Converting an HA pair to a fabric-attached MetroCluster configuration

With the correct hardware, you can reconfigure an HA pair with DS14mk4 FC disk shelves to a fabric-attached MetroCluster configuration.

  • If you are upgrading an existing HA pair to a MetroCluster configuration, you must upgrade disk firmware to the latest version.

    After upgrading disk firmware, you must power-cycle the affected disk drives to ensure that they work correctly in a fabric-attached MetroCluster configuration. You can download the latest disk firmware from the NetApp Support Site.

  • If you are upgrading a 31xx, 32xx, and 62xx dual controller systems, the resulting upgraded system can only have one controller in each chassis.

    If you have a chassis with two controllers, you must move one controller to a new chassis to form the partner node of the MetroCluster configuration. You must also obtain and install the FC-VI interconnect card on both systems.

  • For details about this conversion process, see TR-3548, Best Practices for MetroCluster Design and Implementation, at the NetApp Support Site.
  • If you are converting an HA pair that has SAS disk shelves to a fabric-attached MetroCluster configuration, see Configuring a MetroCluster system with SAS disk shelves and FibreBridge 6500N bridges at the NetApp Support Site.
  1. Update Data ONTAP, storage system firmware, and disk firmware, as described in the Data ONTAP Upgrade and Revert/Downgrade Guide for 7-Mode, making sure to shut down the nodes to the boot prompt.
  2. Remove any ATA drives in the configuration. ATA drives are not supported in a MetroCluster configuration.
  3. Move the NVRAM adapter and FC-VI adapter to the correct slots for your model, as shown by the Hardware Universe at the NetApp Support Site.
  4. Determine your switch and general configuration by completing the planning worksheet.
  5. Set up and configure the local switches, and verify your switch licenses, as described in the Fabric-attached MetroCluster Systems Brocade Switch Configuration Guide and Fabric-attached MetroCluster Systems Cisco Switch Configuration Guide.
    Note: The configuration and firmware requirements for Brocade and Cisco switches in a MetroCluster environment are different from the requirements for switches used in SAN environments. Always refer to MetroCluster documentation when installing and configuring your switches for a MetroCluster configuration.
  6. Cable the local node.
  7. Enable the Data ONTAP licenses in the following order:
    1. cf.mode Set the mode to ha
    2. cf.remote_syncmirror.enable Set the option to on
  8. Configure the local node depending on the type of HA pair:
    If you are converting a... Then...
    Standard HA pair Set up mirroring and configure the local node.
    Stretch MetroCluster configuration Configure the local node.
  9. Transport the partner node, disk shelves, and switches to the remote location.
  10. Set up the remote node, disk shelves, and switches.
Configure the MetroCluster configuration.