Chapter 3. Block pools

The OpenShift Data Foundation operator installs a default set of storage pools depending on the platform in use. These default storage pools are owned and controlled by the operator and it cannot be deleted or modified. With OpenShift Container Platform, you can create multiple custom storage pools which map to storage classes that provide the following features:

  • Enable applications with their own high availability to use persistent volumes with two replicas, potentially improving application performance.
  • Save space for persistent volume claims using storage classes with compression enabled.
Note

Multiple block pools are not supported for external mode OpenShift Data Foundation clusters.

3.1. Creating a block pool

Prerequisites

  • You must be logged into the OpenShift Container Platform web console as an administrator.

Procedure

  1. Click Storage → Data Foundation.
  2. In the Storage systems tab, select the storage system and then click the BlockPools tab.
  3. Click Create Block Pool.

  4. Enter Pool name.

    Note

    Using 2-way replication data protection policy is not supported for the default pool. However, you can use 2-way replication if you are creating an additional pool.

  5. Select Data protection policy as either 2-way Replication or 3-way Replication.
  6. Select Volume Type.

  7. Optional: Select Enable compression checkbox if you need to compress the data.

    Enabling compression can impact application performance and might prove ineffective when data to be written is already compressed or encrypted. Data written before enabling compression will not be compressed.

  8. Click Create.

3.2. Updating an existing pool

Prerequisites

  • You must be logged into the OpenShift Container Platform web console as an administrator.

Procedure

  1. Click Storage → Data Foundation.
  2. In the Storage systems tab, select the storage system and then click BlockPools.
  3. Click the Action Menu (⋮) at the end the pool you want to update.
  4. Click Edit Block Pool.

  5. Modify the form details as follows:

    Note

    Using 2-way replication data protection policy is not supported for the default pool. However, you can use 2-way replication if you are creating an additional pool.

    1. Change the Data protection policy to either 2-way Replication or 3-way Replication.

    2. Enable or disable the compression option.

      Enabling compression can impact application performance and might prove ineffective when data to be written is already compressed or encrypted. Data written before enabling compression will not be compressed.

  6. Click Save.

3.3. Deleting a pool

Use this procedure to delete a pool in OpenShift Data Foundation.

Prerequisites

  • You must be logged into the OpenShift Container Platform web console as an administrator.

Procedure

  1. . Click Storage → Data Foundation.
  2. In the Storage systems tab, select the storage system and then click the BlockPools tab.
  3. Click the Action Menu (⋮) at the end the pool you want to delete.
  4. Click Delete Block Pool.
  5. Click Delete to confirm the removal of the Pool.
Note

A pool cannot be deleted when it is bound to a PVC. You must detach all the resources before performing this activity.