Multistore on FAS2000

[ThomasBebee]

We have a customer that is interested in using Multistore on a FAS2000 system (in particular the new FAS2040).  They need to do this because the storage will provide CIFS shares to users, that are in different Active Directory Domains.  I am interested in any opinions or experience with using Multistore on the FAS2000 systems (gotchas, caveats, etc.).

TIA for any information.

Tom

[RAFAEL_GUEDES]

I'm facing the same situation. Is there anyone who has this in a production environment?

Thanks!

Guedes

[ricardoduarte]

I'm using Multistore, with iSCSI/NFS and CIFS/NFS vfilers.

I use iscsi/nfs vfilers for my virtual infrastructure (VMware), and the CIFS/NFS for user homes.

The "homes" vfiler is connected to an AD domain and is working fine.

I also tried data migration, and it does work as announced. I can move vfilers from between storage heads without any disruption to the traffic.

Also, most NetApp software was updated to support vfiler, so that's no longer an issue.

The main quirk is that filerview and system manager does not work with vfilers. On a Multistore filer you are only able to use filerview or system manager on the vfiler0 (physical filer). So be sure to be familiar with the CLI.

[scottgelb]

They key thing is the 2040 has a limit of 16 vFilers... so with vfiler0 as the physical controller, you have 15 left...not the 64 on other systems.  On a cluster it is 16 per node and failover can handle vFilers for both nodes.

[RAFAEL_GUEDES]

Hi Scott! I read here (http://www.netapp.com/us/communities/tech-ontap/tot-secure-mobile-cloud-storage-1001.html) that a system with 2GB or more would support 65 vFilers per controller, so I thought FAS2040HA could support 130 vFilers (with vFilers 0). Do you know any document where it is explicited FAS2040 can support only 16 vFilers?

Thanks a lot!

[scottgelb]

Let me check.. 2040 is the one exception.. If you type "vfiler limit" you will see the max for the system.

Typos Sent on Blackberry Wireless

[scottgelb]

Here you go.. https://now.netapp.com/NOW/knowledge/docs/ontap/rel81rc1/pdfs/ontap/vfiler.pdf   Page 12 lists the 65 vFiler maximum then the 2040 exception.

You can create a maximum of 16 vFiler units in FAS2040 systems.

[RAFAEL_GUEDES]

Hi Scott!

Thanks for reply. I just found a related documentation that confirms what you stated.

https://now.netapp.com/NOW/knowledge/docs/ontap/rel802/html/ontap/vfiler/frameset.html

Regards.

[scottgelb]

Ricardo is right ont his as well... you can't manage into the vFiler itself from a GUI, however you can manage the shares and sessions from the Windows MMC.  From the Action menu, Connect to another computer, then you can see into the vFiler and make changes.

Provisioning Manager does a good job creating and configuring vFilers (configure at creation including shares, exports, iscsi) but doesn't make changes after creation.

We still may see a GUI come out that makes changes to vFilers so keep looking for new or updated management tools from NetApp next year.

[RAFAEL_GUEDES]

Hey Scott!

If we consider FAS2040 in a High Availability configuration, so we have 32 vFilers?

Taking in account vFiler0, so would have 34 vFilers?

Thanks!

[RAFAEL_GUEDES]

Replying to myself...

In FAS2040 HA there are 16 vfilers in each head plus vfiler0. So, really there are 34 vfilers.