UEFI Big Drive question

[CS_DBA]

On 05/08/2014 12:28 PM, Chris Murphy wrote:
> On May 6, 2014, at 6:18 PM, CS_DBA <cs_dba at consistentstate.com> wrote:
>
>> Hi all;
>>
>> we've just ordered a new server (http://www.spectrumservers.com/ssproducts/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=26&idproduct=787)
>>
>> Originally I tried to simply upgrade an older server with more drive space, I installed 6 4TB drives and did a new OS install but the OS would not allow me to configure more than 2TB per drive.
> I don't know what this is referring to when you say "the OS would not allow". The kernel has no problem with 2.2+TB drives. Do you mean the installer? Or some utility? What utility?
>
> If the drives do not have a partition map at all, anaconda (the installer) will use GPT on 2.2+TB drives. So long as the BIOS doesn't puke on GPT (some of them do), and can at least load GRUB2 from that point on it will work as GRUB2 supports GPT, so does the kernel, and thus you can use big drives as boot drives.
>
> If the BIOS pukes on GPT, the alternatives to buying a new computer is to use a smaller drive for booting, but then use the big drives as data drives, using either GPT to partition them, or no partition map at all. You can directly use mdadm or lvm (pvcreate) or Btrfs on an unpartitioned drive.
>
>
>> Subsequent research leads me to conclude that if the bios supports UEFI and the installer boots as such then the installer should see 4TB drives without any issues.  I'm also assuming that any server I order today (i.e. a more modern server) should ship with UEFI support in the bios.
> Not necessarily, although they are now a lot more common than they were even a year ago.
>> Are my conclusions above per UEFI correct?
> Yes although I'm not sure you need a new computer to fix this problem.

Agreed, we didn't order the new server to fix this issue, we ordered the 
server to upgrade another older server. However I wanted to address this 
issue at the same time...


>
> Chris Murphy
>