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Creating a New SR

June 3, 2019
Contributed by:  C

To create a new storage repository, click New Storage on the toolbar.

Alternatively, do one of the following:

  • On the Storage tab for the selected pool or server, click New SR.
  • On the Storage menu, click New SR.

You select the physical storage type on the first page of the New Storage Repository wizard and then follow the steps in the wizard as it takes you through the configuration process for that storage type. The set of available settings in the wizard depends on the storage system vendor/model you select on the first page. Click the links below to find out more about creating different types of SR.

SR creation steps

The New Storage Repository wizard takes you through process of creating a new SR:

  1. On the Type page, you select the type of underlying storage:
    • NFS In NFS VHD SRs, VM images are stored as thin-provisioned VHD format files on a shared NFS target. Existing NFS servers that support NFS V4 and NFS V3 over TCP/IP can be used immediately as a storage repository for virtual disks. NFS SRs can be shared, allowing any VMs with their virtual disks in an NFS VHD storage repository to migrated between servers in the same resource pool.
    • iSCSI Software iSCSI SRs use a shared Logical Volume Manager (LVM) on a SAN attached LUN over iSCSI. iSCSI is supported using the open-iSCSI software iSCSI initiator or by using a supported iSCSI Host Bus Adapter (HBA).
    • Hardware HBA Hardware HBA SRs connect to a Fibre Channel (FC), Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) or shared Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) LUNs via an HBA. You need to carry out the configuration required to expose the LUN before running the New Storage Repository wizard: the wizard will automatically probe for available LUNs and display a list of all the LUNs found.
    • SMB/CIFS Storage SMB servers are a common form of Windows shared filesystem infrastructure, and can be used as a storage repository substrate for virtual disks. Virtual Machine images in SMB servers are stored as thinly provisioned VHD files on an SMB target.

    • StorageLink Technology This option allows you to configure a StorageLink SR that provides native access to automated fabric/initiator and array configuration features in NetApp/IBM N Series or Dell EqualLogic PS Series arrays. The exact features available for a given StorageLink SR depend on the capabilities of the array.

      Important: StorageLink technology has been removed from XenServer version 6.5 and higher. Applications, code, or usage that depend on StorageLink technology will not function in XenServer version 6.5 and higher.

    • Software FCoE This option allows you to configure a Software FCoE SR. Software FCoE provides a standard framework to which hardware vendors can plug in their FCoE offload-capable drivers and get the same benefits of a hardware-based FCoE. This eliminates the need for using expensive HBAs.

      Before you use the New Storage Repository wizard to create a new Software FCoE storage, you should manually carry out the required configuration to expose a LUN to the host.

    • Window File Sharing (SMB/CIFS) This option allows you to handle CD images stored as files in ISO format available as a Windows (SMB/CIFS) share. This type of SR can be useful for creating shared ISO libraries, for example, VM installation images.
    • NFS ISO NFS ISO SRs handle CD images stored as files in ISO format available as an NFS share. This type of SR can be useful for creating shared ISO libraries, for example, VM installation images.
  2. On the Name page, enter the name of the new SR. By default, a description of the SR will be generated automatically by the wizard, including a summary of the configuration options you select as you progress through the wizard. To enter your own description, clear the Auto-generate description check box and type in the Description box.
  3. On the Location page, you enter the location of the underlying storage array and set configuration settings. The options available on this and subsequent wizard pages will depend on the type of storage you selected on the first page of the wizard.
  4. Click Finish to create the new SR and close the wizard.

Creating a New SR

June 3, 2019
Contributed by:  C
June 3, 2019
Contributed by:  C

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