e0M - Management - SP Port

[NETAPPORATI]

Hi All,

Just got a netapp storage unit, I am trying to get a clear concept about them and to be able to configure them properly.

At present, we have a server which has 3 x Quad Port adapters (12 NICs)

Our NetAPP has the default ports and ONE ADDON PCI Quad PORT NICs (1GB each) on each Controller / Filer.

I have cabled each and everything from our netapp ethernet interfaces to a single switch

I am seeing messages on console that the sp port should be on a different network and a different default gateway, problem is that out of the 12 NICS on my server only ONE nic has a default gateway, however I have a dedicated NIC which is on the same IP Subnet as the SP PORT (I am assuming it is the e0M port) - still I am receiving these messages on console and can't seem to find a way to connect to the sp port, I have a console plugged into my server - so I can teraterm / hyperterminal it - no problems.

Will be grateful if you could guide me in understanding this SP PORT setup ; I have read the following :

http://sostech.wordpress.com/2011/12/29/netapp-port-descriptions-and-what-to-do-with-e0m-sp-and-acp/

4: Unlocked management. e0M / SP combo port.  This is the successor to BMC/RLM out-of-band management port.  It adds a twist in that port e0M on the filer shares this port (there is an internal hub).  You can configure just the SP port (sp setup) and use it for out-of-band management, you can also configure e0M from the filer which will use this port for in-band management – Filerview, System Manager etc. Note that you are required to have e0M on a separate IP network than your other ethernet ports, and it is required to be on the same network as the Service Processor.  It is possible data (iSCSI, NFS, CIFS) traffic will go out this port as a last resort – but it won’t have it’s own default gateway.  This needs to be on a dedicated management-only network.  Do not configure e0M unless you intend to use it – the filer will default management traffic to it if it is configured.

I am trying to understand PORT 5 as per the above link and the picture on it, how would I be able to access that port ?

Can someone provide some cabling / connecting these ports to our switch (I mean IP addresses etc)

Our Local lan is 10.10.10.x/24 (remote data centre) (only 6 servers and one netapp storage)

I have put netapp addon nics on 192.168.1.x/24 and a few server nics on the same subnet with no Default gateway and on the same switch

I have set the ip of e0m and sp port as 172.16.1.x/24 subnet and one server nic on the same subnet connected on the same switch and no vlans (24 PORT swtich)

we will have another switch added later though

will look forward to your responses - thanks!

[andris · Accepted solution]

The "wrench" or management Ethernet port on the back of your system provides access to two internal interfaces

1. e0M: an interface you can use to manage your system via TCP/IP protocols (e.g. ssh, snmp, telnet, ONTAPI, etc.)

2. SP: an interface on your service processor - very handy for out-of-band management (remote access to your console port, power control, monitoring of your system)

Since they're physically behind a common ethernet port, they need to be on the same IP subnet. In addition, as you saw from syslog, that subnet should be dedicated - not shared with your data-serving GigE interfaces.  Based on your IP subnet descriptions, it looks like you've done that.  Note: If all of your ethernet connections are going into single switch, you must use VLANs by assigning a VLAN per subnet (and placing the right switch ports for each subnet into the right VLAN). This is required to get true L2 Ethernet isolation between subnets.

The #5 in the diagram port is called the "private management" port. The interface behind that port is e0P (P = private). This port is exclusively used for connecting the Alternate Control Path (ACP) Ethernet cables to external NetApp storage shelves (e.g. DS4243) for out-of-band recovery and management from the controller (via the e0P interface).  Do you have external shelves? Then we recommend that you set up the ACP ethernet cabling and enable ACP. See: Universal SAS and ACP Cabling Guide

[NETAPPORATI]

Hi Andris

Thank you so much for a detailed and very helpful answer - Much Appreciated.

I have a small question - a bit off topic but related to NetAPP :

Q : I have seen some articles (web addresses of netapp related informative links) take me to a login page and then displays content restricted, i can however download dataontap related documents, disk shelves related documentation without actually having a netapp customer login.

What benefits do one get if they have a NetAPP login or NOW Login ? do they have some specific How-Tos and videos, NetAPP university ? etc ??

Can one raise support tickets directly to netapp via NOW Login or do we have to purchase tickets first ?

Will be grateful for your answer on the above ; I understand that it may not be your area but just wondering what do we get when we login with a now login.

Thanks so much !

[aborzenkov]

If you are a customer (i.e. – your NOW account is associated with a company that owns some NetApp products), you get access to knowledge base, support forums, bulletins, ASUP, software downloads (some are available to everyone, some require valid subscription). You can also open and follow opened tickets for your registered products on NOW site (assuming valid maintenance agreement exists). I do not know whether it is really possible to open and pay for single ticket if no maintenance agreement exists.

There is no reason to not use all of this as long as you are a customer. All that it takes – 5 minutes to register ☺

You can also register as guest; I am not sure what exactly it entitles you to.

[MBENTLEY_APPTIO]

Is the SP hardwired to the management (unlocked wrench port)? We have a 2240-4, and are wondering if the SP must be accessed via the management port, or can it be configured to be accessed via one of the other ports (e0a, e0b, e0c, e0d)? It sounds like that if it's hardwired to an internal switch/hub behind the management port, that it must be accessed via the management port, but just trying to confirm my understanding is correct.

One issue we’re seeing is that the management port is 100Mbps-fdx only (not 1Gig) and our Cisco Nexus switch apparently doesn’t support that speed (I’m told by our Network Admin), so we’re trying to find a way to get our SP on the network.  We may end up having to buy a little 4-port 10/100/1000 switch to patch the SP into for each controller, and that to the Nexus.  Thoughts?

[aborzenkov]

Yes, your understanding is correct - SP is accessible only via wrench port. I’m not sure about 100/1000 to be honest … yes, I looked at one of switches and interface runs as 100Mb/s (FAS3170, FAS6240, FAS2240). According to information I have, in FAS8000 management port is 1GbE.

[andris]

I can confirm that other than the FAS8000, the management (wrench) port is limited to autonegotiating 10/100 Mb/s connections only. FAS8000's wrench port is "upgraded" to 10/100/1000 Mb/s.

If your main switch infrastructure can no longer provide 100Mb/s full-duplex, then your idea is OK. Two considerations:

1. If you plug a number of wrench ports into your "feeder" switch, make sure your upstream Nexus allows multiple MAC addresses on the port

2. Make sure this switch autonegotiates properly with the wrench port. The wrench port does not have any manual Ethernet configuration options - autonegotiation is required.

[rajesharumugam]

HI Team,

   i need to know in cluster mode 8.3.1 p1 2552 controller is there any seperate port for sp port .... and how do i configure sp ip for nodes

[SvenW]

Hi,

you will find on each controller the remote management port (small wrench symbol). Behind this port you have a "small switch". Due to this fact you have two possibilities for connection: e0M or SP. 

To configure the SP use the follow command: 

system service-processor network modify -address-family IPv4 -node <node-name> -ip-address xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx -netmask xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx -gateway xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx -enable true

[rajesharumugam]

Thanks svenW its works fine thankyou verymuch. 

[rajesharumugam]

How do we know which port using for SP port its e0M or some other port ? what is the command to veryfy that . i have checked serviceprocess show command its shows only ip address details. not port details.

[Luca_Codutti]

You Sir just saved my evening. I had a networking problem due to a management switch reconfiguration which changed the default subnetwork of the management ports. For some reasons I could upgrade cDOT from 8.3 to 9.1 without problem but the SP firmware did not update from 9.1 to 9.3 on.