--- John MacLerran <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Our system is a 4-way 440MHz N4000, with 13 LUNs spread across 2 Nike
> Mod 20 arrays (MPE 7.0, PowerPatch 2).  The system was set up with a
> single volume set.

how much total disc is configured?

> We've been told we can increase the performance of the box by
> using user volumes, because each volume set would get its own
> instance of the transaction manager.

by now...this has been well-argued.  frankly, i think the performance
problem you seeing is (far) less related to xm.  more than likely it's
because your transactions are being hampered by your scsi interface.
n-class (and even a-class!) boxes scream on fibre channel.

> However, our system manager remembers being told, some time ago, that

> multiple volume sets weren't necessarily always a good idea,
> because of the increased complexity of managing them -- various
> system tasks (like backup, user and group creation, etc.) became more

> complicated with multiple volume sets.

this sounds a bit like what folks used to say about about mpe v.  i
don't think managing systems with user volumes is painfully more
difficult.  there are things to know/remember....but that's ok.

> Is it a good thing?  Does it complicate system management tasks?

yup...i like user volumes.  i'm not sure i agree that in a raided
environment, it makes the need for user volumes go away.  i still think
that extra layer of protection is useful.

you do need to know how to create accounts and groups correctly.
however, the udc's on jazz make it a piece of cake.  it's already been
mentioned how to do restores correctly.

> Second question. Currently, all the disk drives are set up with the
> same device class name: disc.  We'd like to split drives 2-13 into a
> separate device class name (e.g. datadisc, or something similar), so
> we could exclude LDEV1 when we create files  (eg :build
> blah;dev=datadisc). Can I attach a
> second device class name to the desired disk drives without a reload?

how to do this has already been discussed.  i'm just not sure how
practical this thought is.  consider how much code/jcl you have that
say ';dev=disc'.  (i hope that you're simply adding 'datadisc' and
retaining 'disc', btw...)  unless you change all your application stuff
to specify ';dev=datadisc'...what's the point?

> We have been unsuccessful in getting information from HP as
> to whether we can pay extra and keep those arrays a special support
> contract, or if there is a reasonably-priced migration path for those
> arrays (we know about the VA-7110; no one here considers it
> reasonably-priced...).

imo, look at the va7100.  fibre is great on n-boxes (i think i already
said that :-)        - d

=====
Donna Garverick     Sr. System Programmer
dgarverick -at- longs -dot- com
925-210-6631        Longs Drug Stores

Come, my friends, 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.
Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho'
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are.
"Ulysses", A. Tennyson

>>>MY opinions, not Longs Drug Stores'<<<

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