topic Re: Need help on cabling DS4243 onto existing FAS3140 in ONTAP Hardware

Need help on cabling DS4243 onto existing FAS3140

NAMAN — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 23:53:18 GMT

Although I have been working as a storage admin for many years, I have to admit that I'm a noob when it comes to cabling. I seriously need a help on cabling as I don't have much experience with cabling. We do have FAS 3140 and 7 * DS4243 attached to it and I have to be able to hot-add 7 additional DS4243.

I'm attaching a config advisor for your review. I truly appreciate the community's help in advance.

Thank you so much.

the controllers are running on 8.1.4P3 7-mode

Re: Need help on cabling DS4243 onto existing FAS3140

YIshikawa — Tue, 07 Jul 2015 13:20:31 GMT

Unfortunately, current cabling does not meet cabling rules described in Universal SAS cabling guide.
Recommended action is to fix current cabing first, but if there are no free SAS ports on each controllers, you need to shutdown filer then recabling it.

If you are to sort this out without fixing cabling, we have to understand how each ports in controller and shelves are cabled exactly. Please attach "sysconfig -a" and "environment status" of each controller.

Re: Need help on cabling DS4243 onto existing FAS3140

JH — Tue, 07 Jul 2015 13:23:17 GMT

This appears to be your config
2b/3b 1 disk shelf
2d/3b 4 disk shelves
2a/3a 2 disk shelves

I believe the max shelves in a stack is 9. You can hot add the additional seven shelves, you can spread them out across the various connection or you can start in new stack on 2a/3c which appears to be unused. You need to make sure you don't saturate each loop and consider how you are going to layout the aggregate.

NetApp has some good manuals on cabling. Most time you purchase additional equipment installation from NetApp is included.

How are you disk assigned?

What is you aggregate layout?

Re: Need help on cabling DS4243 onto existing FAS3140

aborzenkov — Tue, 07 Jul 2015 13:27:13 GMT

Recommended action is to fix current cabing first

Sorry to disagree, but I do not see anything to fix here. While it does not follow cabling guide to the letter, it is redundant and clear. There are enough ports to connect extra shelves.

Re: Need help on cabling DS4243 onto existing FAS3140

aborzenkov — Tue, 07 Jul 2015 13:30:33 GMT

Well, it mostly depends on whether new shelves have the same disk type. DS4243 may be SAS as well as SATA. It is not usually recommended to mix them in the same stack.

Re: Need help on cabling DS4243 onto existing FAS3140

NAMAN — Tue, 07 Jul 2015 18:22:37 GMT

They are all SATA.

Re: Need help on cabling DS4243 onto existing FAS3140

NAMAN — Tue, 07 Jul 2015 18:23:47 GMT

If I start a new stack, can I still add the new disk to the existing aggr? or new aggr must be created?

Re: Need help on cabling DS4243 onto existing FAS3140

NAMAN — Tue, 07 Jul 2015 18:48:19 GMT

I also got this info using powershell

Node A

Name Status Channel ID Bays Type
---- ------ ------- -- ---- ----
2a.shelf6 online 2a 6 IOM3
2a.shelf7 online 2a 7 IOM3
2b.shelf5 online 2b 5 IOM3
2d.shelf1 online 2d 1 IOM3
2d.shelf2 online 2d 2 IOM3
2d.shelf3 online 2d 3 IOM3
2d.shelf4 online 2d 4 IOM3
3a.shelf6 online 3a 6 IOM3
3a.shelf7 online 3a 7 IOM3
3b.shelf5 online 3b 5 IOM3
3d.shelf1 online 3d 1 IOM3
3d.shelf2 online 3d 2 IOM3
3d.shelf3 online 3d 3 IOM3
3d.shelf4 online 3d 4 IOM3

Node B

Re: Need help on cabling DS4243 onto existing FAS3140

YIshikawa — Tue, 07 Jul 2015 23:40:40 GMT

You can add new disks into existing aggregates regardless of physical cabling as far as there are recognized by Data ONTAP.

Following to cabling guide, port of opposite side of stack must be different. But, for example, shelf 5 is cabled to b ports.
I have never heard any issue except cabling alert ASUP by insufficient port selection so far. As wrote above, it works so far, but it may have potential issue. If you have odd issue in storage subsystem, you will be instructed to fixit first by tech support.

Re: Need help on cabling DS4243 onto existing FAS3140

NAMAN — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 16:18:15 GMT

Can someone please confirm if my proposed cabling and its steps are OK?

1. Rack and stack the shelves

2. Power on the shelves

3. Set the shelf ID then power cycle the shelves

4. Unplug IOM A circle port on SHELF 6

5. Connect the IOM A circle port of the shelf 6 to the IOM A square port of the shelf 8

6. Plug the cable from the step 4 to the IOM A circle port on the Shelf 14

7. Unplug IOM B circle port on SHELF 6

8. Connect the IOM B circle port of the shelf 6 to the IOM B square port of the shelf 8

9. Plug the cable from the step 7 to the shelf 14 IOM B square port

Re: Need help on cabling DS4243 onto existing FAS3140

aborzenkov — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 15:40:07 GMT

After 3 you need to power cycle shelf.

Re: Need help on cabling DS4243 onto existing FAS3140

NAMAN — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 16:18:32 GMT

updated the steps. thank you for your help