topic Re: FAS2050 Chassis Swap in ONTAP Hardware

FAS2050 Chassis Swap

ROFINNETAPP — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 05:30:24 GMT

Hello NetApp community,

This is a question / request for assurance...I have a fully loaded FAS2050, and recently I have inherited a better licensed FAS2050 empty chassis. What I would like to do is physically move my drives from the current chassis to the better licensed one (config'd with the same name and IP info), but I really don't want to lose data or volume information. Perfect world being that i turn the new one on and I'm back in business like nothing happened.

My question to the community is, what are proper chassis swap steps and, better yet, is this a real risky thing to do? Any inputs are greatly appreciated.

Re: FAS2050 Chassis Swap

ROFINNETAPP — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 19:59:41 GMT

let me add to this that I can't just transfer the licenses from one to the other....

Re: FAS2050 Chassis Swap

JGPSHNTAP — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 20:01:47 GMT

What? You are going from a fas2050 to a fas2050. This seems like wasted effort. The 2050 is EOA/EOL at some point this year or last year, I can't remember. You should make a case to get a 2254 and start a migration.

Re: FAS2050 Chassis Swap

aborzenkov — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 03:44:06 GMT

Please explain what you mean. Licenses are associated with controllers, not chassis, so "empty chassis" cannot have any license, better or not.

Or do you mean you have chassis with controller(s) but without disks?

Re: FAS2050 Chassis Swap

ROFINNETAPP — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 12:43:15 GMT

Yes...sorry...I meant to say that I have a chassis with a controller that I want to move my existing drives too....This better licensed controller and chassis are needed until a larger hardware refresh occurs next fiscal. Thanks guys!

Re: FAS2050 Chassis Swap

DOMINIC_WYSS — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 13:46:26 GMT

single heads or HA?

basically it's a normal headswap:

make a note of the old and new system IDs and license keys.

move all disks to the new system.

boot into maintenance mode.

reassign the old disks to the new system ID: disk reassign -s <old ID> -d <new ID>

reboot

install the licenses of the new system: license add <keys>

Re: FAS2050 Chassis Swap

aborzenkov — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 16:59:43 GMT

It is easier to put new controllers in old chassis. Then it becomes simple controller replacement which is documented on support site.

Re: FAS2050 Chassis Swap

DOMINIC_WYSS — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 20:51:38 GMT

basically it's the same