topic Re: NetApp DS14 MK4 Disk Shelf Use in ONTAP Hardware

NetApp DS14 MK4 Disk Shelf Use

Fortress499 — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 15:24:30 GMT

I've just purchased a bunch of the DS14 MK4 disk shelves online and was unable to get any help from Technical Support or Sales. Is there a physical controller machine that I need to be able to use the disk shelves or can they be used as standalones? Additionally I was unable to find out the model of the Fibre Optic transcievers needed to connect these up.

If anyone could point me in the direction of any more information on how I can get these things going would be fantastic. My intent is to use these as a vmware datastore.

I've read the manual at https://library.netapp.com/ecm/ecm_get_file/ECMP1112854 but its not very descriptive - it only details monitoring the hardware.

Thanks 🙂

Re: NetApp DS14 MK4 Disk Shelf Use

Sahana — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 06:24:52 GMT

Hi,

You will need to purchase a physical controller to use the disk shelf. It cannot be used as JBOD. Refer the attachment for SFP. Refer HWU https://hwu.netapp.com/Home/Index for more specifications.

Re: NetApp DS14 MK4 Disk Shelf Use

Fortress499 — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 23:39:10 GMT

Hi Sahana,

Thanks for that information. So I'll need to purchase these SFP transcievers and the relevant copper cables between them.

Unfortunately I'm unable to view the HWU link as of yet - is there a model of physical controller that you would reccomend for these disk shelves?

Kind Regards

Fortress499

Re: NetApp DS14 MK4 Disk Shelf Use

Sahana — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 03:33:27 GMT

Hi,

Please refer link: http://www.net-apps.co.uk/products/netapp-disk-shelves-and-storage-media/technical-specification/ for supported controllers for DS14 disk shelves.

Re: NetApp DS14 MK4 Disk Shelf Use

AlexDawson — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 06:24:21 GMT

Normally you would connect them to a controller of some sort, then the controller would use them to store data, and the controller would arbitrate access to them. There is a controller that fits in the DS14 - the FAS250. Both the FAS250 and DS14 are pretty old.

So.. I'm going to assume that you won't be using these in production - they can be used as JBOD devices with Linux or BSD - just google "ds14 jbod" for instructions, but then you don't get the benefits of ONTAP.

The SFP transceiver for 2Gb is a FTLF8519P2BN.

Hope this helps!