Users Guide

Cluster best practices

Cluster shared volumes

You must have one cluster shared volume (CSV) for every VD. You must add CSVs in multiples of the

storage nodes to allow for the CSVs to be load balanced across the cluster.

For example, if you have a 2x2 configuration, which has two storage nodes, you should create CSVs in

multiples of 2 (for example 2, 4, 6, and 8 CSVs). If you have a 4x4 configuration which has 4 storage

nodes, then you should create CSVs in multiples of 4 (for example 4, 8, 12, and 16 CSVs). For optimal

performance, Dell recommends having at least twice the number of CSVs as storage nodes. In this

example, at a minimum, a 2x2 configuration would optimally have four CSVs.

Cluster shared volumes cache

CSV cache allows you to allocate RAM on the storage node as a write-through cache. If you are using

Storage Spaces with storage tiers, the CSV cache is not used and is not configured.

If you have VDs that are not using storage tiers or you are using VDs with parity resiliency, then Dell

recommends that you enable CSV cache.

For optimal performance, the recommendation is to allocate 50 percent of the storage node memory for

the CSV cache.

Run the following PowerShell command to set the CSV cache size.

(Get-Cluster).BlockCacheSize = <sizeInMB>

For example,

Using a 4x4 configuration with four Dell PowerEdge R630 as the storage nodes. Each storage node has

128 GB of RAM. CSV cache should be set to 64 GB.

(Get-Cluster).BlockCacheSize = 65536