Device and Partition Numbering

All storage devices, disk partitions, and logical partitions are identified by object numbers assigned by the NetWare operating system Media Manager.

In addition, the Media Manager assigns device names to physical devices and adapters called object numbers.

These object numbers and device names are consistent across all NetWare utilities and console commands so that you can easily identify the objects and devices.


Object Numbers

Object numbers are hexadecimal numbers assigned to devices, adapters, media, partitions, and divisions of a partition (such as the Hot Fix redirection 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 numbers are not sequential or persistent. New numbers can be assigned when the server is restarted. But the same object number represents the same entity in any NetWare utility. For example, if you type LIST DEVICES at the server console prompt, you would see a list of storage devices, such as the following (the first number in each line is the Hexidecimal object number):

0x0001: [V312-A0-d4:0] iomega jaz 1GB rev:H.720x0003: [V025-A1-D1:0] WDC AC22100H0x0002: [V025-A2-D2:0] NEC CD-ROM DRIVE:282 rev:3.07

Likewise, in MONITOR, if you select Available Options > Storage Devices, you would see a list of storage devices, partitions, and adapters similar to the following:

0x0001: [V312-A0-d4:0] iomega jaz 1GB rev:H.720x0000: [V025-A1] Novell IDE Host Adapter Module0x0003: [V025-A1-D1:0] WDC AC22100H0x0002: [V025-A2-D2:0] NEC CD-ROM DRIVE:282 rev:3.070x0006: DOS Partitioned Media0x0008: NetWare Partition0x000A: Non-Mirrored Partition

In the MONITOR example, object number 0x0001 represents an Iomega Jaz drive, just as it did in the LIST DEVICES display.

Note that 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.

For instructions on using MONITOR, see MONITOR in the Utilities Reference.


Partition examples

The following are example partition entries with the device information: Unpartitioned - D:0x1-1

NSS-P:0x15-1

Traditional P:0x15b-2

If the object ID number contains a "P," the partition does not have a mirror object ID. The selected object has an unmirrored physical partition ID.If the object ID number contains an "M," the partition is mirrored. The ID number following the "M" is the ID of the mirror group instead of an individual partition.For example, M:0x14-1 indicates that the partition exists on the group of partitions represented by the mirror ID 0x14. Traditional - M:0x1c-1 indicates that the traditional partition exists on the group of mirrored partitions represented by mirror ID 0x14.


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 see a list of storage devices and their names, execute the LIST STORAGE ADAPTERS command at the server console prompt. The 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:


Device name object numbers

The Device name represents the device in all Novell utilities and console commands, including MONITOR, LIST DEVICES, etc.

Fault tolerance systems such as Hot Fix use the Device name to report that data blocks on disks have relocated.



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