Error Message

# vxdisksetup -i emc_clariion0_20 format=cdsdisk
 

(VEA displays a size of 1.370 TB)
 

The Linux fdisk utility does not support large disks (typically greater than 2TB).  This utility writes a MBR (Master Boot Record) label which does not support large disks.

Volume Manager will calculate the size based on the size reported in the OS label.

Here is how the fdisk utility in Lnux reports the size.

# fdisk -l /dev/dm-15

Disk /dev/dm-15 (Sun disk label): 64 heads, 2751 sectors, 8 cylinders Units = cylinders of 176064 * 512 bytes

Device Flag Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/dm-15p3 u 0 16756 1475002112 5 Whole disk
/dev/dm-15p8 u 0 16756 1475002112 f Unknown

(the size reported here is less than 2TB)

When using the standard fdisk utility, the following message is observed.

# fdisk /dev/dm-15
WARNING: The size of this disk is 5.9 TB (5908688142336 bytes).
DOS partition table format can not be used on drives for volumes larger than 2.2 TB (2199023255040 bytes). Use parted(1) and GUID partition table format (GPT).

It appears the LUN requires a GPT label for large drive support.

1. Place EFI label on 6 TB LUN
 
# parted -s /dev/dm-15 mklabel gpt

2. Initialize the disk in Volume Manager:

# /etc/vx/bin/vxdisksetup -i [device]     

(the LUN will now initialize to the size reported in the OS label as a auto:simple disk)
 

The OS label can also be written with the gdisk utility.

(generic reference: https://www.rodsbooks.com/gdisk/walkthrough.html)

Note: For additional information about GPT. please refer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GUID_Partition_Table

The GUID Partition Table (GPT) was introduced as part of the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) initiative. GPT provides a more flexible mechanism for partitioning disks than the older Master Boot Record (MBR) partitioning scheme that has been common to PCs.

A partition is a contiguous space of storage on a physical or logical disk that functions as though it were a physically separate disk. Partitions are visible to the system firmware and the installed operating systems. Access to a partition is controlled by the system firmware before the system boots the operating system, and then by the operating system after it starts.

GPT disks can grow to a very large size. The number of partitions on a GPT disk is not constrained by temporary schemes such as container partitions as defined by the MBR Extended Boot Record (EBR).

The GPT disk partition format is well defined and fully self-identifying. Data critical to platform operation is located in partitions and not in unpartitioned or "hidden" sectors. GPT disks use primary and backup partition tables for redundancy and CRC32 fields for improved partition data structure integrity. The GPT partition format uses version number and size fields for future expansion.

Each GPT partition has a unique identification GUID and a partition content type, so no coordination is necessary to prevent partition identifier collision. Each GPT partition has a 36-character Unicode name, which means that any software can present a human-readable name for the partition without any additional understanding of the partition.