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# Create file systems

Network-attached storage is a file-level storage architecture that makes stored data more accessible to networked devices.

## About this task

A file system is created for NFS exports.

See Understanding PowerMax File for storage systems for an overview of PowerMax File.

## Steps

1. Select a storage system that supports PowerMaxFile.
2. Select Storage > File.
3. Select the FILE SYSTEMS tab.
4. Click Create.
5. Select type of file system that you want to create (general NAS file system or VMware File System) and click NEXT.
   Select VMware file system if you want to create NFS Datastore. VMware File System can only be accessed using NFS.
6. General NAS file system:
   1. Select the NAS server (with NFS Server Enabled and/or SMB Server Enabled) where the file system is to be created and click NEXT.
   2. Enter the following file system details:
      - Name
      - Description
      - Size-The file system size can be from 3 GB to 256 TB.

        | NOTE: All thin file systems, regardless of size, have 1.5 GB reserved for metadata upon creation. For example, after creating a 100GB thin file system, PowerMax T model immediately shows 1.5 GB used.When the file system is mounted to a host, it shows 98.5 GB of usable capacity. This is because the metadata space is reserved from the usable file system capacity.

      - Service Level
      - Data Reduction flag (assumes that selected NAS server has SRP with data reduction enabled).
      - Set Threshold (can be set to trigger alert if the file system used space exceeds the threshold).
      For SMB enabled systems, you can also click the associated checkbox for the following advanced SMB settings:
      - Sync Write Enable-When you enable the synchronous writes option for a Windows (SMB) or multiprotocol file system, the storage system performs immediate synchronous writes for storage operations, regardless of how the SMB protocol performs write operations. Enabling synchronous writes operations enables you to store and access database files (for example, MySQL) on storage system SMB shares. This option guarantees that any write to the share is done synchronously and reduces the chances of data loss or file corruption in various failure scenarios, for example, loss of power.This option is disabled by default.

        | NOTE: The synchronous writes option can have a significant impact on performance. It is not recommended unless you intend to use Windows file systems to provide storage for database applications.

      - Oplocks Enabled-(Enabled by default) Opportunistic file locks (oplocks, also known as Level 1 opslock) enable SMB clients to buffer file data locally before sending it to a server. SMB clients can then work with files locally and periodically communicate changes to the storage system rather than having to communicate every operation over the network to the storage system. This feature is enabled by default for Windows (SMB) and multiprotocol file systems. Unless your application handles critical data or has specific requirements that make this mode or operation unfeasible, leaving the oplocks enabled is recommended. The following oplocks implementations are supported:
        - Level II oplocks, which informs a client that multiple clients are accessing a file, but no client has yet modified it. A level II oplock lets the client perform read operations and file attribute fetches by using cached or read-ahead local information. All other file access requests must be sent to the server.
        - Exclusive oplocks, which informs a client that it is the only client opening the file. An exclusive oplock lets a client perform all file operations by using cached or read-ahead information until it closes the file, at which time the server must be updated with any changes that are made to the state of the file (contents and attributes).
        - Batch oplocks, which informs a client that it is the only client opening the file. A batch oplock lets a client perform all file operations by using cached or read-ahead information (including opens and closes). The server can keep a file opened for a client even though the local process on the client machine has closed the file.This mechanism curtails the amount of network traffic by letting clients skip the extraneous close and open requests.
      - Notify on Write Enabled-Enable notification when a file system is written to. This option is disabled by default.
      - Notify on Access Enabled-Enable notification when a file system is accessed. This option is disabled by default.
      - Notify on SMB Events Publishing-Enable the processing of SMB events for this file system.
   3. Click NEXT.
   4. Specify the file level retention (FLR) setting. FLR protect files from modification and deletion during the retention period. Once a File System is created, FLR cannot be enabled, disabled, or change to another type.Click NEXT.
   5. Optional: Specify NFS Export Name and a description. Click NEXT.
   6. For SMB enabled system, specify values for the following settings:
      - SMB Share Name
      - Description
      - Offline Availability
      - Umask
   7. Select the associated checkbox for the following advanced SMB settings:
      - Access-Based Enumeration
      - Continuous Availability
      - Protocol Encryption
      - Branch Cache Enabled
7. VMware file system:
   1. Select the NAS server where the file system is to be created and click NEXT.
   2. Enter the following file system details:
      - Name
      - Description
      - Size
      - Service level
      - Data reduction flag (assumes that selected NAS server has SRP with data reduction enabled).
      - Alert threshold flag (can be set to trigger alert if the file system used space exceeds the threshold).
      - Host I/O size for the file system
      Click NEXT.
   3. Specify the NFS Export Name and a description. Click NEXT.
   4. Specify the minimum security and default access. Click Create to add a host. Select an existing host and click Modify to modify its properties. Select an existing host and click to delete the host. Select Import to import a host file or download a hosts template file. Click NEXT.
8. Review the summary.
9. Do one of the following:
   - Expand Run In The Background, and click Run In The Background to perform the operation in the background.
   - Expand Run In The Background, and click Add to Job List to add this task to the job list, from which you can schedule or run the task at your convenience. For more information, see Schedule jobs and Preview jobs