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IBM General Parallel File System for AIX: Administration and Programming Reference

mmcrfs Command

Name

mmcrfs - Creates a GPFS file system.

Synopsis

mmcrfs Mountpoint Device { "DiskDesc[;DiskDesc...]" | -F DescFile} [-C NodesetId ] [ -A {yes | no} ] [-B BlockSize] [-m DefaultMetadataReplicas] [-M MaxMetadataReplicas] [-n NumNodes] [-N NumInodes] [ -Q {yes | no} ] [-r DefaultDataReplicas] [-R MaxDataReplicas] [-v {yes | no} ] [-z {yes | no} ]

Description

Use the mmcrfs command to create a GPFS file system. The first three options must be Mountpoint, Device, and either DiskDescList or DescFile and they must be in that order. The block size and replication factors chosen will affect file system performance. There is a maximum of 32 file systems that may exist within a GPFS nodeset.

When issuing the mmcrfs command, the size of the command must not exceed the shell limit. If the shell limit is insufficient to specify the file system on the command line, shorten the command string by using the -F option and specifying the disk descriptors in a file.

Results

Upon successful execution of the mmcrfs command these tasks are completed on all GPFS nodes:

Parameters

Mountpoint
The mountpoint directory of the GPFS file system.

Device
The device name of the file system to be created.

File system names need not be fully qualified. fs0 is as acceptable as /dev/fs0. However, file system names must be unique across GPFS nodesets and cannot be an existing entry in /dev.

-F DescFile
Specifies a file containing a list of disk descriptors, one per line. You may use the rewritten DiskDesc file created by the mmcrvsd command in an SP environment or the mmcrlv command in an HACMP environment, or create your own file, or enter the disk descriptors on the command line. When using the DiskDesc file created by either the mmcrvsd command or the mmcrlv command command, the values supplied on input to the command for Disk Usage and FailureGroup are used. When creating your own file or entering the descriptors on the command line, you must specify these values or accept the system defaults. A sample file can be found in /usr/lpp/mmfs/samples/diskdesc.

"DiskDesc[;DiskDesc...]"
A descriptor for each disk to be included. Each descriptor is separated by a semicolon (;). The entire list must be enclosed in quotation marks (' or ").

Disk descriptors The current maximum number of disk descriptors that can be defined for any single file system is 1024. Each disk descriptor must be specified in the form:

DiskName:::DiskUsage:FailureGroup

DiskName
In an SP environment, you must specify the virtual shared disk name. For details on generating a virtual shared disk, see Specifying disk descriptors and the mmcrvsd command. To use an existing virtual shared disk in the file system, only the virtual shared disk name need be specified in the disk descriptor. GPFS performance and recovery processes function best with one disk per virtual shared disk. If you want to create virtual shared disks with more than one disk, refer to the IBM Parallel System Support Programs for AIX: Managing Shared Disks manual.

In an HACMP environment, you must specify the logical volume name. For details on generating a logical volume, see Specifying disk descriptors and the mmcrlv command. To use an existing logical volume group in the file system, only the logical volume name need be specified in the disk descriptor. The disk name must be set up the same on all of the nodes in the nodeset.

Logical volume use in an HACMP environment:

  1. Any disk resources (volume groups and logical volumes) that will be used by GPFS must not belong to any HACMP/ES resource group. HACMP/ES will not be in control of these disk resources and is not responsible for varying them on or off at any time. The responsibility to keep the disks in the proper state belongs to GPFS in the HACMP environment. For further information on logical volume concepts, see the AIX System Management Guide: Operating System and Devices.

  2. When using single-node quorum Fibre Channel attached disks are not supported.

Disk Usage
Specify a disk usage or accept the default:
  • dataAndMetadata (default)
  • dataOnly
  • metadataOnly

Failure Group
A number identifying the failure group to which this disk belongs. You can specify any value from -1 (where -1 indicates that the disk has no point of failure in common with any other disk) to 4000. If you do not specify a failure group, the value defaults to the server node number plus 4000. GPFS uses this information during data and metadata placement to assure that no two replicas of the same block are written in such a way as to become unavailable due to a single failure. All disks that have a common point of failure, such as all disks that are attached to the same virtual shared disk server node, should be placed in the same failure group. All disks that are attached to the same disk adapter, should be placed in the same failure group.

-C NodesetId
The identifier of the GPFS nodeset you want the file system to belong to. If this option is not specified or a period (.) is used for the NodesetId, the file system belongs to the nodeset from which the mmcrfs command was issued. To determine the nodeset of the node you are running on, issue the mmlsnode -C . command.

In an SP environment, if this option is not specified and the command is issued from the CWS, the command fails.

Options

-A {yes | no}
Specifies whether the file system is automatically mounted when the GPFS daemon starts. The default is yes.

-B BlockSize
Size of data blocks. Must be 16K, 64K, 256K (the default), 512K, or 1024K (1M is also acceptable).

If you choose a block size larger than 256K, you must run mmchconfig to change the value of maxblocksize to a value at least as large as BlockSize. This value cannot be changed without recreating the file system.

The maximum GPFS file system size that can be mounted is limited by the control structures in memory required to maintain the file system. These control structures, and consequently the maximum mounted file system size, are a function of the block size of the file system.

-m DefaultMetadataReplicas
Default number of copies of inodes, directories, and indirect blocks for a file. Valid values are 1 and 2 but cannot exceed the value of MaxMetadataReplicas. The default is 1.

-M MaxMetadataReplicas
Default maximum number of copies of inodes, directories, and indirect blocks for a file. Can only be overridden by a system call when the file has length 0. Valid values are 1 and 2 but cannot be lower than DefaultMetadataReplicas. The default is 1.

-n NumNodes
The estimated number of nodes that will mount the file system. This is used as a best guess for the initial size of some file system data structures. The default is 32. This value cannot be changed after the file system has been created.

-N NumInodes
The maximum number of files in the file system. This value defaults to the size of the file system at creation, divided by 1M, and can be specified with a suffix, for example 8K or 2M. This value is also constrained by the formula:

maximum number of files = (total file system space/2) / (inode size + subblock size)

-Q {yes | no}
Activates quotas automatically when the file system is mounted. The default is no.

To install quotas after the file system has been created:

  1. Mount the file system.
  2. Issue the mmedquota command to set quota values (see Establishing and changing quotas).
  3. Issue the mmquotaon command to activate quota enforcement (see Activating quota enforcement).

-r DefaultDataReplicas
Default number of copies of each data block for a file. Valid values are 1 and 2, but cannot exceed MaxDataReplicas. The default is 1.

-R MaxDataReplicas
Default maximum number of copies of data blocks for a file. Can only be overridden by a system call when the file has length 0. Valid values are 1 and 2 but cannot be lower than DefaultDataReplicas. The default is 1.

-v {yes | no}
Verify that specified disks do not belong to an existing file system. The default is yes. Specify no only when you want to reuse disks that are no longer needed for an existing file system.

-z {yes | no}
Enable or disable DMAPI on the file system. The default is no. For further information on DMAPI for GPFS, see IBM General Parallel File System for AIX: Data Management API Guide.

Exit status

0
Successful completion.

1
A failure has occurred.

Security

You must have root authority to run the mmcrfs command.

In an SP environment:

  1. Verify the authentication method set for SP security services:
    1. If your authentication method is set to compatibility, Kerberos authentication is required. Issue the k4init command.
    2. If your authentication method is set to DCE, dce_login authentication is required.
    3. If your authentication method is set to NONE/std, there must be an entry in the /etc/sysctl.mmcmd.acl file on every node in the nodeset for the root user at every other node in the nodeset.

    For further information, see the latest IBM Parallel System Support Programs for AIX: Administration Guide, IBM Parallel System Support Programs for AIX: Command and Technical Reference, and RS/6000: Planning Volume 2, Control Workstation and Software Environment manuals at www.rs6000.ibm.com/resource/aix_resource/sp_books/pssp. Search for information on sysctl.

  2. You may issue the mmcrfs command from any node running GPFS or the CWS when using the -C option.
  3. If you are executing mmcrfs from the CWS on a multi-partitioned system, the SP_NAME environment variable must be properly set. It is suggested that you use a separate window for each partition and set the environment variable accordingly. For further information, see the IBM Parallel System Support Programs for AIX: Administration Guide and search for understanding system partitioning.

In an HACMP environment:

  1. When using rcp and rsh for remote communication, a properly configured /.rhosts file must exist in the root user's home directory on each node in the GPFS cluster. If you have designated the use of a different remote communication program on either the mmcrcluster or the mmchcluster command, you must insure:
    1. Proper authorization is granted to all nodes in the GPFS cluster.
    2. The nodes in the GPFS cluster can communicate without the use of a password.
  2. You may issue the mmcrfs command from any node in the GPFS cluster.

Examples

To create a file system called gpfs2 with a block size of 16K, mounted on 16 nodes, accommodating an estimated 2500 files, automatically mount it when the nodes boot up, and having a maximum replication for data and metadata of two, although only metadata is initially replicated by default, enter:

mmcrfs /gpfs2 /dev/gpfs2 -F /tmp/vsdsaaa -A yes -B 16k -m 2 -M 2 -r 1 -R 2
 

The system displays information similar to:

mmcrfs: 6027-1052 Making MMFS filesystem /dev/gpfs2
/usr/sbin/tscrfs /dev/gpfs2 -F /tmp/mmcrfs.tsdd.26160 -c 0 -f 512 -I 16384 \
      -i 1024 -M 2 -m 2 -n 32 -p no -R 2 -r 1 -s roundRobin -w 0
MMFS:6027-531 The following disks of gpfs2 will be formatted on node k145n09:
    gpfs0vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs1vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs2vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs3vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs8vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs9vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs10vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs11vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs16vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs17vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs18vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs19vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs24vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs25vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs26vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs27vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs32vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs33vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs34vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs35vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs40vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs41vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs42vsd: size 4399104 KB
    gpfs43vsd: size 4399104 KB
MMFS: 6027-540 Formatting file system ...
Creating Inode File
  28 % complete on Mon Jun  7 11:24:18 1999
  54 % complete on Mon Jun  7 11:24:23 1999
  79 % complete on Mon Jun  7 11:24:28 1999
 100 % complete on Mon Jun  7 11:24:32 1999
Creating Allocation Maps
Clearing Inode Allocation Map
  28 % complete on Mon Jun  7 11:24:40 1999
  57 % complete on Mon Jun  7 11:24:45 1999
  86 % complete on Mon Jun  7 11:24:50 1999
 100 % complete on Mon Jun  7 11:24:52 1999
Clearing Block Allocation Map
  18 % complete on Mon Jun  7 11:24:57 1999
  36 % complete on Mon Jun  7 11:25:02 1999
  55 % complete on Mon Jun  7 11:25:07 1999
  73 % complete on Mon Jun  7 11:25:12 1999
  92 % complete on Mon Jun  7 11:25:17 1999
 100 % complete on Mon Jun  7 11:25:19 1999
Flushing Allocation Maps
MMFS: 6027-572 Completed creation of file system /dev/gpfs2.
MMFS: 6027-623 All disks up and ready
 

See also

mmchfs Command

mmdelfs Command

mmedquota Command

mmfsck Command

mmdf Command

mmlsfs Command

IBM General Parallel File System for AIX: Data Management API Guide

Location

/usr/lpp/mmfs/bin


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