NetApp NS0-502 Study Notes Part 2/4: SAN Implementation Plan Creation

2. SAN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN CREATION
*Implementation Project Plan: ensure that each task is assigned duration times, dependencies, and resources. Identify the critical path (which depends on: project activities, time for each activity, activity dependencies).

2.1 Verify and plan for dual power feeds for all components.

2.1.1 Ensure all components outlined in plan have power feeds from separate power sources.

Provision of dual power for all systems: 1) Dual power supplies should be placed in all equipment. 2) Dual power feeds should be run to all equipment. 3) Power feeds should be connected to separate outlets connected to two separate PDUs.

2.2 Be able to create cabinet diagrams or be able to read and interpret a cabinet diagram. Diagrams should include the cabinet's storage systems and switches with all connections shown.

Cabinet diagram information: 1) Physical location of the rack in the datacenter. 2) Rack identifying information. 3) Location in the rack of NetApp storage controllers and storage shelves. 4) Switch placement. 5) Storage shelf connectivity.)

2.3 Create a connectivity diagram. Be able to read and interpret a connectivity diagram.

Important for connectivity diagram for FCP: 1) Port numbers and initiator/target configuration for the NetApp storage system. 2) FC switch port connection details with host and storage WWNs. 3) Host WWNs and port connection details.
Important for connectivity diagram for iSCSI: 1) Ethernet switch port connection details and IP addresses. 2) Host and storage device IQNs. 3) NetApp storage system port configuration (initiator/target).
NetApp best practice: FC Target ports should be either ALL on expansion cards or ALL on the onboard ports but never mixed.

2.3.1 Identify port details and connections for NetApp storage device(s).
2.3.2 Identify port details and connections for Hosts.
2.3.3 Identify port details and connections for FC switches.

FC SAN (switch) topologies: Cascade, Core-Edge (provides best performance and scalability,) Full Mesh, Partial Mesh, Switched Fabric.
*Security best practice: disable unused switch ports

*Ensure using the correct small form factor pluggables (SFPs) or enhanced small form-factor pluggable (SFP+), short wave or long wave, single or multimode, and single or multimode cable.


2.3.4 Identify port details and connections for Ethernet switches.

2.4 Plan storage controller configuration.

2.4.1 Plan for single/dual controller configuration.

cfmode = controller failover mode.
Only single_image and standby cfmodes are supported with the 4-Gb FC HBAs on 30xx and 60xx storage systems.
Single_image is the only supported cfmode for new installations starting with Data ONTAP 7.3 (on legacy systems, can continue to use other cfmodes supported by the system).
In single_image cfmode, both nodes in the active-active configuration function as a single Fibre Channel node, and the LUN maps are shared between partners.
In single-image cfmode path failover from cable connectivity issue; I/O will fail over to any port on either controller that is part of the associated portset, with choice of path controlled by the host's MPIO weighting table.
In a HP-UX environment, set single system image cfmode to ensure proper failover.
The effects of change to single_image cfmode, include: 1) There are more paths to LUNs. 2) Target ports WWPNs change on at least one controller.
cfmode is not applicable to O/S co-existence.

2.4.2 Plan for and create diagram for a multipath HA configuration.

A pre-requisite for NetApp storage controller multipath HA between storage controller and disk shelves, is for Software Disk Ownership to be supported and configured.
Linux supports dm_mp multipathing type.

2.4.3 Create capacity plan to include aggregates (RAID groups), volumes, LUNs. Consider snapshot requirements and plan for space reserve strategy.

Best practices:
Use RAID-DP technology.
Separate data and log files by LUN, volume, and aggregate.
Reserve space on the root volumes for log files, document installation, and images of the storage system's memory (for diagnostic purposes).
Do not put LUNs or user data in the root volume.

2.5 Plan host configuration.

Features of SnapDrive: 1) Expand LUNs on the fly. 2) Perform SnapVault updates of qtrees to a SnapVault destination. 3) Perform iSCSI session management.
NetApp recommends installing SnapDrive software on hosts to ensure consistent SnapShot copies.
SnapMirror software is integrated with SnapManager software for application consistent snapshot copies.

2.5.1 Plan/verify host hardware configuration including HBAs, PCI slots that will be used along with firmware and drivers.

HBAnywhere = Utility to collect firmware/driver version for Emulex HBAs (software available for Windows 2003/2008 and Solaris 10).
SANsurfer = Utility to collect firmware/driver version for Qlogic HBAs.

2.5.2 Plan/verify installation of supporting software such as 3rd party volume managers or applications.
Windows 2008 host: consider installing 'Microsoft Multipath I/O Role', and 'DOT DSM for Windows MPIO'.

2.5.3 Validate entire solution and ensure it is supported using the IMT (Interoperability Matric Tool). Determine if PVRs (Product Variance Request) need to be filled.

When designing a NetApp storage solution for a customer, check the row in the IMT for: Host OS & patches, HBA driver, Volume Manager, File System, and Clustering.

2.5.4 Plan creation of igroups for all hosts that will not have SnapDrive installed.

2.6 Create a Snapshot plan.

2.6.1 Create Snapshot plan for each host. Consider customer RPO (Recover Point Objective) and RTO (Recovery Time Objective) requirements as well as what space reserve strategy is most appropriate to use.
2.6.2 Create SnapDrive installation plan.

FCP or iSCSI license is required for SnapDrive to be used with a NetApp appliance.
Best practice before installing SnapDrive is to establish a SnapDrive service account.
SnapDrive for Windows can communicate with NetApp Storage Controllers using the following protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, RPC.

2.7 Plan Ethernet switch configuration.

2.7.1 Plan VLAN configuration.

Beneficial uses of VLANs: 1) To isolate iSCSI traffic from LAN/WAN traffic. 2) To isolate management traffic from other IP traffic.
Ports to include in a VLAN for administrative security purposes: 1) Storage Controllers Management Ethernet port. 2) FC Switches Management port. 3) Ethernet Switches Management port. 4) Hosts Management Ethernet port.

2.7.2 Plan IPSEC configuration.
Two IPSec modes: transport mode (performed by host processor) and tunneling mode (offloaded to an IPSec gateway)

2.8 Plan zoning configuration.

2.8.1 Be able to plan the alias list based on the type of zoning that was decided.
2.8.2 Provide a name for the alias that describes the port/WWPN (targets and initiators).
2.8.3 Plan the zones, including the number of zones, members of each zone and the name of each zone. Be able to plan for single initiator zoning.

NetApp recommended best practice for zone configuration: All zones should contain a single initiator and all the targets that initiator accesses.
NetApp recommends zoning by World Wide Port Name.
For a Host connected to a NetApp storage system through an FC switch, which has boot volumes on the NetApp storage system, a persistent binding is a mandatory configuration.

2.9 Plan iSCSI configuration.

A direct connect topology allows for guaranteed maximum network performance for iSCSI.
iSCSI access lists: control which network interfaces on a storage system that an initiator can access, and limit the number of network interfaces advertised to a host by the storage system.

2.9.1 Be able to plan for the create of discovery domains and discovery domain sets in iSNS.

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