ONTAP Build Process: Part 1

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In this series I go through the steps building a production ONTAP cluster. This relates to a project I'm working but done in a generic way. I've highlighted where a naming convention may be required.

1) Decide on the software versions for deployment

  • ONTAP version
  • StorageGRID version

2) Physically install the hardware + power + cabling

Not covered here. I'll just say it is a 4-node cluster with 2 x Cisco NX9336 switches and 4 x AFF A800 nodes with StorageGRID for FabricPool. And there is a partner (DR) cluster.

3) Configure the NX9336 switches

Information required:

  • Switch 1 name, management IP addressing
  • Switch 2 name, management IP addressing
Configuration required (per switch):
  • Recommended NXOS version
  • Recommended configuration file (RCF) application
  • Basic configuration (process not covered here)
4) Complete the basic ONTAP configuration

Information required:
  • Cluster name, cluster management IP addressing
  • Node name (or default cluster-0X), node management IP addressing
  • Service Processor IP addressing
  • Cluster location
  • ASUP setup (mail host, from, to, note to, transport, HTTP gateway)
  • Site services details (DNS domain, DNS servers, timezone, NTP servers)
  • Alerting setup (SMTP mail host, SNMP traphosts, etcetera)
  • Intercluster Replication LIF networking
  • Intercluster StorageGRID LIF networking
  • IFgroups
  • VLANs (and broadcast domains)
Configuration required:
  • Apply desired ONTAP version
  • Complete basic ONTAP configuration for each cluster
  • Create data aggregates (aggregate naming?)
  • OKM and NSE disks configuration
5) StorageGRID

Note: Consideration required for FIPs disks.

Information required (assume we're using port aggregation) per site:
  • Grid name
  • Site name(s)
  • Grid network VLAN
  • Client network VLAN
  • Per SG1000: Appliance name, BMC IP addressing, P1 management IP addressing, Grid IP addressing, Client IP addressing
  • Per SG6060: Appliance name, BMC IP addressing,  P1 management IP addressing, Grid IP addressing, Client IP addressing, E-Series 1 & 2 management
Configuration required:
  • Complete configurations in the StorageGRID Appliance installers.
  • Deploy StorageGRID
  • Apply hotfix (and/or version upgrade) as required
  • Add additional sites
  • Configure AutoSupport for GRID and E-Series controllers
  • Create a Storage Pool per site
6) StorageGRID load balancers for fabricpool

Per site configuration required:
  • Create HA group x 2 (need 2 HA group names) for active/active load balancing
  • Add interfaces to the HA groups, determine priority order
  • Configurate virtual IP addresses (need 2)
  • Create load balancer endpoint (endpoint name) and attach certificate
  • Create tenant (name?) and bucket (name?)
  • Create ILM rules for 2+1 Erasure Coding per site
  • Active rules in ILM policy
7) ONTAP add Cloud Tier
  • Storage > Tiers + Add Cloud Tier - StorageGRID
    • Name, Path-Style URL, Server FQDN, SSL - YEs, Object Store Certificate - YES, Paste Certificate, Port, Access Key, Secret Key, Bucket Name
    • Note: Use CLI if don't want to use SSL
  • Add as Primary to data aggregates
  • Update volume cloud tier properties as required
8) Self-signed certificates

Not covered here: Consider updating the self-signed certificates in ONTAP (and StorageGRID).

9) Cluster level cron schedules and policies

To be continued on the next post

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