Installing the NetApp Software Stack on Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1

The following post runs through a complete install of the NetApp Software Stack on a Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 to which NetApp storage is to be attached.

From the NetApp Support software downloads site at http://support.netapp.com/NOW/cgi-bin/software we can download the following 4 components:

- FC Host Utilities for Windows

- iSCSI Host Utilities for Windows

- Multipath I/O for Windows

- SnapDrive for Windows

Note: The links for FC Host Utilities and iSCSI Host Utilities both lead to downloading the Windows Host Utilities.

Installation Order

1. FC/iSCSI Host Utilities for Windows

2. Multipath I/O for Windows

3. SnapDrive for Windows

Latest Versions

For this post we will use a fully patched Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 box and these latest versions:

- FC/iSCSI Host Utilities for Windows: Windows Host Utilities 6.0.2 (11 April 2013)

- Multipath I/O for Windows: Data ONTAP DSM 4.0 for Windows MPIO (14 Feb 2013)

- SnapDrive for Windows: SnapDrive 6.5

Installing NetApp FC/iSCSI Host Utilities

The Windows Host Utilities require the following hotfixes to be downloaded and installed first (the installer will prompt for these to be installed if they haven’t been already):

Q2528357 - storport.sys (Required: 6.1.7601.17610)

Q2684681 - msiscsi.sys (Required: 6.1.7601.17792.21938)

Q2754704 - mpio.sys (Required: 6.1.7601.18015.22177)

Note: When downloading the hotfix, tick only the Windows 7/Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 checkbox (Windows version 6.1)

Double-click the downloaded hotfixes to unpack:

432658_intl_x64_zip.exe

445355_intl_x64_zip.exe

456116_intl_x64_zip.exe

Double-click the patches to install:

Windows6.1-KB2528357-v2-x64.msu

Windows6.1-KB2684681-x64.msu

Windows6.1-KB2754704-x64.msu

Reboot to complete the hotfix installs.

Double-click the downloaded netapp_windows_host_utilities_6.0.2_x64.msi to install the NetApp Windows host utilities.

Image: Welcome to the NetApp Windows Host Utilities 6.0.2 Setup Wizard

Follow through the wizard, accepting the EULA.

Select whether to install support for Multipath I/O or not.

Note: Selecting ‘Yes, install support for Multipath I/O’ automatically installs the Windows Server 2008 R2 feature ‘Multipath I/O’.

Image: NetApp Windows Host Utilities Support for Multipathing?

Choose an install location (default is C:\Program Files\NetApp\Windows Host Utilities\).

Complete the wizard, and then click Install and - once complete - click Finish.

Reboot to complete the host utilities install.

The install will create a folder in All Programs for > NetApp > Windows Host Utilities, with a shortcut to SAN Version

Image: All Programs > NetApp > Windows Host Utilities

In the install folder - ‘C:\Program Files\NetApp\Windows Host Utilities’ - contains:

LinuxGuestConfig.iso, mbralign.exe, san_version.exe, sanpolicy.txt

In ‘C:\Program Files\NetApp\Windows Host Utilities\NetAppQCLI’ we have (amongst other files):

enable_disable_x64.exe, fcconfig.exe, qaucli.exe, qlnic.exe

Installing NetApp Multipath I/O for Windows

Note: It is not essential for this to be installed for the server to understand multipath to NetApp storage. Windows Server 2008 R2 MPIO natively has support for NetApp.

Image: Windows Server 2008 R2 MPIO Devices pre NetApp Multipath I/O install.

Double-click the downloaded ntap_win_mpio_4.0_setup_x64.msi to install NetApp Multipath I/O for Windows.

Note: With the NetApp Windows Host Utilities already installed, no patches are required here.

Image: Welcome to the Data ONTAP DSM for Windows MPIO Setup Wizard

Click OK to the ‘Data ONTAP(R) DSM requires ALUA to be enabled on your storage controller for the associated FC igroups’.

Accept the EULA.

Enter the 14-character license key.

Image: Data ONTAP DSM for Windows requires a License Key!

Specify the account information for the installed services.

Image: Data ONTAP DSM Management Service

Select whether to install Hyper-V Guest Utilities or not.

Image: Data ONTAP DSM for Windows - Hyper-V Guest Utilities

Verify the driver information before installing or updating.

Image: Data ONTAP DSM for Windows - Driver Information

Choose an install location (default is C:\Program Files\NetApp\MPIO\)

Click Install.

Click Finish.

Reboot to complete the NetApp Multipath I/O for Windows install.

Image: Windows Server 2008 R2 MPIO Devices post NetApp Multipath I/O install.

Note: The NetApp Data ONTAP DSM install does not add anything to All Programs.

Installing NetApp SnapDrive for Windows

Double-click the downloaded SnapDrive6.5_x64.exe to install NetApp SnapDrive for Windows.

Follow through the SnapDrive - Installation Wizard.

Image: SnapDrive Installation Wizard

Accept the EULA.

SnapDrive can be licensed in two ways, either ‘Per Storage System’ or ‘Per Server’. If per-server then a Valid SnapDrive License Key is required before continuing!

Image: SnapDrive Installation Wizard - SnapDrive License

Enter Customer Information.

Choose an install location (default is C:\Program Files\NetApp\SnapDrive\)

Tick or not the box to ‘Enable SnapDrive to communicate through the Windows Firewall’

(If required) Enable SnapDrive with VMware vCenter integration and specify the account information for the installed services.

Image: SnapDrive - VirtualCenter or ESX Server Web Service Credentials

(If required) Enable SnapDrive with Virtual Storage Console integration and specify VSC details.

Image: SnapDrive - Virtual Storage Console Details

Specify SnapDrive Service Credentials.

Image: Specify SnapDrive Service Credentials

Specify SnapDrive Web Service port configuration. The default SnapDrive ports are:

808 - SnapDrive Web Service Tcp/Ip Endpoint

4094 - SnapDrive Web Service HTTP Endpoint

4095 - SnapDrive Web Service HTTPS Endpoint

Specify the Transport Protocol Default Setting - RPC, HTTP, or HTTPS.

Image: SnapDrive - Transport Protocol Default Setting

Specify SnapDrive Protection Manager integration.

Image: SnapDrive - OnCommand Configuration

Click Install.

Click Finish.

A reboot is not required after installing SnapDrive.

After install, SnapDrive is available via All Programs > NetApp > SnapDrive.

The following Windows Services exist in services.msc:

- Data ONTAP VSS Hardware Provider / navssprv.exe (Manual - only runs when in use)

- SnapDrive / swsvc.exe (Automatic - Started)

- SnapDrive Management Service / sdmgmtsvc.exe (Automatic - Started)

THE END

Image: Windows Server 2008 R2 > Programs and Features - showing the installed NetApp software stack

Latest (downloaded 16/05/2013):

Data ONTAP DSM for Windows MPIO - 4.0.4594.1228

NetApp Windows Host Utilities 6.0.2 - 6.0.4649.1236

SnapDrive - 6.5.0.5474