Aggregate advise

[CARTERFIELDS]

New to NetApp and need some setup advise.  When I asked my pre-sales SE about getting the optimum space from our storage he suggested:

Yes, a couple of options are (FAS2240 w/24 disks):

1. 22 disks assigned to controller A and 2 assigned to controller B.  Highest capacity, and partner is failover over, no spare.  Most aggressive config.
   1. Controller A: 21 Disk raid group / Raid-DP Aggregate + 1 spare.
   2. Controller B: 2 disk Raid-4 Aggregate, no spare.
2. 21 disks assigned to controller A and 3 assigned to controller B.  More conservative with spare on failover partner, slightly less capacity.
   1. Controller A: 20 Disk raid group / Raid-DP Aggregate + 1 spare.
   2. Controller B: 2 disk Raid-4 Aggregate + 1 spare.
3. 20 disks assigned to controller A and 4 assigned to controller B.  Most balanced with spares (2 per), but lowest usable capacity config of the three options.
   1. Controller A: 20 Disk raid group / Raid-DP Aggregate + 2 spare.
   2. Controller B: 2 disk Raid-4 Aggregate + 2 spare.

Looking at doing #2.  Currently configured as a 7-mode, HA pair.  Each controller has 12 disks.  I'm unable to create an aggregate containing the partners disks.

I'm assuming I would need to create a new aggr on Cont B, move vol0 to that.  But how do I get the partners disks into Cont A's Aggregate.  Also assuming I would use/expand Controller A's aggr0?

Any insights would be greatly appreciated!

-Carter

[aborzenkov]

If would use 2 then with RAID_DP without spares.

You unassign disks on current owner and assign them on partner.

On A: disk assign 0a.0.xx -s unowned

On B: disk assign 0a.0.xx

[radek_kubka]

Have you got more than a single workload? If yes, why not create a more symmetrical setup (12 disks on each head) to load balance both controllers?

You won't be losing that much capacity comparing with an "asymmetrical" setup, where 3 disks are practically lost for a root aggregate.

Regards,

Radek

[JGPSHNTAP]

Total capacity vs overall optimal disk layout,  I tend to build out 2240's a little differently

Also, depends on how far away you are from a PFE to come onsite and replace a disk.  That also plays into the picture...

I tend to go on the side of less risk.

18 + 2 spares on A side, and B side is 3 disk aggr0 + 1 spare.    I usually sleep better at night that way