Applies To:
Show VersionsBIG-IQ Centralized Management
- 6.0.0
Resizing Disk Space on BIG-IQ Virtual Edition
BIG-IQ Virtual Edition Disk Space Overview
BIG-IQ® Virtual Edition (VE) uses Logical Volume Management (LVM) to allow you to use utilities to resize file systems. Additional disk space is useful when you need more storage on your BIG-IQ system for things such as logging or database files.
Here is an example of an initial installation of BIG-IQ 5.2 VE with a single installation slot created on volume HD1.1
[root@bigiq-console-test-large:Active:Standalone] ~ # tmsh show sys software
----------------------------------------------------
Sys::Software Status
Volume Product Version Build Active Status
----------------------------------------------------
HD1.1 BIG-IQ 5.2.0 0.0.5741 yes complete
The size of each file system is determined by a configuration file within the BIG-IQ installation image. (For details, refer to Default Filesystem Sizes on support.f5.com.)
You can use the command lvs to see the file structure on your BIG-IQ VE. The response shows all of the default logical volumes created, along with their size, in kilobytes.
Here is an example of an a typical BIG-IQ 5.2 VE file system.
[root@bigiq-console-test-large:Active:Standalone] ~ # lvs --unit=k
LV VG Attr LSize Pool Origin Data% Move Log Cpy%Sync Convert
dat.log.1 vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 7168000.00k
dat.maint.1 vg-db-sda -wi-a---- 307200.00k
dat.share.1 vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 10240000.00k
dat.swapvol.1 vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 1048576.00k
set.1._config vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 3321856.00k
set.1._usr vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 3452928.00k
set.1._var vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 10485760.00k
set.1.root vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 450560.00k
When you upgrade to version 5.3 or 5.4, BIG-IQ, one of the installation steps creates a new slot using the create-volume parameter. Another installation step reveals the resulting file structure.
Here is an example from a typical BIG-IQ 5.2 to 5.3 upgrade:
[root@bigiq-console-test-large:Active:Standalone] ~ # tmsh install sys software image BIG-IQ-5.3.0.0.0.1119.iso create-volume volume HD1.2
[root@bigiq-console-test-large:Active:Standalone] ~ # tmsh show sys software
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Sys::Software Status
Volume Product Version Build Active Status
-----------------------------------------------------------------
HD1.1 BIG-IQ 5.2.0 0.0.5741 yes complete
HD1.2 BIG-IQ 5.3.0 0.0.1119 no installing 10.000 pct
The following example illustrates what the logical volumes look like after you install the new BIG-IQ software.
[root@bigiq-console-test-large:Active:Standalone] ~ # lvs --unit=k
LV VG Attr LSize Pool Origin Data% Move Log Cpy%Sync Convert
dat.log.1 vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 7168000.00k
dat.maint.1 vg-db-sda -wi-a---- 307200.00k
dat.share.1 vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 10240000.00k
dat.swapvol.1 vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 1048576.00k
set.1._config vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 3321856.00k
set.1._usr vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 3452928.00k
set.1._var vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 10485760.00k
set.1.root vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 450560.00k
set.2._config vg-db-sda -wi-a---- 3321856.00k
set.2._usr vg-db-sda -wi-a---- 3452928.00k
set.2._var vg-db-sda -wi-a---- 10485760.00k
set.2.root vg-db-sda -wi-a---- 450560.00k
Each installation volume has their own root, /usr, /config, and /var filesystems. The filesystems are mounted on logical volumes named using the following naming convention: vg--db--sda-set.<installation slot>.<filesystem alias>.
This table illustrates the mapping structure.
Installation Slot | Logical Volume | Mount Point | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Shared | dat.log.1 | /var/log | Shared across all installation slots |
Shared | dat.share.1 | /shared | Shared across all installation slots |
HD1.1 | set.1._config | /config | Slot 1 only |
HD1.1 | set.1._usr | /usr | Slot 1 only |
HD1.1 | set.1._var | /var | Slot 1 only |
HD1.1 | set.1.root | / | Slot 1 only |
HD1.2 | set.2._config | /config | Slot 2 only |
HD1.2 | set.2._usr | /usr | Slot 2 only |
HD1.2 | set.2._var | /var | Slot 2 only |
HD1.2 | set.2.root | / | Slot 2 only |
Default filesystem sizes
The BIG-IQ installation image contains the information used to configure logical volumes with default sizes. These default sizes are referred to as plans. If you install a new BIG-IQ version and the existing logical volumes in the target installation slot are not at least as large as the default size, then the installation process deletes and recreates the entire slot with the default logical volume sizes spelled out in the plan for the installation image. If you want to see the sizes defined in the plan for your BIG-IQ system, you can use a script named imageplan.
Here is an example of the plans defined for a BIG-IQ 5.1 installation:
[root@bigiq-console-test-large:Active:Standalone] ~ # imageplan /shared/images/BIG-IQ-5.1.0.0.0.631.iso
product BIG-IQ version 5.1.0 build 0.0.631 (BIGIQ510) selected
Standard plan
Mount point: /, Size: 300000k
Mount point: /usr, Size: 2350000k
Mount point: /config, Size: 1048576k
Mount point: /var, Size: 10485760k
Tiny plan
Mount point: /, Size: 300000k
Mount point: /usr, Size: 2350000k
Mount point: /config, Size: 1048576k
Mount point: /var, Size: 10485760k
Here is an example of the plans defined for a BIG-IQ 5.2 installation:
[root@bigiq-console-test-large:Active:Standalone] ~ # imageplan /shared/images/BIG-IQ-5.2.0.0.0.5741.iso
product BIG-IQ version 5.2.0 build 0.0.5741 (BIGIQ520) selected
Standard plan
Mount point: /, Size: 450000k
Mount point: /usr, Size: 3450000k
Mount point: /config, Size: 3320000k
Mount point: /var, Size: 10485760k
Tiny plan
Mount point: /, Size: 450000k
Mount point: /usr, Size: 3450000k
Mount point: /config, Size: 500000k
Mount point: /var, Size: 10485760k
As illustrated in these examples, for BIG-IQ version 5.1 and 5.2, the Standard and Tiny plans use the same sizes for the/, /usr, and /var mount points. The size for the /config mount point often changes for each plan.
When you install BIG-IQ software, the installation process reads the plan for the version you are installing and then uses either the Standard or the Tiny plan depending upon the total disk size available in the target installation slot.
Filesystem details
This table describes the contents of a folder structure on a typical BIG-IQ® VE.
File System | Contains | Notes |
---|---|---|
/shared | Shared across all installation volumes:
|
Consider resizing this disk if there are many UCS backups (for example, if you have lots of BIG-IP devices to manage) or software installation images, or if the size of the BIG-IQ UCS file itself, which contains data from /var/config could be too large for a successful upgrade. |
/var/log | Processes logging data shared across all installation volumes:
|
Consider resizing this disk if the default log rotation policies do not handle actual logging volume. |
/ (root) | Linux operating system components and configuration | |
/usr | BIG-IQ installation binary and configuration components | |
/var | BIG-IQ data:
|
Consider resizing this disk if the database or index growth will exceed current disk capacity. |
What factors should I consider before resizing my disks for an upgrade?
The commands for extending the filesystem on your BIG-IQ® VE are very straightforward, but there are a things you should consider before proceeding.
Questions to ask before you resize
- Do you have enough disk space on the BIG-IQ VE to install the BIG-IQ software?
- How big are the volumes needed by the software you want to install?
- How big are the volumes on your current BIG-IQ installation?
- Do you have an open slot to install the software on?
Check the disk space on the BIG-IQ VE
Before you create new slots and size them appropriately, you need to check that there is sufficient physical disk space on the VE. You can use the pvs command to check. For example:
[root@bigiq-console-test-large:Active:Standalone] ~ # pvs
PV VG Fmt Attr PSize PFree
/dev/sda3 vg-db-sda lvm2 a-- 498.50g 446.82g
This device has 446 Gigs of free disk space. That would be more than sufficient for a standard 5.4 install (30G +5G + 5G + 10G = 50G)
Once you know how much room you need and if there is room on the VE you are installing on, you can start extending the disk. Remember that the volume sizes on the target slot must be at least as big as the volumes on your current slot. So if you have extended the volume sizes on your current installation, you will need larger volumes than the minimum sizes specified in the image plan for the software image you are installing. You need to use the larger of the two values from the checks you just completed. For example, if the imageplan script shows a /var size of 10G is needed for the software you want to install, but the show sys software check shows a /var size of 30G for the version you currently have installed, then you need the /var volume to be sized at 30G, not 10G.
Check the volume sizes required by the software you want to install
- Copy the software image to the
/shared/images folder on the BIG-IQ system you plan to upgrade:
[root@bigiq-test:Active:Standalone] ~ # cp <big-iq-software-image>.iso /shared/images/<big-iq-software-image>.iso
- Run the imageplan
script on the software image to determine the filesystem sizes required:
[root@bigiq-test:Active:Standalone] ~ # ./imageplan /shared/images/<big-iq-software-image>.iso product BIG-IQ version 5.3.0 build 0.0.1119 (BIGIQ530) selected Standard plan Mount point: /, Size: 450000k Mount point: /usr, Size: 3450000k Mount point: /config, Size: 3320000k Mount point: /var, Size: 10485760k Tiny plan Mount point: /, Size: 450000k Mount point: /usr, Size: 3450000k Mount point: /config, Size: 500000k Mount point: /var, Size: 10485760k
Now you know the size requirements for the image you plan to install.
Check the volume sizes on your current BIG-IQ installation
You need to know the volume sizes for your current installation, because if any of the volumes have been extended, you must likewise extend the volumes on the installation slot before you upgrade. Otherwise, the install process can result in loss of data. To check the volume sizes of the existing installation, you can use the tmsh command show sys software . For example:
[root@bigiq-test:Active:Standalone] config # tmsh show sys software
----------------------------------------------------
Sys::Software Status
Volume Product Version Build Active Status
----------------------------------------------------
HD1.1 BIG-IQ 5.2.0 0.0.5567 yes complete
[root@bigiq-test:Active:Standalone] config # lvs --unit=k
LV VG Attr LSize Pool Origin Data% Move Log Cpy%Sync Convert
dat.log.1 vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 7168000.00k
dat.maint.1 vg-db-sda -wi-a---- 307200.00k
dat.share.1 vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 10240000.00k
dat.swapvol.1 vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 1048576.00k
set.1._config vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 503808.00k
set.1._usr vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 3452928.00k
set.1._var vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 31457280.00k
set.1.root vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 450560.00k
- /config (.5G)
- /usr (3.5G)
- /var (30G)
- /root (.5G)
Check to see if you have an open slot to install the software on
Before you can install new software, you need an open slot. You can use the lvs command to determine how many slots there are on your BIG-IQ VE. For example:
[root@bigiq-console01:Active:Standalone] config # lvs --unit=k
LV VG Attr LSize Pool Origin Data% Move Log Cpy%Sync Convert
dat.log.1 vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 8388608.00k
dat.maint.1 vg-db-sda -wi-a---- 307200.00k
dat.share.1 vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 33554432.00k
dat.swapvol.1 vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 1048576.00k
set.1._config vg-db-sda -wi-a---- 503808.00k
set.1._usr vg-db-sda -wi-a---- 3452928.00k
set.1._var vg-db-sda -wi-a---- 10485760.00k
set.1.root vg-db-sda -wi-a---- 450560.00k
set.2._config vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 3481600.00k
set.2._usr vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 3584000.00k
set.2._var vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 16003072.00k
set.2.root vg-db-sda -wi-ao--- 512000.00k
set.3._config vg-db-sda -wi-a---- 3321856.00k
set.3._usr vg-db-sda -wi-a---- 3452928.00k
set.3._var vg-db-sda -wi-a---- 10485760.00k
set.3.root vg-db-sda -wi-a---- 450560.00k
Each instance of set.n represents a slot on the VE. So in this example the VE has 3 installation slots (set.1, set.2, and set.3).
Resizing disk volumes for a BIG-IQ upgrade (an example workflow)
- If you need more physical disk space, attend to that first.
- If you have the disk space and an open slot, then F5 has a script that you can use to create the new volumes required for the image you plan to install. addvol reads the image plan for the software you plan to install and creates the volumes required.
- If you have extended the disk space on your current installation, F5 has a script that increases volume size as needed. resizevol sets the volume size to the value you specify.
- If you need an extra slot, you can add it as part of the installation command. The create_volume parameter adds a new slot to your VE and (if you've set up the volume sizes correctly using addvol and resizevol) when the software upgrades, all of your data fits without any disk resizing. Resizing disks in the middle of an upgrade can cause you to lose data.
Downloading disk size tools
Check the amount of free disk space on your BIG-IQ VE
- Before you can use this workflow to check the amount of free disk space on your BIG-IQ VE, you must download the imageplan script from F5.downloads.com. For details on downloading this script, refer to Downloading disk size tools on support.f5.com.
Create correctly sized volumes on the new installation slot
- Before you can use this workflow to size the volumes on an installation slot, you must download the addvol script from F5.downloads.com. For details on downloading this script, refer to Downloading disk size tools on support.f5.com.
Check the volume sizes on your current BIG-IQ installation
When you upgrade a BIG-IQ VE, you need to know the volume sizes for your current installation, because if any of the volumes have been extended, you must extend the volumes on the installation slot before you upgrade. Otherwise, the install process can result in loss of data. To check the volume sizes of the existing installation, you can use the tmsh command show sys software.
Use the following steps to determine the size of the volumes used by your current BIG-IQ installation.Increase the size of a disk volume
- You need to download the resizevol script from F5.downloads.com. For details on downloading this script, refer to Downloading disk size tools on support.f5.com.
- You need to know the volume names that you want to extend and the size that you want to extend them to.
If you need to increase the volume size of a disk volume on your installation slot so that you can install without losing any data, you can use the resizevol script.
Install BIG-IQ to a new slot
- You need to download the software image from F5.downloads.com.
- You need to have correctly sized the volumes on the slot you plan to install the new version on.
- Creates a UCS backup from the current system and saves it in the /shared folder.
- Installs a new BIG-IQ image on a new slot.
- When the new image is installed on the new slot, it copies that data was saved in /shared into the new database running on the new slot.