NetApp ONTAP: What’s Involved in a Basic FAS/AFF Install?

Q: What’s involved in a NetApp ONTAP FAS/AFF Basic Install?

Officially, one (NetApp partner/NetApp representative) should use ConfigBuilder -

https://configbuilder.netapp.com/

- to “ensure consistency in the way we install NetApp systems.” In practice I find the tool is a little out-of-date but it still provides a useful framework.

Image: NetApp ConfigBuilder

Below is my list (as always with everything on this blog - not official), based partially on ConfigBuilder, experience and other sources. I might add to the list as time goes by (this is not something I’ve been using, just thought it might be a useful thing to do).

Pre-Planning

Pre-planning call to go over the details and make sure the install will be a success first time!

- Cabinets size, space, and power

- All required back-end cabling present

- All required front-end cabling present/available

Hardware Setup Checklist

- Rack equipment

- Cable equipment (backend cabling)

- Cable equipment (frontend/data cabling)

- Set shelf IDs (if have external shelves)

Cluster Switch Setup (if present)

- Install correct switch OS

- Install correct RCF file

Configure switches:

- Switch name

- Management IP

- Management login

ONTAP Software Setup Checklist

Loader environment:

- Check date

- Can run sp setup

Maintenance mode:

- Check ucadmin settings

- Check MPHA

- Check ha-config

- Install the desired ONTAP version

Cluster setup:

- Node management interface

- Cluster name

- Admin password

- Cluster management interface

- DNS (hosts and search)

Join remaining nodes to the cluster:

- Node management interface

- Configure Service-Processors

- Rename nodes as required

- Rename LIFs as required

- Install license keys (I always do post cluster setup)

Networking:

- IFGRPs

- VLANs

- IPSpaces (if required)

- Broadcast Domains

- Routes

- Intercluster LIFs

- Cluster peering

Configure time:

- Timezone, date & time, NTP

- Create Aggregates

Create (Test/POC/Basic) SVM:

- SVM Management LIF

- SVM Data LIFs

- SVM Routes

- SVM DNS

- SVM Protocols (CIFS, NFS, iSCSI, FC)

- SVM Peering

- Configure AutoSupport

- Check SFO hwassist settings

- Run Config Advisor (and correct anything that needs correcting)

- Test failover/giveback (disable ASUP/set to MAINT prior to doing this)

ONTAP Advanced Configuration (not included in basic install)

- Change admin password (productionize)

- Security Roles

- Alerting (including adding cluster to OCUM/ActiveIQ Unified Manager)

- Certificates

- Data Protection

- Additional SVMs