topic Re: How to Move from 7-Mode to Clustered Data ONTAP in ONTAP Discussions

How to Move from 7-Mode to Clustered Data ONTAP

sheelnidhig — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 23:32:39 GMT

Hello Guys,

We are planning to migrate from 7-Mode enviornment to Cluster mode enviornment.

As this migration would be on a Cluster Mode Mtero Cluster and the limitation for the number of volume is 1000. in 7-Mode we already have approx 850 Volumes.

We plan to reduce the total number of volumes by merging some of the qtree's to the same volumes.

Do we have any procedure to merge the qtree's from different volume to a single volume so we can reduce the number of volume in Cluster Mode Enviornment.

,Sheel

Re: How to Move from 7-Mode to Clustered Data ONTAP

dirk_ecker — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 12:23:53 GMT

Hi Sheel,

If SnapMirror is licensed on your 7-Mode controllers you can consolidate qtrees from several source volumes on one destination volume via qtree SnapMirror (QSM).

Please note that you will temporarily require additional disk space as the data is copied from one volume to a new vol. Also keep in mind that a downtime is required to perform the cutover (break the SnapMirror relationship and re-create the CIFS shares / NFS exports pointing to the new volume).

Please refer to the Data ONTAP 8.1 Data Protection Online Backup and Recovery Guide for 7-Mode or the Data ONTAP 8.2 Data Protection Online Backup and Recovery Guide For 7-Mode for details.

I hope this helps!

Cheers

Dirk

Re: How to Move from 7-Mode to Clustered Data ONTAP

chott — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 12:33:54 GMT

Hi Sheel,

my name is Chriz Ott, I'm working with NetApp as a Principal Architect for Transition.

Thank you very much for bringing this topic up, as I have seen this very often.

There is not a straight forward "one button fits all" answer to this.

From my perspective those are your options:

Merge the qTrees in 7-DOT (staging) and then 7MTT migration to cDOT

Since cDOT does not have qTree SnapMirror (QSM), you can merge qTrees using QSM at the 7-Mode site before you actually migrate data to cDOT
More info on how to do that can be found here: https://library.netapp.com/ecm/ecm_download_file/ECMP1635994 (P. 165)
This is about moving qTree SnapMirror sources, but is applicable for just moving qtrees too.
Another option is using NDMP copy: https://kb.netapp.com/support/index?page=content&id=1011127&actp=search&viewlocale=en_US&searchid=1439469096183
Once completed you can use 7MTT to transition your 7-Mode system into cDOT

Move by "hand" (application based)

On either site (cDOT or 7-Mode) you can use host / application features such as moving hypervisor datastores or moving data using copy-tools (i.e. CP, Securecopy, robocopy etc)
The CON: you will loose data efficiencies and Snapshots. Copy speed may vary.

TIP:
The Rapid Data Planner offers a neat interface to re-order your namespace and create CLI output for 7-Mode and corresponding cDOT
The tool is free and can be downloaded here: http://mysupport.netapp.com/NOW/cgi-bin/software/?product=RapidData+Migration+Solution&platform=RapidData+Planner

Hope that helps.

Please don't hesitate to contact me in case you have any additional questions.

cheers chriz

Re: How to Move from 7-Mode to Clustered Data ONTAP

richard_payne — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 13:15:26 GMT

One thing to keep in mind is that while you can transparently move data around in cmode, it's at the volume level. You may need to put some thought thought into which qtree you want to group together as in cmode they will move as a group (volume level).

--rdp