Module 1

Overview

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MODULE 1: OVERVIEW

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Clustered Data ONTAP Administration: Overview

2013 NetApp, Inc. This material is intended only for training. Reproduction is not authorized.

Module Objectives
After this module, you should be able to:
Explain the primary benefits of Data ONTAP
clustering
Identify the scope of Data ONTAP concepts
such as node virtual storage servers
(Vservers), administrative Vservers, and data
Vservers

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MODULE OBJECTIVES

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Clustered Data ONTAP Administration: Overview

2013 NetApp, Inc. This material is intended only for training. Reproduction is not authorized.

Clustered Data ONTAP

A Reliable, Optimized Computing
Foundation
Provides unlimited connectivity
Dynamically controls itself
Integrates business workflows

Simplified End-User Experience

Access control
Audit policies
File-level and storage systems
Data management
Information lifecycle management

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CLUSTERED DATA ONTAP

The Data ONTAP operating system is the foundation of NetApp Unified Storage Architecture. Data ONTAP
8.2 adds a number of critical new features to that foundation. Before reviewing the new features, recall the
significance of a unified storage architecture. NetApp Unified Storage Architecture includes unique and
innovative features that distinguish it from the competition. This single architecture spans the entire hardware
lineup, from the smallest entry-level model to the largest enterprise model. The architecture provides Fibre
Channel SAN, iSCSI, and NAS protocol support, scalable performance and capacity, and a single application
interface for the entire product lineup. Unmatched reliability, scalability, and flexibility make the Data
ONTAP operating system the best choice for all data storage environments.

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Clustered Data ONTAP Administration: Overview

2013 NetApp, Inc. This material is intended only for training. Reproduction is not authorized.

Clustered Data ONTAP Highlights

Protocols
FC

CIFS

FCoE

NFS

iSCSI

pNFS

Storage Efficiency

Scalability
Performance scaling

Capacity scaling

Deduplication
Compression

Cost and
Performance

Thin provisioning

Management and
Ecosystem Integration

Flash Cache

Unified management

Solid-state drives

Secure multi-tenancy

Flash Pool

Multivendor
virtualization

FlexCache

Cloning

Operational
scaling

Integrated Data Protection

Snapshot copies
Asynchronous mirroring

Disk-to-disk and disk-totape backup

SAS and SATA

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CLUSTERED DATA ONTAP HIGHLIGHTS

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Clustered Data ONTAP Administration: Overview

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Primary Reasons to Use Clustered

Data ONTAP
Scalability: performance and capacity
Flexibility: data management and movement
Transparency: namespaces, storage failover,
NAS LIF failover and migration, resource use
and balancing, nondisruptive operation

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PRIMARY REASONS TO USE CLUSTERED DATA ONTAP

Clustered Data ONTAP can scale to meet the needs of customers. Adding additional disk shelves to a single
system has always been a method of scaling capacity. The scalability of a cluster greatly multiplied by the
ability to add nodes to a cluster without any disruption or downtime for the cluster. You can also scale
computing power by adding nodes to a cluster.
Clusters also provide incredible flexibility in how nodes and storage are managed.
Finally, the ability to move volumes among aggregates and nodes means that an administrator isnt locked
into a particular data scheme. Changing a scheme is transparent and simple.

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Clustered Data ONTAP Administration: Overview

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Scalability

A single system image for 1 to 24 nodes

Throughput that scales linearly to multiple gigabytes per second
Capacity that scales to petabytes
The ability to support continuous operation
Online (transparent) load balancing and scaling

A fully integrated, single-vendor solution

Note: Not all platform combinations can scale up to 24 nodes.
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SCALABILITY
Clustered Data ONTAP solutions can scale from 1 to 24 nodes, and are mostly managed as one large system.
More importantly, to client systems, a cluster looks like a single file system. The performance of the cluster
scales linearly to multiple gigabytes per second of throughput, and capacity scales to petabytes.
Clusters are built for continuous operation; no single failure on a port, disk, card, or motherboard will cause
data to become inaccessible in a system. Clustered scaling and load balancing are both transparent.
Clusters provide a robust feature set, including data protection features such as Snapshot copies, intracluster
asynchronous mirroring, SnapVault backups, and NDMP backups.
Clusters are a fully integrated solution. This example shows a 20-node cluster that includes 10 FAS systems
with 6 disk shelves each, and 10 FAS systems with 5 disk shelves each. Each rack contains a high-availability
(HA) pair with storage failover (SFO) capabilities.

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Clustered Data ONTAP Administration: Overview

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Scalability: Performance (NAS)

A Six-Node Data ONTAP Cluster

A
B

B
R

B
G

Linearly scale read performance

with load-sharing mirror
relationships.
Linearly scale aggregate
read/write performance in a single
namespace.
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SCALABILITY: PERFORMANCE (NAS)

In this example, volume R is the root volume of a virtual storage server and its corresponding namespace.
Volumes A, B, C, and F are mounted to R through junctions. This clustered Data ONTAP solution provides
performance scaling in two ways:

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Volume B and root Volume R each have two read-only mirror relationships, which enables read requests
to be spread across multiple volumes and nodes (the B mirrors) rather than taxing one volume (and node)
with all read requests. High-performance computing (HPC) applications often require scaling of read
throughput well beyond the write throughput.
Volumes A, C, D, E, F, G, and H provide scaled performance when applications are accessing all six
nodes. Because the volumes are distributed across six nodes, processing is spread across those nodes, but
all of the nodes are in a single namespace. Volumes D and E are mounted to C through junctions.
Likewise, volumes G and H are mounted to F.

Clustered Data ONTAP Administration: Overview

2013 NetApp, Inc. This material is intended only for training. Reproduction is not authorized.

Scalability: Capacity
The ability to rapidly and
seamlessly deploy new
storage or applications or
both

Projects

No required downtime

Movement that is transparent

to clients and does not alter
the namespace

A1 A2 A3 B1 B2 C1 C2 C3

A
A1
A3

A2

C2 B2
C C3
C1

B1

Offload (move) volumes to newly added storage.

Grow the volumes.

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SCALABILITY: CAPACITY
In the example on this slide, more capacity is needed for project B. Follow these steps to scale the capacity:
1. Add two nodes to make a 10-node cluster with additional disks.
2. Transparently move some volumes to the new storage.
3. Expand volume B in place.
This movement and expansion is transparent to client machines.

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Clustered Data ONTAP Administration: Overview

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Flexibility: The Virtual Storage Tier

Data-Driven

Real-Time

Self-Managing

Flash Cache
Storage-level RAID-protected
cache

The Virtual
Storage Tier

PCI-e modules
Capacities of up to 2 TB

Flash Pool
A RAID-protected aggregate
A solid-state drive (SSD) tier
that is used as cache
A hard disk tier that is used as
storage
Hard Disk Storage

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FLEXIBILITY: THE VIRTUAL STORAGE TIER

The NetApp Virtual Storage Tier provides fully automated use and optimization of flash
technologycontroller-based and based on Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) and solidstate drives (SSDs).

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NetApp flash PCIe modules improve performance for workloads that are random-read-intensive, which
reduces latency by a factor of 10 or more compared to hard disks. Flash Cache modules are available in
capacities of up to 2 TB and provide controller-based caching.
NetApp Flash Pool enables the caching of random read and write operations through the automated use of
SSDs, which enables the use of capacity-optimized hard disk technology across the majority of
application workloads. Flash Pool enables the creation of a Data ONTAP RAID-protected aggregate that
consists of a combination of hard disks and SSDs.

Clustered Data ONTAP Administration: Overview

2013 NetApp, Inc. This material is intended only for training. Reproduction is not authorized.

Transparency: Load Optimization

Optimized performance
Maximized disk use
Transparency to
applications

Projects

A1 A2 A3 B1 B2 C1 C2 C3

B1
A3

C1

A1
C

C2

C3
B2

A2

Project A gets dedicated resources.

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TRANSPARENCY: LOAD OPTIMIZATION

In this example, project A needs more computer power than other projects need. With a cluster, you can:

Transparently move volumes that are not project-A volumes to free up processing power on other nodes
Give project A dedicated resources
Move volumes as needed when project A stops being critical or if another project becomes critical

Volume movement is transparent to client machines.

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Clustered Data ONTAP Administration: Overview

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Nondisruptive Operation
DataMotion for Volumes
NAS logical interface (LIF) migration
Storage failover (SFO)

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NONDISRUPTIVE OPERATION
Nondisruptive operation is a key feature of Data ONTAP clustering. Three critical components of
nondisruptive operation include DataMotion for Volumes (volume move), logical interface (LIF) migration,
and SFO.

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SFO is covered in Module 6: Logical Data Storage

NAS LIF Migration is covered in Module 8: Logical Networking
Volume move is covered in Module 14: Cluster Management

Clustered Data ONTAP Administration: Overview

2013 NetApp, Inc. This material is intended only for training. Reproduction is not authorized.

Virtual Storage Servers

Virtual Storage Servers (Vservers)
Represent groupings of physical and logical resources
Are conceptually similar to vFilers

Node Vservers
Represent each physical node
Are associated with cluster LIFs, node management LIFs, and
intercluster LIFS

Administrative Vserver
Represents the physical cluster
Is associated with the cluster management LIF

Data Vservers
Are a virtual representation of a physical data server
Are associated with data LIFs
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VIRTUAL STORAGE SERVERS

There are three types of Vservers. Data Vservers are used to read and write data to and from the cluster. Node
Vservers simply represent node-scoped resources, and administrative Vservers represent entire clusters.
Unless the documentation refers specifically to an admin Vserver or node Vserver, the general term
Vservers refers to data Vservers.

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Clustered Data ONTAP Administration: Overview

2013 NetApp, Inc. This material is intended only for training. Reproduction is not authorized.

Cluster Resources
Data
Network
mg1
lif4
lif1

lif7
lif5
lif2

lif8
lif6
lif3

HA
Interconnect

cl1 cl2

cl1 cl2
Cluster
Interconnect

aggr2

aggr1

cmg
lif15 mg1 lif16
lif12 lif13 lif14
lif9 lif10 lif11

aggr4

aggr3

n1aggr0

n2aggr0

n1vol0

n2vol0

Data Vservers:
vserverA
vserverB
vserverC

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CLUSTER RESOURCES
The example on this slide shows many of the key resources in a cluster: three types of Vservers (node, data,
and administrative), plus nodes, aggregates, volumes, and data LIFs.

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Clustered Data ONTAP Administration: Overview

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Physical and Logical Elements

Physical

Logical

Nodes
Disks
Aggregates
Network ports
FC ports
Tape devices

Clusters
Volumes
Snapshot copies
Mirror relationships
Vservers
LIFs

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PHYSICAL AND LOGICAL ELEMENTS

Physical elements of a systemsuch as disks, nodes, and ports on those nodescan be touched and seen.
Logical elements of a system cannot be touched, but they do exist and use disk space.

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Volumes, Snapshot copies, and mirror relationships are areas of storage that are divided from aggregates.
Clusters are groupings of physical nodes.
Vservers are virtual representations of resources or groups of resources.
A LIF is an IP address that is associated with a single network port.

Clustered Data ONTAP Administration: Overview

2013 NetApp, Inc. This material is intended only for training. Reproduction is not authorized.

vserver show (Summary View)

cluster1::> vserver show
Admin
Root
Name
Name
Vserver
Type
State
Volume
Aggregate Service Mapping
----------- ------- --------- ---------- ---------- ------- ------cluster1
admin
cluster1-01 node
cluster1-02 node
vs1
data
running
vs1
aggr1a
file
file
4 entries were displayed.

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VSERVER SHOW (SUMMARY VIEW)

Notice the types of Vservers. When a cluster is created, the administration Vserver is automatically created.
When a node is joined to the cluster, a node Vserver is automatically created to represent it. Administrators
create data Vservers to build global namespaces.

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Administrative Vserver
Cluster
Management
LIF

cmg

Administrative Vserver (Physical Cluster)

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ADMINISTRATIVE VSERVER

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Node Vservers
Data
Network

Network Ports

mg1

mg1

Cluster LIFs
lif1 lif2

lif1 lif2

aggr1

Cluster
Interconnect

aggr2

Node
Management
LIFs

aggr4

aggr3

Network
Ports
n1aggr0

n2aggr0

n1vol0

Aggregates

n2vol0

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NODE VSERVERS

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Clustered Data ONTAP Administration: Overview

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Data Vservers

Data LIFs

lif4
lif1

lif7
lif5
lif2

lif8
lif6
lif3

lif15
lif16
lif12 lif13 lif14
lif9 lif10 lif11

Volumes

Data Vservers:
vserverA
vserverB
vserverC

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DATA VSERVERS

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Clustered Data ONTAP Administration: Overview

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Data Vserver Details

Formerly referred to as cluster Vservers
Are not necessarily associated with any single
node
Contain most resources within their scope:

Namespace
Volumes
Data LIFs (for client access)
Protocol servers: NFS, CIFS, FC, FCoE, and
iSCSI

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DATA VSERVER DETAILS

Data Vservers are not necessarily associated with any node or group of nodes within the cluster, but there can
be circumstances where an administrator chooses to limit a Vservers volumes and data LIFS to specific
nodes.

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Clustered Data ONTAP Administration: Overview

2013 NetApp, Inc. This material is intended only for training. Reproduction is not authorized.

Putting It All Together

Data
Network
mg1 lif7
lif4 lif5
lif1 lif2

lif8
lif6
lif3

lif1 lif2

lif1 lif2

Node Vserver

aggr1

cmg
lif15 mg1 lif16
lif12 lif13 lif14
lif9 lif10 lif11

HA
Interconnect

Cluster
Interconnect

aggr2

Node Vserver

aggr4

aggr3

n1aggr0

n2aggr0

n1vol0

n2vol0

Data Vservers:
vserverA
vserverB
vserverC

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PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

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Module Summary
Now that you have completed this module, you
should be able to:
Explain the primary benefits of Data ONTAP
clustering
Identify the scope of Data ONTAP concepts
such as node virtual storage servers
(Vservers), administrative Vservers, and data
Vservers

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MODULE SUMMARY

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Clustered Data ONTAP Administration: Overview

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Exercise
Module 1: Overview
Time Estimate: 10 Minutes

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EXERCISE
Please refer to your exercise guide.

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