Fusion-io ioDrive Low-Level Formatting

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Just like SSDs, a Fusion-io ioDrive uses flash memory chips in the background to store data. If you want to use a previously used ioDrive for a new purpose, you can perform a low-level format of the ioDrive before creating the file system. This increases the overall possible performance for further operation. But by doing so, all data of the ioDrive will be lost. With SSDs you have similar options - please see SSD Secure Erase.

fio-detach

Before you perform a low-level format, you must release the corresponding device using fio-detach. The respective device name can be identified as fio-status:

test-server:~# fio-detach /dev/fct0 
Detaching: [====================] (100%) \
test-server:~# 

fio-format

Now you can run fio-format:

test-server:~# fio-format /dev/fct0 
Creating a device of size 322.55GBytes (300.40GiBytes).
  Using block (sector) size of 512 bytes.

WARNING: Formatting will destroy any existing data on the device!
Do you wish to continue [y/n]? y
Formatting: [====================] (100%) \
Format successful.
test-server:~# 

fio-attach

Then you can reattach the device again:

test-server:~# fio-attach /dev/fct0 
Attaching: [====================] (100%) -
fioa
test-server:~# 

Device is Activated

The device is now activated. You can see the name of the block device in fio-status or /proc/partitions (in this case, the device /dev/fioa):

test-server:~# cat /proc/partitions 
major minor  #blocks  name

   8        0  312571224 sda
   8        1    1052226 sda1
   8        2    8393962 sda2
 253        0  314993344 fioa
test-server:~# 

Additional Information


Foto Werner Fischer.jpg

Author: Werner Fischer

Werner Fischer, working in the Knowledge Transfer team at Thomas-Krenn, completed his studies of Computer and Media Security at FH Hagenberg in Austria. He is a regular speaker at many conferences like LinuxTag, OSMC, OSDC, LinuxCon, and author for various IT magazines. In his spare time he enjoys playing the piano and training for a good result at the annual Linz marathon relay.


Related articles

Fio-status Tool
Fusion-io ioDrive properties
Fusion-io ioDrive use with Debian