group can be iSCSI, Fibre Channel, or multiprotocol (iSCSI and Fibre Channel). A group contains one or more disjoint pools. For groups of arrays, data can be striped across the arrays in the same pool. For most administrative tasks, a group looks and feels like a single array. You administer the group by connecting to its management IP address, hosted by one of the arrays in a group.

A single-array group is formed when you configure a array.

1. Group
2. Storage Pool
3. Array
4. Folder
5. Volume

A group is scaled-out, or expanded to a multi-array group, by adding unconfigured or configured arrays to the group. Adding a configured array to a group is also known as a group merge.

1. Group
2. Storage Pool
3. Array
4. Folder
5. Volume

You can remove an array that is part of a storage pool by evacuating the data from the array and then removing the array from the pool. When you need to remove an array from a group, you can evacuate the data to another array in the group (for example, moving a volume), provided there is enough space for the data that is stored on the array being removed.