IBM DS8870 Architecture and Implementation (Release 7.5)

Virtualization concepts

This chapter describes virtualization concepts as they apply to the DS8870.

This chapter covers the following topics:

•Virtualization definition

•Abstraction layers for drive virtualization:

 – Array sites

 – Arrays

 – Ranks

 – Extent pools

 – Dynamic extent pool merge

 – Logical volumes

 – Space-efficient volumes

 – Allocation, deletion, and modification of LUNs and CKD volumes

 – Logical subsystems

 – Volume access

 – Virtualization hierarchy summary

•Benefits of virtualization

4.1 Virtualization definition

For this chapter, ...