Installing External HBA Card on FAS3210

[NAYABSK]

Hi All,

We are going to add a FC card on to our FAS3210 , As i understand the external HBA's will be hard coded to act as Initiator or target and this HBA will be a initiator as we are going to connect our tape autoloade for NDMP backup. Can help the steps for installation and also can let me know if there is any Document or an old post to perform this

Thanks,

Nayab

[A_Tomczak]

Hi Nayab,

this depend on the HBA type you have. You can take a look in the Hardware Universe -> http://hwu.netapp.com

There you can find the right slot for the card and so on. Keep in mind that every card in your system has a prority. In some rare circumstanses you have to rearrange some of your cards witch are alrady in the system.

[NAYABSK]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for you reply , i was able to see my HBA part number from the Hardware Universe guide and in the table i noticed it is showing number '2' under 3210 ( Please find the screen shot attached hilighted) which means my 3210 comes with 2 free PCIE slots to install new HBA's ? And also can explain about what is the priority of cards in system ? how it works s? what priority do i need to give if i am introducing a HBA in to my filer ?

Thanks,

Nayab

[A_Tomczak]

Hi,

on the HWU you select Controllers -> FAS Series -> Your Ontap Version -> 3210 -> Expantion Slots -> Supported Adapter Cards.

Then you get a complete list of cards witch are supported. On the left side of the list you see the priority. So you start on the top of page and ask yourself if you have such a card.

Your card has priority 26 and if you have no other card from the above installed you can take slot 1.

Alex

[NAYABSK]

Hey Alex,

Thanks for your quick response i have already found the supported PCI e card hilighted in the image of my previous post , Now how i can check the priority of Onboard cards which are already inside my filer shipped with , How the priority can affect do we have any documentation for this?

Thanks,

Nayab

[RSG]

There's a lot more involved then just plug and play. Follow the public facing AP below which is specific for a PCI card replacement on a FAS32xx series:

• Replacing PCIe cards in a 32xx system
• https://library.netapp.com/ecm/ecm_download_file/ECMM1280370

[A_Tomczak · Accepted solution]

Hi Nayab.

Onboard devices are not affected by any priority. The priority is only for the order of the PCI/e cards.  Onboard cards and some PCI/e cards are able to switch from initiator to target and the other way round. Your  X2053A is a simple initiator card. So just plug it in, connect your tapelibrary or switch to it and you are done. Than you have the other onboard ports for Servers (target) or Diskshelfs (initiator).

Alex

[NAYABSK]

Hey Alex,

That sounds Perfect ! Thanks so much....

Nayab