FASTVP in Clariion/FLARE30 works within a single storage pool.  So you would create pools that each contain multiple disk types in order to use FASTVP.  There is really no difference between a normal thin pool and a FASTVP pool, other than containing multiple disk types/tiers.  You can added more disks of each type to the pool, so if a customer orders some EFDs later, you can simply add those spindles to the pool and FASTVP will start to tier up.  You also don't need to create any RAID Groups, you just create the storage pool from the physical disks.  There are a couple limitations with FASTVP on Clariion that will affect how you configure the pools.  1.) A pool can consist of 1 to 3 disk technologies.  EFD, FC, and/or SATA.  When you create the pool, you specify the number of disks of each type to use and a single pool is created, from which you can create LUNs.  2.) FASTVP does not know the difference between different speeds or sizes of the same disk technology.  To the FASTVP engine, 10K and 15K FC are the same, 5K and 7K SATA are also the same as each other.  Because of this, it is recommended to use a the same speed/capacity drives of each technology in within a single pool.  3.) Because FASTVP operates within a single pool, all disks regardless of tier use the same RAID type.  In RAID5 it's 4+1, RAID6 uses 6+2 in pools.  The downside for your configuration is there is not way to tier between the RAID10 FC and RAID5 FC disks automatically.  You will end up with two pools at a minimum, one for the RAID10, the other for RAID5.  You could put a single pair of SATA drives in the RAID10 pool and put 4 of them in the RAID5 pool, leaving one for spare.  4 disks is not an optimum disk count for a RAID5 Pool since it uses 4+1 by default but since it's the SATA tier it's not the end of the world.  Depending on the customer's budget, if they can't afford EFDs for FASTCache AND for FAST, the recommendation is to use EFDs for FASTCache first, then buy for FAST itself.  FASTCache works across the entire array for normal LUNs as well as FASTVP and non-FASTVP pool LUNs.  So you get the best bang for your buck with FASTCache.  The Clariion VP White Paper attached discusses pools, including FAST Pools and has some screenshots of the dialogs to create pools.
Hello all,  I am about to start a FAST configuration for a customer that will only include FC and SATA disks.  I have read the EMC Clariion FAST document but it doesnt answer a few questions i have.  From what i read, i should create storage pools that i need and then i will add them to FAST.  The customer has the following disks to work with 40 300G 15K FC 15 146G 15K FC 7 2TB SATA  My plan was to create multiple 4+1 R5 groups with the 300G FC disks.  I read that the 4+1 was the optimal pool config to use in storage pools.  I was then going to use (14) 146G FC drives and create a R1/0 pool.  For the SATA disk, i am really limited since i need one for a HS and 6 disks is not realy optimal for a R5 pool.  I can make a 6 disk R6 pool but just not sure.  If i dont make the R6 pool, then i have a  disk just sitting there...  I am hoping that with this config, i will have 3 tiers of storage R1/0 FC, R5 FC, R5 SATA (since i cant have EFD, FC, SATA) and that FAST will know to move something up to the R10 pool if it needs to from the R5 pool.  First question is, once i create this pool, if later down the road the customer purchases EFD and wants to add it to the FAST config, can it be added without wiping everything off the current FAST pool?  I think i am missing something since i dont understand how to make those multiple 4+1 R5 groups into one big group?  Unless it is that i need to create a pool, right click it and select Expand, and then add the other pools?   I thought you can only do that with disks?  This will be my first time configuring FAST so i guess i will have to wait till i can see it in front of me.  Any advice will be great  Thanks
Creating FAST Storage Pools