Volume and Exports in HA Controller setup

[noc]

I have a question regarding volume and export paths with controllers in an HA setup.

For general purposes, this is a pair of FAS2240 controllers with OnTAP 8.1RC3

Lets suppose we have two volumes on each controller:

Controller A:

/vol/vol0  (root volume)

/vol/data0  (some generic data, NFS export)

Controller B:

/vol/vol0  (root volume)

/vol/data0  (some generic data, NFS export)

Assume both controllers are up and serving data.   If we issue a "cf takeover" on one of the controllers, what happens?  My concern is for the volume and export paths are they are the same on each controller, but unique to the controller.

Is this setup invalid or is the OnTAP smart enough to know that the volume names and exports are unique to the partner filer ?

[aborzenkov · Accepted solution]

During takeover virtual copy of partner filer is started with all its resources (volumes, exports, IP addresses etc), so there is no confusion. Clients continue to access the same exported resources via the same IP addresses as before.

[noc]

Has anyone actually tested this?  My thoughts were along the same way of thinking until I remember reading somewhere that it may be a problem.  I did actually open up a NetApp case on this, but the first level NetApp support person missed the mark.  They just told me that you can't have duplicated volume names on the same filer, which isn't what I asked.  I realize that takeover is a unique situation.

The Netapp HA docs never mention anything about volumes or exports names being a problem, it would be comforting to know that someone else has actual experience with this...

[aborzenkov]

Almost every system I have seen has aggr0 and vol0. Never had any issues on takeover due to the same names. Go figure … ☺

[noc]

Thats my thoughts exactly.  It would still be nice to get confirmation either from NetApp or someone who has actually has multiple volumes/exports of the same name and has dealt with it in takeover ...  If the answer to that is "yes, and works fine", then that works for me.  One would think that this would be a BIG caveat to HA if volume/exports can conflict on takeover.

[aborzenkov]

Was it not what I was trying to tell you all the way long? ☺

Of course I have been working with NetApp for 9 years only, so I may easily miss something

[akw_white]

Yes it works fine