# Creating volumes

This chapter discusses when and how to create volumes.

## When to create a volume

EVMS treats volumes and storage objects separately. A storage object does not automatically become a volume; it must be made into a volume.

Volumes are created from storage objects. Volumes are either EVMS native volumes or compatibility volumes. Compatibility volumes are intended to be compatible with a volume manager other than EVMS, such as the Linux LVM, MD, OS/2 or AIX. Compatibility volumes might have restrictions on what EVMS can do with them. EVMS native volumes have no such restrictions, but they can be used only by an EVMS equipped system. Volumes are mountable and can contain file systems.

EVMS native volumes contain EVMS-specific information to identify the volume name. After this volume information is applied, the volume is no longer fully backward compatible with existing volume types.

Instead of adding EVMS metadata to an existing object, you can tell EVMS to make an object directly available as a volume. This type of volume is known as a compatibility volume. Using this method, the final product is fully backward-compatible with the desired system.

## Example: create an EVMS native volume

This section provides a detailed explanation of how to create an EVMS native volume with EVMS by providing instructions to help you complete the following task.

> ### Create an EVMS native volume

> Create an EVMS native volume called "Sample Volume" from the region, `/lvm/Sample Container/Region`, you created in .

### Using the EVMS GUI

Follow these instructions to create an EVMS volume:

1. Select Actions Create EVMS Volume.

2. Choose `lvm/Sample Container/Sample Region`.

3. Type `Sample Volume` in the name field.

4. Click Create.

Alternatively, you can perform some of the steps to create an EVMS volume from the GUI context sensitive menu:

1. From the Available Options tab, right click `lvm/Sample Container/Sample Region`.

2. Click Create EVMS Volume...

3. Continue beginning with step 3 of the GUI instructions.

### Using Ncurses

To create a volume, follow these steps:

1. Select Actions CreateEVMS Volume.

2. Enter `Sample Volume` at the "name" prompt. Press Enter.

3. Activate Create.

Alternatively, you can perform some of the steps to create an EVMS volume from the context sensitive menu:

1. From the Available Objects view, press Enter on `lvm/Sample Container/Sample Region`.

2. Activate the Create EVMS Volume menu item.

3. Continue beginning with step 3 of the Ncurses instructions.

### Using the CLI

To create a volume, use the `Create` command. The arguments the `Create` command accepts vary depending on what is being created. In the case of the example, the first argument is the key word `volume` that specifies what is being created. The second argument is the object being made into a volume, in this case `lvm/Sample Container/Sample Region`. The third argument is type specific for an EVMS volume, `Name=`, followed by what you want to call the volume, in this case `Sample Volume`. The following command creates the volume from the example.

    Create: Volume, "lvm/Sample Container/Sample Region", Name="Sample Volume"

## Example: create a compatibility volume

This section provides a detailed explanation of how to create a compatibility volume with EVMS by providing instructions to help you complete the following task.

> ### Create a compatibility volume

> Create a compatibility volume called "Sample Volume" from the region, `/lvm/Sample Container/Region`, you created in .

### Using the GUI

To create a compatibility volume, follow these steps:

1. Select Actions Create Compatibility Volume.

2. Choose the region `lvm/Sample Container/Sample Region` from the list.

3. Click the Create button.

4. Click the Volume tab in the GUI to see a volume named `/dev/evms/lvm/Sample Container/Sample Region`. This volume is your compatibility volume.

Alternatively, you can perform some of the steps to create a compatibility volume from the GUI context sensitive menu:

1. From the Available Objects tab, right click `lvm/Sample Container/Sample Region`.

2. Click Create Compatibility Volume...

3. Continue beginning with step 3 of the GUI instructions.

### Using Ncurses

To create a compatibility volume, follow these steps:

1. Select Actions CreateCompatibility Volume.

2. Choose the region `lvm/Sample Container/Storage Region` from the list..

3. Activate Create.

Alternatively, you can perform some of the steps to create a compatibility volume from the context sensitive menu:

1. From the Available Objects view, press Enter on `lvm/Sample Container/Sample Region`.

2. Activate the Create Compatibility Volume menu item.

3. Continue beginning with step 3 of the Ncurses instructions.

### Using the CLI

To create a volume, use the `Create` command. The arguments the `Create` command accepts vary depending on what is being created. In the case of the example, the first argument is the key word `volume` that specifies what is being created. The second argument is the object being made into a volume, in this case `lvm/Sample Container/Sample Region`. The third argument, `compatibility`, indicates that this is a compatibility volume and should be named as such.

    Create:Volume,"lvm/Sample Container/Sample Region",compatibility