Format integrated server disk drives

In order to use integrated Windows server disk drives (network server storage spaces), format them. Before you can format them, first create (see Create an integrated server disk drive) and link (see Link a disk drive to an integrated server) the disk drives, then start the Windows server from i5/OS™ (see Start and stop an integrated server).

Servers can dynamically link disk drives while the server is varied on using the dynamic storage link parameter of the Add Server Storage Link (ADDNWSSTGL) command.

To format disk drives, follow these steps.

  1. On the integrated Windows server console, from the Start menu, select Programs, then Administrative Tools, then Computer Management.

  2. Double-click Storage.

  3. Double-click Disk Management.

  4. To create a new partition, right-click the unallocated space on the basic disk where you want to create the partition, and then click New Partition.

  5. Follow the prompts to format the new drive.

    1. Specify the storage space name for the volume label.

    2. Select the file system you specified when you created the disk drive.

    3. Select the quick format for a storage space that has just been created. It has already been low level formatted by i5/OS when it was allocated.