Storage configuration for hosts that run the Linux operating system

Each of the attached system LUNs has a special device file in the Linux directory /dev.

Hosts that use Linux 2.4 kernel operating systems have a maximum of 128 disks that are based on the major numbers that are available. The entries for all 128 devices are added by the operating system automatically.

Linux hosts can have as many disks as the system allows. The following Web sites provide the current information about configuration maximums:

For Lenovo Storage V3700 V2 and Lenovo Storage V3700 V2 XP: https://datacentersupport.lenovo.com/us/en/products/storage/lenovo-storage/v3700v2/6535
For Lenovo Storage V5030: https://datacentersupport.lenovo.com/us/en/products/storage/lenovo-storage/v5030/6536

The range of devices for each type of kernel follows.

Device range without a subsystem device driver (SDD)

/dev/sda to /dev/sddx

Device range with an SDD

Linux 2.4 kernel operating systems have the following range:
- /dev/vpatha, vpathb...vpathp
- /dev/vpathaa, vpathab...vpathap
- /dev/vpathba, vpathbb...vpathbp...
- /dev/vpathza, vpathzb...vpathzp
- /dev/vpathaaa, vpathaab...vpathaap...
Linux 2.6 kernel operating systems have the following range:
- /dev/vpatha, vpathb...vpathz
- /dev/vpathaa, vpathab...vpathaz
- /dev/vpathba, vpathbb...vpathbz...
- /dev/vpathza, vpathzb...vpathzz
- /dev/vpathaaa, vpathaab...vpathaaz...

Figure 1. Example of range of devices for a host that is running the Linux operating system when not using the SDD

# ls –l /dev/sda
brw-rw---- 1 root disk 8, 0 Aug 24 2005 /dev/sda

Figure 2. Example of range of devices for a host that is running the Linux operating system when using the SDD

# ls –l /dev/vpatha
brw-rw---- 1 root disk 8, 0 Aug 24 2005 /dev/vpatha