topic Re: Netapp Interface problems in ONTAP Hardware

Netapp Interface problems

NETAPPTNT — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 06:35:56 GMT

Hi Community,

I am in the middle of conducting failover testing between my two filers. I am experiencing a persistent problem everytime i failover filer from 2 and try to 'give back' it looses all interface settings. I have to manually readd my interface settings, IP's etc. by exension all my hosts connected to this storage loose connection to their respective luns

Any advice

Andre.

Re: Netapp Interface problems

lmunro_hug — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:49:10 GMT

Andre,

Can you post the contents of /etc/rc ?

I had this problem and the interfaces/VIFs were listed but marked as "down"

Luke

Re: Netapp Interface problems

NETAPPTNT — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:52:55 GMT

Hey lmunro thanks for the quick reply

see the file below

thgnpctrv02> rdfile /etc/rc

#Auto-generated by setup Thu Mar 24 23:18:17 AST 2011

hostname thgnpctrv02

vif create single iscsi e0a e0c

vif create single nas e0b e0d

ifconfig iscsi `hostname`-iscsi netmask 255.255.255.0 partner iscsi mtusize 1500 trusted wins up

ifconfig nas `hostname`-nas mediatype auto netmask 255.255.255.0 partner nas

route add default 10.201.5.1 1

routed on

options dns.domainname ird.gov.tt

options dns.enable on

options nis.enable off

savecore

Re: Netapp Interface problems

lmunro_hug — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:02:26 GMT

No Problem,

How did you configure these? via the rc file or system manager?

What version of Ontap you running, I know some have a warning about the vif command being depreciated (still works on ours though)

I had a look at my rc file and my ifgroups are configured as follows.

ifgrp create multi Vif2-REP -b ip e4a e0a

ifgrp create multi Vif1-NAS -b ip e4b e0b

ifconfig Vif2-REP `hostname`-Vif2-REP netmask 255.255.255.0 mediatype auto partner Vif2-REP

ifconfig Vif1-NAS `hostname`-Vif1-NAS netmask 255.255.255.0 mediatype auto partner Vif1-NAS

Luke

Re: Netapp Interface problems

NETAPPTNT — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:08:30 GMT

Hey luke,

i configure via rc.

Netapp release version is 7.3.2

Re: Netapp Interface problems

scampbel — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:23:07 GMT

You have probably already tried this, but maybe have a look at the HA Configuration Checker tool in the Utility tool chest on the NetApp support site? It may highlight the differences between the config on your controllers for you or give you some ideas of where to look next.

Re: Netapp Interface problems

paleon — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:17:48 GMT

For HA failover of Ethernet interfaces to work correctly, both NetApps need to be aware of which partner interface should function as the fail-over partner for which interface. The /etc/rc file generated by the "setup" command does not configure interface fail-over settings. Also, the vif name needs to be different on each NetApp. I ussually prepend the vif name with something indicating the filer to which it belongs. The "trusted," "wins," and "up" arguments on the first ifconfig line are unnecessary since these are default values. The "nfo" setting will configure the interface to take part in "negotiated failover." To complete the nfo configuration, you will need to modify the appropriate "options cf.takeover" settings.

I'm also a big fan of using comments and blank lines to make /etc/rc files more readable.

Below are example /etc/rc files for the two partner controllers.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

#Manually generated on 02 Feb 2012 to configure fail-over settings.

hostname thgnpctrv02

#Configure media-type and flowcontrol (if desired) for physical interfaces
#These settings cannot be configured on a vif but can be configured on the underlying interfaces.
ifconfig e0a mediatype auto
ifconfig e0b mediatype auto
ifconfig e0c mediatype auto
ifconfig e0d mediatype auto

#Configure virtual interfaces for iSCSI and NAS
vif create single ntap2iscsi e0a e0c
vif create single ntap2nas e0b e0d

#Configure interface for iSCSI communication
ifconfig ntap2iscsi `hostname`-iscsi netmask 255.255.255.0 mtusize 1500 partner ntap1iscsi nfo

#Configure interface for NAS communication
ifconfig ntap2nas `hostname`-nas netmask 255.255.255.0 partner ntap1nas nfo

#Define network routes
route add default 10.201.5.1 1
routed on

#define options and then savecore
options dns.domainname ird.gov.tt
options dns.enable on
options nis.enable off
savecore

--------------------------------------------------------------------

#Manually generated on 02 Feb 2012 to configure fail-over settings.

hostname thgnpctrv01

#Configure virtual interfaces for iSCSI and NAS
vif create single ntap1iscsi e0a e0c
vif create single ntap1nas e0b e0d

#Configure interface for iSCSI communication
ifconfig ntap1iscsi `hostname`-iscsi netmask 255.255.255.0 mtusize 1500 partner ntap2iscsi nfo

#Configure interface for NAS communication
ifconfig ntap1nas `hostname`-nas netmask 255.255.255.0 partner ntap2nas nfo

#Define network routes
route add default 10.201.5.1 1
routed on

#define options and then savecore
options dns.domainname ird.gov.tt
options dns.enable on
options nis.enable off
savecore

Re: Netapp Interface problems

jake_struve — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:24:28 GMT

I would check out the /etc/hosts file. The RC file is calling the hosts file when creating the interface. To check and see if you have a miss confiugred host file try and replace the 'hostname' with the actual IP(will change it back later). If it sticks across a reboot then you have something wrong with the hosts file.

Current:

ifconfig nas `hostname`-nas mediatype auto netmask 255.255.255.0 partner nas

Try testing:

ifconfig nas XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX-nas mediatype auto netmask 255.255.255.0 partner nas

Re: Netapp Interface problems

PL_DGARCIA — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:27:51 GMT

What are the vifs name and partner parameters of the partner filer? Does each filer have the vifs named exactly the same, ie: both filers have a vifs named "iscsi" and "nas"? I want to say that I read somewhere that the vifs should be named differently but don't recall where. So for example:

filer1:

vif create single iscsi1 e0a e0c

vif create single nas1 e0b e0d

ifconfig iscsi1 `hostname`-iscsi netmask 255.255.255.0 partner iscsi2 mtusize 1500 trusted wins up

ifconfig nas1 `hostname`-nas mediatype auto netmask 255.255.255.0 partner nas2

filer2:

vif create single iscsi2 e0a e0c

vif create single nas2 e0b e0d

ifconfig iscsi2 `hostname`-iscsi netmask 255.255.255.0 partner iscsi1 mtusize 1500 trusted wins up

ifconfig nas2 `hostname`-nas mediatype auto netmask 255.255.255.0 partner nas1

I'm using VLANs on my VIF/IFGRP now, but prior to that each filer had the VIFs named differently like above. You've probably done this, but have you reviewed the logs after the failover to see if the filer shows an errors for the vif issue?

-danny

Re: Netapp Interface problems

AGUMADAVALLI — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:40:17 GMT

ping the interfaces in opposite direction and make sure the hosts are updated.

thgnpctrv01>ping thgnpctrv02-iscsi

thgnpctrv01>ping thgnpctrv02-nas

and do the same on the thgnpctrv02.

thgnpctrv02>ping thgnpctrv01-iscsi

thgnpctrv02>ping thgnpctrv01-nas

verify the /etc/hosts file.

Thank you,

AK G

Re: Netapp Interface problems

NETAPPTNT — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:45:40 GMT

Hi Community,

First off i must state that i am overwhelmed with the level of assistance you guys have offered.

Jake you hit the t nail on the head, i got it resolved within the last hour. The host file in the /ect/hosts had my nas + iscsi interfaces pointing to the same IP address. this cause the all my iscsi hosts that connect via the nas interface to loose connection also the filers could not failover.

Once changed to reflect the correct IP & hosts names

(old)

127.0.0.1       localhost
10.201.5.111    thgnpctrv01     thgnpctrv01-iscsi
10.201.5.111    thgnpctrv01-nas
10.201.5.46     mailhost

(New)

127.0.0.1       localhost
10.201.51.111   thgnpctrv01     thgnpctrv01-iscsi
10.201.5.111    thgnpctrv01-nas
10.201.5.46     mailhost

now my failover and giveback are working. will continue testing and update if any problems encountered.

Dre.

Re: Netapp Interface problems

jake_struve — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:06:23 GMT

Andre,

Glad to hear that it was resolved. Might want to mark as answered incase anyone else is having a problem like yours.

Jake