1.3 Partition Numbers and Device Names

In NetWare, the Media Manager assigns a unique object number to each storage device, disk partition, and logical partition. In addition, the Media Manager assigns device names to physical devices and adapters. These unique object numbers and device names are consistent across all NetWare utilities and console commands so that you can easily identify the objects and devices.

This section discusses the following topics:

1.3.1 Object Numbers

Object numbers are hexadecimal numbers assigned to devices, adapters, media, partitions, and divisions of a partition (such as the mirror object area).

If you mirror partitions, each logical partition in the mirrored set has the same object number as the other partitions in the set.

Object Number Examples

Object numbers are not sequential or persistent. New numbers can be assigned when the server is restarted. The same object number represents the same entity in any NetWare utility.

To view a list of storage devices:

  1. At the system console prompt, enter

    list devices

In the list of devices, the first number in each line is the hexadecimal object number. It is followed with descriptive information about the device. For example:

0x0001: [V312-A0-d4:0] iomega jaz 1GB rev:H.72

0x0003: [V025-A1-D1:0] WDC AC22100H

0x0002: [V025-A2-D2:0] NEC CD-ROM DRIVE:282 rev:3.07

0x0006: DOS Partitioned Media

0x0008: NetWare Partition

0x000A: Non-Mirrored Partition

A physical NetWare partition is identified as NetWare Partition and a logical partition is identified either as Non-Mirrored Partition or Mirrored Partition.

Mirroring messages use the logical partition object number to report that hard disks are being remirrored or unmirrored.

Partition Examples

The following are example partition entries with the device information:

Unpartitioned-D:0x1-1

  • Unpartitioned indicates that the device is unpartitioned.

  • D:0x1 is the object ID number, where D represents a device and 0x1 is the device number.

  • 1 is the chunk number, which is a unique number indicating that this is the first unpartitioned segment on device 1.

NSS-P:0x15-1

  • NSS indicates that this is an unassigned NSS partition.

  • P:0x15 is the object ID number, where P represents an unmirrored physical partition and 0x15 is the partition number.

  • 1 is the chunk number. It will always be 1 because NSS consumes the entire partition.

Traditional-P:0x15b-2

  • Traditional indicates that this is a Traditional volume with unassigned space.

  • P:0x1b is the object ID number, where P represents an unmirrored physical partition and 0x1b is the partition ID.

  • 2 is the chunk number, indicating that this is the second piece of free space in this unused partition.

Traditional-M:0x14c-2

  • Traditional indicates that this is a Traditional volume with unassigned space.

  • M:0x14c is the object ID number, where M represents a mirrored group of physical partitions and 0x14c is the mirror ID.

  • 2 is the chunk number, indicating that this is the second piece of free space in this unused partition.

1.3.2 Device Names

Devices such as hard disks and adapters are identified not only by a nonpersistent object number (see Object Numbers) but also by a permanent device name. When a hard disk fails, the failure message includes the device name so you can identify the disk or adapter.

To view a list of storage devices or adapters and their names:

  1. At the system console prompt, enter

    list storage adapters

The console screen lists each device adapter, followed by a list of devices driven by that adapter. In the following example, the first line identifies an IDE disk adapter. The second line identifies a hard disk operated by that adapter:

[V025-A0] NOVELL IDE HOST ADAPTER MODULE

[V025-A0-D1:0] QUANTUM FIREBALL_TM3840A

The bracketed letters and numbers at the beginning of each line are the device name. The device name identifies the adapter or device, as follows:

Figure 1-5 Device Name and Object Numbers

  • Vendor Number: A unique number specific to the device vendor.

  • Adapter Number: The instance of the adapter in the server. In the example, A0 identifies the first instance of an adapter installed in the server. Adapter numbers are unique. The second adapter installed in the server has adapter number A1, even if the adapter is of the same type as adapter A0.

  • Device Number: The number of the disk or other device. For a SCSI disk, this is the target ID, usually set by a jumper on the hard disk. For an IDE disk, this number represents the bus from the IDE controller. IDE numbers range from D0 through D3, representing the primary, secondary, tertiary, or quaternary bus.

  • Logical Unit Number (LUN): The LUN identifies individual devices when more than one device is attached to one bus. For example, one IDE bus might be attached to two disks, a master and a slave. LUN 0 represents the master and LUN 1 represents the slave. However, because disk manufacturers rarely use the logical unit number to identify hard disks, the LUN almost always appears as 0.

The Device name represents the device in all Novell utilities and console commands, including the list devices command.

Fault tolerant systems such as mirrored devices use the Device name to report that data blocks on disks have relocated.