The LDEV formatting function, which includes Normal Format, Quick Format, and Write to Control Blocks, enables you to format volumes (LDEVs). Volumes must be in the blocked status to be formatted.
This table lists the formatting functions and specifies the LDEV types on which each formatting function can be performed.
| Formatting function | Corresponding volume | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Normal Format | Internal volume Virtual volume External volume |
If you use Normal Format in multiple management tools to format LDEVs or parity groups for the same storage system, the LDEV formatting performed later fails. |
| Quick Format | Internal volume, except for a volume in a parity group with accelerated compression enabled | You can perform LDEV formatting with Quick Format by using multiple management tools if the target parity groups are different. While one Quick Format operation is in progress, another Quick Format operation can be performed by specifying an LDEV in a different parity group. These operations can be performed concurrently on the storage system. |
| Write to Control Blocks | External volume | - |
When formatting an LDEV by specifying the LDEV, perform the operations in the following order:
- Block the LDEV.
- Format the LDEV.
When formatting LDEVs by specifying all LDEVs in a parity group, block all LDEVs in the parity group before the formatting operations.
You can stop only the normal LDEV formatting process. The quick LDEV formatting process cannot be stopped after it has started. If you want to restart the LDEV formatting process, you must specify the LDEVs and format the LDEVs again.