Decide whether to use a pool or a volume group

You can create volumes using either a pool or a volume group. The best selection depends primarily on the key storage requirements such as the expected I/O workload, the performance requirements, and the data protection requirements.

Choose a pool

• If you need faster drive rebuilds and simplified storage administration, require thin volumes, and/or have a highly random workload.

• If you want to distribute the data for each volume randomly across a set of drives that comprise the pool.

  You cannot set or change the RAID level of pools or the volumes in the pools. Pools use RAID level 6.

Choose a volume group

• If you need maximum system bandwidth, the ability to tune storage settings, and a highly sequential workload.

• If you want to distribute the data across the drives based on a RAID level. You can specify the RAID level when you create the volume group.

• If you want to write the data for each volume sequentially across the set of drives that comprise the volume group.