topic Re: Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod in ONTAP Discussions

Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod

SON01LAM02 — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 05:30:47 GMT

Hi, we have a netapp box FAS2240-4 currently running 7 mode 8.1.1RC1 on both controllers. I just wonder if:

1) we can covert one of the controller to Ontap Cmod 8.2.x on.

2) As I understand, after converting to Cmod we will need to have all new licenses for Cmod, if yes, how do we get these licenses? Can we contact support guys from Netapp for these licenses.

Thanks

Re: Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod

shane_bradley — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 03:32:20 GMT

unfortunately there isnt an easy way to do this migration. To go cDoT you have to physically migrate your datasets onto a cluster. It would be easier to wait until you upgrade at this point in time.

They use to do free license conversions from 7 to cDoT, not sure if thats still the case.

Re: Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod

SON01LAM02 — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 16:03:26 GMT

Hi, Thanks for the Answer.

But I just a little confuse what you meant by "waiting until you upgrade at this point in time". Did you mean I need to upgrade my box to 7mode 8.2.1 first and then do a convert to cmod 8.2.1 or you meant just get a new system with Cmod install on it?

And we are ok to completely wipe out all our data and configuration to do this conversion, is it possible in this case?

Thanks

Re: Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod

DOMINIC_WYSS — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 16:39:49 GMT

And we are ok to completely wipe out all our data and configuration to do this conversion, is it possible in this case?

yes, then it is. see this KB:

https://kb.netapp.com/support/index?page=content&id=1013517

I recommend to update to 8.2.1 first, then convert to cDOT.

open a case at Netapp and ask for the new 8.2 license keys (they are the same for 7-Mode and cDOT, but different from 8.1)

Re: Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod

SON01LAM02 — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 16:52:23 GMT

Thanks for quick reply.

Sorry just another quick question, since you mentioned that, we need a new license key for 8.2. Is that mean when we upgrade from 8.1.1RC1 7-mode to 8.2.1 RC1 7 mode, we will also need a new set of license keys in this case if we don't convert to cmod.

Thanks

Re: Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod

DOMINIC_WYSS — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 16:58:54 GMT

you don't need them when upgrading from 8.1 to 8.2, it will automatically convert the installed licenses.

but even if you stay on 7-mode, I recommend to ask Netapp for the keys. to have them documented just in case you need them in the future.

btw: why are you using RCs? these are just release candidates. current GA versions are 8.1.4P4 and 8.2.1P2, current RC is 8.2.2RC2.

Re: Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod

SON01LAM02 — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 17:37:10 GMT

Hi, I think I was miss understand the term so I was thinking RC1 is the latest for 8.1.1 release at that time. Anyway, will that be a problem to now upgrade directly from this 8.1.1RC1 version to 8.2.1P2?

Is it require to run upgrade from 8.1.1RC1 to 8.1.4P4 first and then to 8.2.1P2?

Thanks

Re: Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod

shane_bradley — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 21:42:59 GMT

Why upgrade to 8.2.1 first? you have to wipe the array clean so the 7-m version has little to nothing to do wth the cDoT version

Re: Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod

SON01LAM02 — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 22:16:02 GMT

Hi, Sorry, for not being clear, look like this discussion get a little further. Because the model FAS2240-4 has 2 controllers, so I was planing to convert one controller to cDot and Keep the other as 7mod for testing purpose (since these 2 controllers does not has HA config, it is independent from each other). Anyway, just wonder since i'm running 8.1.1RC1, is it possible to upgrade directly to 8.1.4P4? or I have to do some extra step like get my box update to the 8.1.1 GA version first then start the upgrade.

Thanks

Re: Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod

shane_bradley — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 22:23:07 GMT

are they seperate FAS2240's or are they a single chassis with two controllers?

If they are two completely seperate chassis and controllers then no problem. If they are a two controllers in the same physical chassis then it wont be supported but would probably work. (possibly unpredictably) .

Upgrading from 8.1.1RC1 to 8.1.4P4 is supported as far as i remember, if you have access to myASUP then you can generate an upgrade plan from there based on your latest autosupport data. i think the jump up upgrades were from 8.0.x to 8.2.x ??

Theres no point upgrading the controller that you're planning on converting to cDoT. talk to your account team and they can get you eval licenses for cDoT you will need to zero the disks out and install the new OS. which is not that hard, but could be daunting if you've never done cDoT before.

Re: Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod

aborzenkov — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 04:01:22 GMT

Well, KB article mentioned says "do no attempt this procedure unless you are running 8.2". I do not have enough background to question it, although I recently installed 8.2.1 C-Mod on 3170 running 7G without any apparent issues.

Re: Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod

shane_bradley — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 04:17:43 GMT

Which one? the one linked says

Prerequisites:

This procedure only works with Data ONTAP 8.x

I've done 7mode to clustered on 8.0 and above (even converted a 10.0.2 GX cluster to 7.1) no problems at all.

Re: Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod

aborzenkov — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 04:47:34 GMT

Strictly speaking it says “You must be running a minimum OS version of Data ONTAP 8.1.y”, but you are right, it is not 8.2 - was answering from memory. Sorry.

Re: Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod

DOMINIC_WYSS — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 05:30:11 GMT

no, you can go directly to 8.2.1P2

Re: Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod

DOMINIC_WYSS — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 05:32:52 GMT

Why upgrade to 8.2.1 first?

because 8.1 was a shitty cDOT version. so update first to start with a fresh and less buggy version.

besides that, for a new cDOT user, it's much simpler to do an update on 7-Mode than on cDOT.

Re: Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod

aborzenkov — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 05:34:58 GMT

Which update? You install new software anyway, you can install cDOT 8.2.x; there is no real dependency on previous 7-Mode version.

Re: Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod

shane_bradley — Sun, 17 Aug 2014 22:41:18 GMT

That makes zero sense. You dont need to upgrade first because you're reinstalling the software as a part of the conversion. upgrading it first to then wipe and zero the drives serves no point what so ever.

Re: Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod

shane_bradley — Sun, 17 Aug 2014 22:42:38 GMT

Also the process for upgrading a cDoT cluster is about the same as with 7-mode, with the added benefit that one command will push the code onto all controllers.

Re: Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod

DOMINIC_WYSS — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 05:23:43 GMT

because you're reinstalling the software as a part of the conversion.

no you don't reinstall. you just set the cdot flag in the bootloader and wipe the filer with the boot menu selection 4.

what it will do is: zero all disks, create a new root aggr, create a new root vol and copy Ontap from flash to the new root vol.

so if you update first and wipe afterwards, you'll get a clean and shiny cDOT 8.2.1 without reinstalling ontap.

if you don't update first, you'll start with the old cDOT 8.1, where even the initial setup wizard has bugs.

Re: Converting Ontap 7mod to Cmod

shane_bradley — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 02:23:27 GMT

or you could install via the boot menu? like in the proceedure

in the end though it doesnt really matter, you're achieving the same goal with the same steps in a slightly different order.