ONTAP version 9.10.1P11 vs. 9.12: Which is the right choice for my production cluster?

[NikRamak]

I'm facing a tech dilemma that's leaving me feeling like a fish out of water. My production cluster of 2x AFFA200 and 2x FAS8200 is currently running on ONTAP version 9.10.1P11, which is the latest patch in the 9.10 version. However, the department is keen on upgrading to the latest ONTAP version 9.12 or at the least n-1 version (9.11), and I'm struggling to explain why we should prioritize security and stability over new features ( I have nt gone through the release notes to understand what 9.11 and 9.12 has to offer) . Upgrading to a new version is like jumping into the deep end without checking the water first, and can cause compatibility issues and disruptions. So, my fellow tech enthusiasts, is it reasonable to stick with the current version if there are no specific features needed from the new version? How can I explain this to the customer without sounding like a wet blanket? Or am i being unreasonable. What security features or performance improvements to see with upgrading to 9.11 or 9.12?

[Ontapforrum]

I agree with your reasonings/dilemma.

In general, NetApp recommends that you run your new release for 1 year after General Availability and then use the remaining time within full support to plan for your transition to a newer release.

Apart from the "readme for the target release", I would also go to download page of the specific release and read the section that says "Bugs fixed in" to see if there is anything will resolve any issue that is currently in the Ontap version you are running but may be not impacted b'cos you have probably not enabled that feature but you might in future. Also, depending upon the release, there will be a "caution" that would suggest whether you should upgrade to the next release for the specific feature(s). So, that way it gives an indication/assurance to decide whether to upgrade or not.

And, if you do decide to upgrade then following checks ensures the Ontap upgrade will be smoother experience: (Upgrade advisor tool is useful).
1) Review the readme for the target release.
2) Confirm that your hardware platform as well as your cluster and management switches are supported in the target release.
3) If your cluster is configured for SAN, confirm that the SAN configuration is fully supported.

Feature-wise improvements (Whether security or enhancements) you can read this pdf:
https://www.netapp.com/media/15984-ontap-release-recommendation-guide.pdf

Related:
SU2: Minimum Recommended ONTAP releases on the NetApp Support Site
https://kb.netapp.com/Support_Bulletins/Customer_Bulletins/SU2

https://docs.netapp.com/us-en/ontap/index.html

ONTAP® 9 Release Notes:
https://library.netapp.com/ecm/ecm_download_file/ECMLP2492508

https://kb.netapp.com/Advice_and_Troubleshooting/Data_Storage_Software/ONTAP_OS/How_to_prepare_for_an_ONTAP_upgrade

https://kb.netapp.com/Advice_and_Troubleshooting/Data_Storage_Software/ONTAP_OS/ONTAP_Upgrade_Resolution_Guide

https://kb.netapp.com/Advice_and_Troubleshooting/Data_Storage_Software/ONTAP_OS/How_does_Active_IQ_Upgrade_Advisor_help_to_perform_an_ONTAP_upgrade_or...

[EWILTS_SAS · Accepted solution]

In general, NetApp releases are very stable.  I've even (unwillingly!) run an RC release in large-scale production without a single bug that wasn't also present in the prior release.

I personally wait until at least P3 before considering an upgrade.  We just upgraded to 9.11.1P6 (our first upgrade from 9.10).  We'll start to consider 9.12 in the summer timeframe and see what the track record is.

We have a large environment with thousands of NFS clients.

There is generally lots of goodness in each new release.  For example, 9.12 will give you another 5% of usable space on your AFF nodes for free and there's an automated space balancing process when converting FlexVols to FlexGroups.  That doesn't mean I want to be an early adopter though.