hidden copper
This has been announced at Insight, and it looks like you can already quote such a replacement kit.
But there is no documentation about it. None, nada. Not in fieldportal not in docs, etc.
Are there any gotchas? What are the steps? Check the docs for FAS9000-->FAS9500 controller upgrade? (where are those?)
Simply takeover --> replace controller --> giveback?
Pls help...
lilac kestrel
Pretty sure it's not just failover/giveback... It is most likey a headswap procedure... which is pretty simple on the later ONTAP versions... and yes it's non-disruptive.
wise willow
It's a headswap. Though, didn't think you could do ARL on a 2xxx. @atomic lintel can you clarify?
atomic lintel
@lilac kestrel It is definitely not a failover/giveback. That will not work.
@wise willow Yes, it is technically an ARL because 'aggregate relocate' runs over the cluster network instead of using NTB.
This is the parent link: https://docs.netapp.com/us-en/ontap-systems-upgrade/index.html
vast atlas
@hidden copper yeah it's basically a Headswap. And please use the manual method as this is proven and works (we have done dozens of headswaps with it), and not the "system controller replace" method 😉
atomic lintel
@vast atlas It will depend on the ONTAP revision installed on the FAS2620 / FAS2720. If ONTAP 9.10 or higher is involved, the 'system controller replace' is the correct command set and is used in the documentation link that I posted.
vast atlas
the old method is still available and supported though: https://docs.netapp.com/us-en/ontap-systems-upgrade/upgrade-arl-manual-app/index.html
atomic lintel
@OG1 Either way, please, please ,please ensure that your SP or BMC firmware satisfies the minimum revisions first and foremost before doing anything.
vast atlas
how does BMC/SP factor into a headswap?
atomic lintel
@vast atlas It is, for sure. But the ONTAP revision installed on the FAS2620/FAS2720 wasn't mentioned. That's why I mentioned it for completeness.
The BMC/SP is the "brain" of the operation. If it doesn't have the code support that this operation needs, it will fail.
Trust me on this. 🙂
vast atlas
ah you mean for the "controller replace" method? I never had any issue with the manual method, that's basically only doing negotiated failovers and clean shutdowns/boots. But you need to know what you're doing, of course, otherwise you will lose the cluster DB inbetween or something, which will be "bad" 😄
atomic lintel
Ideally, you would always have your BMC/SP current regardless of method as dictated by ONTAP support. We don't always have that luxury, though.
hidden copper
BMC is already up2date. ONTAP currently it's on 9.11 latest. Can't update further on FAS2620.
Thanks for all the info, in general I know about ARL, etc. I was mainly hoping for explicit instructions for this headswap scenario.
This page here (https://docs.netapp.com/us-en/ontap-systems-upgrade/choose_controller_upgrade_procedure.html) and the decision workflow really does not help. I choose "Systems with internal drives" and it tells me to use "Upgrade by moving volumes". 🤷♂️
But looks like I finally found what I was looking for: There's a new section here with instructions on how to "upgrade controller models in the same chassis".
This also includes my FAS2620 to FAS2820 scenario.
https://docs.netapp.com/us-en/ontap-systems-upgrade/upgrade-arl-auto-affa900/index.html
Didn't know that you're also supporting headswapping C190/A200/A220 with a A150. 😳
That's a new.
vast atlas
The way I see it, the headswaps are basically a QA/testing thing. Technically there's no real reason why you couldn't swap any machine to any other (as long as the drives/shelves/other connectivities match, and they can run the same ONTAP version)
atomic lintel
@vast atlas There actually is more to it than that. (No, I'm not making that up.) I can't go into details here, though, due to NDA.
I know that it sounds trivial, but it is true. Let me say that there is additional development work required to enable such things.
vast atlas
well at least some undocumented headswaps work without any problems even though, according to the documentation, they shouldn't 😉 we did at least 2 unsupported headswaps in our lab (and at least one to a system with smaller NVRAM) ... would I do it in production? probably not. Did it go through without a hitch? definitely 😅
atomic lintel
@vast atlas Offline headswaps? Do whatever you want. Online headswaps, however, required extra development work for certain. Good luck!
lilac kestrel
well at least *some* undocumented headswaps work without any problems even thoug...
I don't think NVRAM plays a large a role as it did on the old 7mode systems. Headswaps on ONTAP is more a question of if you can attach the "old" disks to the new controllers which is also why you may have issue headswapping from a FAS to an AFF and from SSD AFF like the A220 to an NVME AFF like C250.. in that case I think you will have to connec the two add the C250 to the A220 cluster, and move the volumes. I have had my share of both good and bad experiances with supported and unsupported headswaps. The automated method was flakey on the first versions, but seems to be much better now....