Four Node NetApp Cluster with Code 9.12.1P7

[Bhuppi]

Hello. We have various NetApp Storages at three sites. Models AFF-C250s and FAS2720 as well. Now, the question has come up to provide improvements, enhancements and some real value out of them. The frames are all working fine.  Any suggestions, what and where to look at to provide some real unique value, and how then it will solve customer problems. Where to start etc.  Anything basic improvements we can do and then show quickly, to start with. Thanks

[AlexDawson]

How are you using the systems? iSCSI, FC, CIFS, NFS, VMWare NFS? Are you doing Snapmirror? Snapshots?

Twiddling the nerd knobs is a matter of weighing up additional functionality vs complexity. A bunch of storage efficiency is already built into the C250. 9.12 brings great anti-ransomware functionality for some uses. Multi-admin verification can enhance security.

[Bhuppi]

Hi Alex. Thanks for the response and great insights. We do use Block/File(CIFS/iSCSI/VMware) and - NFS - need to check). I do see many volumes named as VMware/Quorum/DB/ClusterLUN/DataStore/SQL/Exchange etc. So all things seems in play from your above list(except NFS).  Snapshot is in use as well. They do tell us that they have 'native replication' between the three sites, so I will guess 'Snapmirror' is also there, unless NetApp has some other replication as well.    Also, C250. 9.12 is new Code ?  Will these frames support this code.

Best

[cruxrealm]

Both will support  up to 9.14 code.     You should check the release notes to give you an idea of new fuctionality and capabilities of your storage.  

https://docs.netapp.com/us-en/ontap/release-notes/

[cruxrealm]

Who are your customers?  What challenges they are trying to fix/solve?   

[Bhuppi]

Hello Crux. Thanks for the response.  Actually, customers and client are same. Its a top bank. And we also don't know what challenges are there and what they are trying to fix/solve. .  So the goal is to give them some concrete real results and improvements from what AS-IS is currently (which is usual stuff going on with no improvements) to TO-BE (value added transformation and enhancements to what they have currently).  This way we want to show the difference of our onboarding into the things. However, true, even we don't know what that will be. 

Thanks.

[cruxrealm]

I suggest to watch youtube video of the ontap 9.14 release:
9.14:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5KXOYZ4x1Q&t=17s