2.3 What’s New (OES 11 SP1)

Novell Linux Volume Manager (NLVM) supports OES 11 SP1 file systems running on 64-bit SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 11 SP2. For information about NLVM commands and usage, see the OES 11 SP1: NLVM Reference.

In addition to bug fixes, the following changes and enhancements were made in the OES 11 SP1 release:

General

  • Sizes: The following enhancements are available for the size option:

    • The default multiplier for sizes was changed from M (megabytes) to G (gigabytes). If no multiplier is provided, the value is assumed to be in gigabytes. For example:

      size=20 (20 gigabytes is used)
      
    • Use the T multiplier to specify sizes in terabytes (TB).

    • All sizes can be entered as whole numbers or with fractional parts such as 200.45G and 3.98T.

  • Multiple Devices: You can specify multiple devices for the following commands:

    • Init: You can specify multiple devices to be initialized at the same time. Each device is formatted with the same specified partitioning scheme and share state.

    • Share: You can specify multiple devices to be shared at the same time.

    • Unshare: You can specify multiple devices to be unshared at the same time.

  • Multiple Device and Size Instances: You can specify multiple device and size instances for the following commands. Each device entry must have a corresponding size entry.

    • Create Pool: You can specify multiple device and size instances to be used for a new pool.

    • Expand Pool: You can specify multiple device and size instances to be added to an existing pool.

  • Confirmation Prompt: You are automatically prompted to confirm actions for certain commands that destroy data, such as when you initialize a device or delete Linux POSIX volumes, pool moves, partitions, pools, RAIDs, RAID segments, snapshots, and NSS volumes.

  • No Prompt: The --no-prompt NLVM option can be used with certain commands to prevent a confirmation message from being displayed, such as when you initialize a device or delete Linux POSIX volumes, pool moves, partitions, pools, RAIDs, RAID segments, snapshots, and NSS volumes.

Linux Volumes

  • Create Linux Volume: The following enhancements were made for the nlvm create linux volume command:

    • Btrfs: Support was added for the Btrfs file system. The Btrfs file system is now available as a alternative to other supported file systems (Ext2, Ext3, Reiserfs, and XFS) when you create a Linux volume. The btrfsprogs package is required. You can use NSSMU or NLVM to manage the Btrfs volumes as you would manage other Linux data volumes. Btrfs volumes can also be configured for NCP file access and for clustering with Novell Cluster Services.

    • NCP option: The ncp option for the nlvm create linux volume command can be used to enable the Linux POSIX file system on the volume to be accessed with the NetWare Core Protocol (NCP).

      When you enable NCP for a Linux volume, an NCP volume of the same name (using all capital letters) is created. An NCP share is created at the root of the Linux volume. For clustered LVM volumes, the NCP Virtual Server object is automatically created and the NCP mount, dismount, and status commands are added to scripts for the LVM volume group cluster resource.

  • List Linux Volumes: The nlvm list linux volumes command displays NCP if the Linux volume is enabled for NCP.

NSS Pools and Volumes

  • Create Pool: The following enhancements were made for the nlvm create pool command:

    • Device and Size: You can specify multiple device and size instances to be used for a new pool. Each device entry must have a corresponding size entry.

    • CIFS Virtual Server Name: When creating a cluster enabled NSS pool, the default CIFS virtual server name is based on the NCP virtual server name.

  • Expand Pool: The nlvm expand pool command allows you to specify multiple device and size instances to be added to an existing pool. Each device entry must have a corresponding size entry.

  • List Move: The following enhancements have been made to the nlvm list move command:

    • You can alternatively specify the pool name instead of the pool move name.

    • The display includes the names of the devices that are being used in the move with the from parameter and to parameter.

    • The concept of move blocks has been renamed as regions.

    • The complete parameter (formerly the percentage parameter) displays the number of regions moved so far and the percentage of regions moved so far.

  • Delete Move: The following enhancements were made for the nlvm delete move command:

    • You can alternatively specify the pool name instead of the pool move name.

    • The abort option has been deprecated.

      The nlvm delete move command deletes the move request, returns the pool to its original location, and removes the new location. You can delete the move at any time while the move is in progress, even if it is pending only the nlvm complete move command to be finalized.

  • Rename Volume: You can use the nlvm rename volume command to rename a specified NSS volume. This option is new.