How to Configure ZFS for Use With Solaris xVM

First, create a new storage pool using the zpool command described in zpool(1M). The name of the disk can be specified as a full device path, such as /dev/dsk/c0t0d0s0 , or as a disk name, such as c1t0d0. Multiple disks can be specified by using disk names separated by a space, to use disk striping.

Then, create a Solaris ZFS volume to store the guest domain master image. Note that the Solaris ZFS volume is a dataset, however, it represents a block device and can be used like traditional UNIX block devices.

1. Become superuser, or assume the appropriate role.

2. Create a new storage pool named xpool that includes the disk c1t0d0.

   # zpool create xpool c1t0d0

   The -f option can be used to force the action.

3. Verify that the storage pool is created:

   # zpool list NAME SIZE USED AVAIL CAP HEALTH ALTROOT xpool 34G 156K 34.0G 0% ONLINE -L

   You can use the zpool iostat command to view information about the I/O throughput of the newly created storage pool.

4. Create an 8–Gbyte Solaris ZFS volume to store the guest domain master image.

   # zfs create -V 8gb xpool/domU-master

5. List the Solaris ZFS volume block device nodes, which are identified as devices in the /dev/zvol/dsk and /dev/zvol/rdsk directories.

   # ls -l /dev/zvol/dsk/xpool total 2 lrwxrwxrwx 1 root 35 Apr 19 10:24 domu.master ->../../ll/ll/devices/pseudo/zfs@0:1c