iSCSI Block-based LUN Storage

[MikeeL]

Hi all,

Firstly I apologise for my lack of knowledge in this area.

Situation:
I've recently purchased the QNAP TS-453A and using it as a backup solution with Symantec Backup Exec (BE) 15. I've used the iSCSI method and first created an image file on a volume as an iSCSI LUN, to provide greater flexibility and dynamic allocation. I completed a backup successfully and then wanted to test the second option, for performance and compare the two.

Issue:
When selecting the second option (Allocate space from a storage pool as an iSCSI LUN), I'm getting limited to 4.49GB, considering there's 10.89TB storage space in the 'Storage Pool 1'. I created the 4.49GB storage and then tried to create a second storage but it's stating there is no space.
When I look at the storage space, I have:

• Storage Pool 1 [10.89TB]
  -1DataVol1 (System) [10.54TB]
  -Backup_0 [4.49GB]

My question:
What have I done/need to do the increase this limit from 4.49GB to at least 8TB?

Bonus question:
Does anyone know the performance difference between the two options? For the first option, I got a copy rate of 5,56200MB/sec of 16.2GB (containing mostly documents and Outlook .pst files to make up the larger portion of 16GB).
Also, I first tried the shared folder route, successfully logged into the QNAP from BE and assigned the admin rights to the correct domain account (on both the QNAP and BE), but unfortunately it still failed and when reading online from other peoples past issues, they recommended the iSCSI route. The question here, of iSCSI & the shared folder option, which would have better performance? Is it worth me spending more time to try fix the issue here or just use the iSCSI method?

Many thanks in advance.

Mike

[storageman]

You really must google around and read the documentation.

Unless you override it the first volume is 50% of available space.
If you create a volume based LUN you have two choices:
1.Expand the volume to create bigger LUN or another LUN
2.Create a block based LUN outside the volume
https://www.qnap.com/images/products/Ap ... lume_1.png

[MikeeL]

Thanks for the reply.

Apologies, I had googled/read multiple documentation, but could not find anything specific to this. I'm obviously looking for the wrong thing, could you please supply me with the correct documentation?

[storageman]

Read the sections on expanding volumes and Expanding iSCSI LUN capacity.

http://docs.qnap.com/nas/4.3/cat2/en/index.html

[MikeeL]

Cheers.

Before I had posted here, I had followed the steps on Expanding iSCSI LUN capacity and it would not let me expand the size past 4.49GB (more like 0.04% of total capacity, not 50%?) after doing the expanding volumes.

I've just ended up going with the first iSCSI method and created an image file on a volume as an iSCSI LUN to continue with the backups.

I read somewhere else it might have something do with the RAID 5 settings, but that users situation was slightly different because this error came in due to the user creating the RAID 5 on an older version of the software, then upgrading; whereas I have always been on the latest version.

Thanks again for the help. I'll stick with the first method for now as I need these backups to run until I get another QNAP in.

Out of curiosity, you wouldn't happen to know the performance difference between the two options?

[storageman]

Thick Block LUNs (not inside volumes) are faster