I am a Linux Administrator who is brand new in setting up and configuring a SAN. My Employer has chosen to purchase a IBM FlashSystem 5200 to share a volume between 3-5 Dell PowerEdge servers (or hosts). The Engineer is requesting for me to create 2 pools on the IBM FlashSystem 5200:

1. One pool to store Qemu/KVM VMs that are attached to each of the hosts at the same mount point. That way, a VM can be moved from one host to another by simply un-defining from one host and defining to another. 
2. The second pool that will serve as a NFS share for the 3-5 hosts to transfer files back and forth.

I have already successfully created 1 pool, and then 1 big volume. I created a host cluster that includes all of the hosts, and finally mapped the 1 big volume to the host cluster. I also successfully created the iSCSI initiator on all of the hosts, configured the NIC on all of the hosts, and can communicate with the SAN using the designated NIC. All of that has been completed and works great. 
i don't know enough about the IBM FlashSystem 5200 to be able to configure it as what my Engineer is requesting. Someone please help.

------------------------------
Ethan Provensen
------------------------------

Hi Ethan, 

Since the 5200 is a 12-disk box, if the number of disks is directly proportional to the limits of the box, creating two separate pools is not a good idea. Also if you are a linux admin, you know the benefits of LVM and that logical volumes created from many small disks can provide better performance than a single large volume. Therefore, creating a pool and a big volume the size of the pool is also not good idea. And FlashSystem 5200 does not support NFS share. if there is no clustered filesystem on your iscsi hosts, they cannot share the volume. 

------------------------------
Nezih Boyacioglu

Original Message:
Sent: Thu May 29, 2025 03:14 PM
From: Ethan Provensen
Subject: Shared volume on IBM FlashSystem 5200

I am a Linux Administrator who is brand new in setting up and configuring a SAN. My Employer has chosen to purchase a IBM FlashSystem 5200 to share a volume between 3-5 Dell PowerEdge servers (or hosts). The Engineer is requesting for me to create 2 pools on the IBM FlashSystem 5200:

1. One pool to store Qemu/KVM VMs that are attached to each of the hosts at the same mount point. That way, a VM can be moved from one host to another by simply un-defining from one host and defining to another. 
2. The second pool that will serve as a NFS share for the 3-5 hosts to transfer files back and forth.

I have already successfully created 1 pool, and then 1 big volume. I created a host cluster that includes all of the hosts, and finally mapped the 1 big volume to the host cluster. I also successfully created the iSCSI initiator on all of the hosts, configured the NIC on all of the hosts, and can communicate with the SAN using the designated NIC. All of that has been completed and works great. 
i don't know enough about the IBM FlashSystem 5200 to be able to configure it as what my Engineer is requesting. Someone please help.

------------------------------
Ethan Provensen
------------------------------

@Nezih Boyacioglu
This IBM FlashSystem 5200 was purchased in mind to store Red Hat OpenShift containers, but recently the Engineer has decided not to go with RedHat OpenShift. The Engineer decided to stick with Alma9 hosts running KVM with VMs that have OVN-Kubernetes installed. I will tell him a NFS share is not possible. 
Can a IBM FlashSystem 5200 store VMs for 3 to 5 hosts running KVM? If so, can you provide me directions on how to setup VMs on the IBM FlashSystem 5200 for KVM? Thank you for your support.

Hi Ethan, 

Since the 5200 is a 12-disk box, if the number of disks is directly proportional to the limits of the box, creating two separate pools is not a good idea. Also if you are a linux admin, you know the benefits of LVM and that logical volumes created from many small disks can provide better performance than a single large volume. Therefore, creating a pool and a big volume the size of the pool is also not good idea. And FlashSystem 5200 does not support NFS share. if there is no clustered filesystem on your iscsi hosts, they cannot share the volume. 

------------------------------
Nezih Boyacioglu

Original Message:
Sent: Thu May 29, 2025 03:14 PM
From: Ethan Provensen
Subject: Shared volume on IBM FlashSystem 5200

I am a Linux Administrator who is brand new in setting up and configuring a SAN. My Employer has chosen to purchase a IBM FlashSystem 5200 to share a volume between 3-5 Dell PowerEdge servers (or hosts). The Engineer is requesting for me to create 2 pools on the IBM FlashSystem 5200:

1. One pool to store Qemu/KVM VMs that are attached to each of the hosts at the same mount point. That way, a VM can be moved from one host to another by simply un-defining from one host and defining to another. 
2. The second pool that will serve as a NFS share for the 3-5 hosts to transfer files back and forth.

I have already successfully created 1 pool, and then 1 big volume. I created a host cluster that includes all of the hosts, and finally mapped the 1 big volume to the host cluster. I also successfully created the iSCSI initiator on all of the hosts, configured the NIC on all of the hosts, and can communicate with the SAN using the designated NIC. All of that has been completed and works great. 
i don't know enough about the IBM FlashSystem 5200 to be able to configure it as what my Engineer is requesting. Someone please help.

------------------------------
Ethan Provensen
------------------------------

Yes you can use it with KVM, but if you need help about the setup I will recommend you to call your IBM representative or Business Partner. They can check current configuration, connectivity, firmware levels, pool layout, hosts and their connectivity options to create a plan for correct deployment for your needs. 

@Nezih Boyacioglu
This IBM FlashSystem 5200 was purchased in mind to store Red Hat OpenShift containers, but recently the Engineer has decided not to go with RedHat OpenShift. The Engineer decided to stick with Alma9 hosts running KVM with VMs that have OVN-Kubernetes installed. I will tell him a NFS share is not possible. 
Can a IBM FlashSystem 5200 store VMs for 3 to 5 hosts running KVM? If so, can you provide me directions on how to setup VMs on the IBM FlashSystem 5200 for KVM? Thank you for your support.

Hi Ethan, 

Since the 5200 is a 12-disk box, if the number of disks is directly proportional to the limits of the box, creating two separate pools is not a good idea. Also if you are a linux admin, you know the benefits of LVM and that logical volumes created from many small disks can provide better performance than a single large volume. Therefore, creating a pool and a big volume the size of the pool is also not good idea. And FlashSystem 5200 does not support NFS share. if there is no clustered filesystem on your iscsi hosts, they cannot share the volume. 

------------------------------
Nezih Boyacioglu

Original Message:
Sent: Thu May 29, 2025 03:14 PM
From: Ethan Provensen
Subject: Shared volume on IBM FlashSystem 5200

I am a Linux Administrator who is brand new in setting up and configuring a SAN. My Employer has chosen to purchase a IBM FlashSystem 5200 to share a volume between 3-5 Dell PowerEdge servers (or hosts). The Engineer is requesting for me to create 2 pools on the IBM FlashSystem 5200:

1. One pool to store Qemu/KVM VMs that are attached to each of the hosts at the same mount point. That way, a VM can be moved from one host to another by simply un-defining from one host and defining to another. 
2. The second pool that will serve as a NFS share for the 3-5 hosts to transfer files back and forth.

I have already successfully created 1 pool, and then 1 big volume. I created a host cluster that includes all of the hosts, and finally mapped the 1 big volume to the host cluster. I also successfully created the iSCSI initiator on all of the hosts, configured the NIC on all of the hosts, and can communicate with the SAN using the designated NIC. All of that has been completed and works great. 
i don't know enough about the IBM FlashSystem 5200 to be able to configure it as what my Engineer is requesting. Someone please help.

------------------------------
Ethan Provensen
------------------------------

@Nezih Boyacioglu
I appreciate all of your assistance. I notified my Management that the IBM FlashSystem 5200 has no share features at all (such as NFS), so they have decided to purchase a new IBM SAN. They have chosen to purchase a IBM FlashSystem 5045 NL-SAS. Does this IBM model offer share features such as NFS? Our Engineer needs to be able to share virtual machines, files, and folders. Can the IBM FlashSystem 5045 NL-SAS provide this? Thank you.

Yes you can use it with KVM, but if you need help about the setup I will recommend you to call your IBM representative or Business Partner. They can check current configuration, connectivity, firmware levels, pool layout, hosts and their connectivity options to create a plan for correct deployment for your needs. 

@Nezih Boyacioglu
This IBM FlashSystem 5200 was purchased in mind to store Red Hat OpenShift containers, but recently the Engineer has decided not to go with RedHat OpenShift. The Engineer decided to stick with Alma9 hosts running KVM with VMs that have OVN-Kubernetes installed. I will tell him a NFS share is not possible. 
Can a IBM FlashSystem 5200 store VMs for 3 to 5 hosts running KVM? If so, can you provide me directions on how to setup VMs on the IBM FlashSystem 5200 for KVM? Thank you for your support.

Hi Ethan, 

Since the 5200 is a 12-disk box, if the number of disks is directly proportional to the limits of the box, creating two separate pools is not a good idea. Also if you are a linux admin, you know the benefits of LVM and that logical volumes created from many small disks can provide better performance than a single large volume. Therefore, creating a pool and a big volume the size of the pool is also not good idea. And FlashSystem 5200 does not support NFS share. if there is no clustered filesystem on your iscsi hosts, they cannot share the volume. 

------------------------------
Nezih Boyacioglu

Original Message:
Sent: Thu May 29, 2025 03:14 PM
From: Ethan Provensen
Subject: Shared volume on IBM FlashSystem 5200

I am a Linux Administrator who is brand new in setting up and configuring a SAN. My Employer has chosen to purchase a IBM FlashSystem 5200 to share a volume between 3-5 Dell PowerEdge servers (or hosts). The Engineer is requesting for me to create 2 pools on the IBM FlashSystem 5200:

1. One pool to store Qemu/KVM VMs that are attached to each of the hosts at the same mount point. That way, a VM can be moved from one host to another by simply un-defining from one host and defining to another. 
2. The second pool that will serve as a NFS share for the 3-5 hosts to transfer files back and forth.

I have already successfully created 1 pool, and then 1 big volume. I created a host cluster that includes all of the hosts, and finally mapped the 1 big volume to the host cluster. I also successfully created the iSCSI initiator on all of the hosts, configured the NIC on all of the hosts, and can communicate with the SAN using the designated NIC. All of that has been completed and works great. 
i don't know enough about the IBM FlashSystem 5200 to be able to configure it as what my Engineer is requesting. Someone please help.

------------------------------
Ethan Provensen
------------------------------

@Nezih Boyacioglu
I appreciate all of your assistance. I notified my Management that the IBM FlashSystem 5200 has no share features at all (such as NFS), so they have decided to purchase a new IBM SAN. They have chosen to purchase a IBM FlashSystem 5045 NL-SAS. Does this IBM model offer share features such as NFS? Our Engineer needs to be able to share virtual machines, files, and folders. Can the IBM FlashSystem 5045 NL-SAS provide this? Thank you.

Yes you can use it with KVM, but if you need help about the setup I will recommend you to call your IBM representative or Business Partner. They can check current configuration, connectivity, firmware levels, pool layout, hosts and their connectivity options to create a plan for correct deployment for your needs. 

@Nezih Boyacioglu
This IBM FlashSystem 5200 was purchased in mind to store Red Hat OpenShift containers, but recently the Engineer has decided not to go with RedHat OpenShift. The Engineer decided to stick with Alma9 hosts running KVM with VMs that have OVN-Kubernetes installed. I will tell him a NFS share is not possible. 
Can a IBM FlashSystem 5200 store VMs for 3 to 5 hosts running KVM? If so, can you provide me directions on how to setup VMs on the IBM FlashSystem 5200 for KVM? Thank you for your support.

Hi Ethan, 

Since the 5200 is a 12-disk box, if the number of disks is directly proportional to the limits of the box, creating two separate pools is not a good idea. Also if you are a linux admin, you know the benefits of LVM and that logical volumes created from many small disks can provide better performance than a single large volume. Therefore, creating a pool and a big volume the size of the pool is also not good idea. And FlashSystem 5200 does not support NFS share. if there is no clustered filesystem on your iscsi hosts, they cannot share the volume. 

------------------------------
Nezih Boyacioglu

Original Message:
Sent: Thu May 29, 2025 03:14 PM
From: Ethan Provensen
Subject: Shared volume on IBM FlashSystem 5200

I am a Linux Administrator who is brand new in setting up and configuring a SAN. My Employer has chosen to purchase a IBM FlashSystem 5200 to share a volume between 3-5 Dell PowerEdge servers (or hosts). The Engineer is requesting for me to create 2 pools on the IBM FlashSystem 5200:

1. One pool to store Qemu/KVM VMs that are attached to each of the hosts at the same mount point. That way, a VM can be moved from one host to another by simply un-defining from one host and defining to another. 
2. The second pool that will serve as a NFS share for the 3-5 hosts to transfer files back and forth.

I have already successfully created 1 pool, and then 1 big volume. I created a host cluster that includes all of the hosts, and finally mapped the 1 big volume to the host cluster. I also successfully created the iSCSI initiator on all of the hosts, configured the NIC on all of the hosts, and can communicate with the SAN using the designated NIC. All of that has been completed and works great. 
i don't know enough about the IBM FlashSystem 5200 to be able to configure it as what my Engineer is requesting. Someone please help.

------------------------------
Ethan Provensen
------------------------------