The difference between volume and a LUN

This is a Q&A from SAN School Lesson 3. Click here for more SAN School lessons.

Step 2 of 2:

You forgot to provide an Email Address.

This email address doesn’t appear to be valid.

This email address is already registered. Please login.

You have exceeded the maximum character limit.

Please provide a Corporate E-mail Address.
- I agree to TechTarget’s Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and the transfer of my information to the United States for processing to provide me with relevant information as described in our Privacy Policy.
Please check the box if you want to proceed.
- I agree to my information being processed by TechTarget and its Partners to contact me via phone, email, or other means regarding information relevant to my professional interests. I may unsubscribe at any time.
Please check the box if you want to proceed.

What is the difference between volume and logical unit number (LUN)?

A volume normally refers to a "disk" created via a "volume manager" such as Veritas or a volume created by an operating system such as Windows NT. A LUN refers to a "logical unit number" presented to a host as a SCSI ID. (i.e., LUN number 1 specifies SCSI ID 1 on that port. Therefore, the term volume can be considered software based and LUN considered hardware based.

Chris

Dig Deeper on SAN technology and arrays

What is a LUN and why do we need one? Logical unit numbers are a logical abstraction between a physical disk device and applications. Learn more about LUN use cases and LUN security features.

logical unit number (LUN) A logical unit number (LUN) identifies one or more physical or virtual storage devices to a SCSI initiator in a host server to enable data exchange.

Implementing SBD STONITH in Linux HA clusters An SBD STONITH approach is simple to set up and is a reliable way to ensure data integrity in a Linux HA cluster.

LUN basics Greg Schulz outlines what a LUN is and how it is used.

Connecting Windows Server and Microsoft Exchange to iSCSI SAN LUNs Learn how to connect Windows Server 2003 to iSCSI SAN target LUNs and the procedure for partitioning and formatting disks on the Exchange Server system.

VMware and storage: Troubleshooting SAN configurations Rick Vanover's guide to troubleshooting SAN configurations in VMware gives pointers on documentation and more.

Related Q&A from Christopher Poelker

LUN expansion with Microsoft cluster server

SAN expert Chris Poelker discusses how to change the size of a LUN in a Microsoft cluster server environment. Continue Reading

Wavelength vs. dark fiber for SAN

SAN expert Chris Poelker compares connecting a SAN with wavelength cabling and dark fiber and discusses the pros and cons of each. Continue Reading

Why do HBAs in a SAN have same base?

Storage expert Chris Poelker outlines WWN basics in order to answer the question: "Why do HBAs in a SAN have same base?" Continue Reading

Have a question for an expert?

Please add a title for your question

Get answers from a TechTarget expert on whatever's puzzling you.

Meet all of our Storage Technology experts

View all Storage Technology questions and answers

Please create a username to comment.

Zerto plays big role in McKesson's disaster recovery plan

Why you should have a disaster recovery testing plan in place

Post-disaster recovery, don't overlook user connectivity

A data protection strategy should include on-premises, cloud apps

Guarding the shop: Rewind backup protects e-commerce data

Vancouver Canucks defend data with Veeam backup

Explore compelling benefits of hyper-converged infrastructure

Get to know Nutanix hyper-converged infrastructure products in-depth

Dell EMC PowerOne, On Demand add cloud-like pricing

Dig Deeper on SAN technology and arrays

Related Q&A from Christopher Poelker

Have a question for an expert?

Start the conversation

0 comments

Register

Login

Forgot your password?

Your password has been sent to:

Please create a username to comment.