Manging LUNs Not Created in SnapDrive - For Windows Clusters

[TMADOCTHOMAS]

I need to convert some LUNs on a Windows Cluster that are not managed by SnapDrive so that they can be managed by SnapDrive.  The SnapDrive 7.0.3 for Windows Administration Guide for SAN Environments discusses this in a section called "Managing LUNs Not Created In SnapDrive", however the steps for clusters are very vague.  Has anyone ever performed this conversion and if so do you have any insights?

In particular, steps 5, 6, and 7 in the SnapDrive instructions are unclear and vague to me.

[dmauro]

Hi,

you don't need to convert lun's, you simply need to ensure that the lun is ready to be managed by SnapDrive:

that includes:

- ensure the lun is on netapp storage, formatted as ntfs, there is only one partition and the volume is basic (not dynamic).

- Furthermore, ensure the disk is online and if not a CSV disk, ensure there is a mount point or a drive letter.

- finally, of course you need top ensure SnapDrive credentials are set correctly as per our documentation: you have credentials for the local snapdrive service, credentials for the Storage System and so far I have mentioned the minimum required.

Additionally, you may need Vcenter credentials (if you have RDM lun's), VSC credentials (if SnapDrive needs to handle vmware vmdk disks), DFM credentials (if SnapDrive is supposed to request an ondemand snapvault update to Protection Manager when lun's are on a 7mode storage system).

at this point, you should be all set and able to perform operations like snapshot of lun, connect disk inside snapshots, disconnect, etc.

hope that helps,

Domenico Di Mauro

[TMADOCTHOMAS]

Thanks dmauro.  Currently we have several LUNs on the Windows Cluster that were created in System Manager or the command line and are not managed by SnapDrive.  Are you indicating that just installing SnapDrive to manage the LUNs and configuring it appropriately is all that we need to do?  The SnapDrive documentation indicates otherwise.

[dmauro]

no, that's not what I wrote.

my post specifically mentions that the disk needs to be online formatted, etc. in your case, if you simply created the lun's from ontap CLI or OnCommand System Manager, the lun's are simply raw blocks on the windows host (supposing you have also mapped the lun's to a windows host).

You need to go into disk management and do the rest, to ensure all requirements are met, as per my post.

In other words, it sounds like you are not even able to see lun's in windows explorer and extra manual steps are needed, before Windows explorer or SnapDrive can manage the lun's.

I hope it helps,

Domenico.

[TMADOCTHOMAS]

dmauro,

Actually the LUNs have been online and functioning for over a year.  There isn't a problem with them as they are now.  The issue is setting them up for use with SnapDrive.

[dmauro]

please define "The issue is setting them up for use with SnapDrive."

what exactly are you trying to do and what's the error or problem?

also, you haven't mentioned whether all requirements are met and you have setup credentials as per my post, which makes it hard to help you.

D.

[TMADOCTHOMAS]

No error, just trying to determine the correct steps in advance.  Yes, everything is already currently set up correctly for migration as NetApp documentation indicates.  In particular, SD documentation mentions setting up a temporary quorum drive during the transition, but it's not 100% clear the sequence of steps that need to be taken to convert from it back to the original drive, just as one example.