Nexus 3232 Custom Configurations

[JHUAPLCDM]

NetApp Community,

We have a question about our Cisco Nexus 3232C Cluster Switches. We have applied the RCF version 1.8 and everything is working properly. We now need to add custom configurations for remote management. This includes syslog servers, NTP, TACACS, and SNMPv3. This management traffic will use the switch management VRF interface only.

We are being told by our NetApp reseller that any additional configuration other than the RCF is not allowed and will void all support.

How is this possible? Can someone please provide NetApp’s formal policy on applying custom configurations for remote management to any NetApp supported cluster switch?

[AlexDawson · Accepted solution]

Hi there,

If the ONLY thing you change are adding syslog, NTP, TACACS and SNMPv3 (not removing any existing ones - one of the snmp communities is needed for cluster switch health monitoring by ONTAP), you would remain within support. On the unlikely event that you open a support case and they refuse to work on it on the basis of those additions, refer to this post 🙂

We provide internal documentation on setting up TACACS for the BES and CN1610 switches, which involves additional configuration stanzas not present in the RCF, so it will be supported on the cisco too.

The statement that changing the RCF by modifying switchport configurations, connecting to existing networks etc remains 100% correct.

Hope this helps!

[andris]

+1 on Alex's reply.  The customer is free to set up any management access and monitoring configurations for their environment.  

That said, two more points:

1. Customers might need more breakout ports for their environment than the RCF configures. It is fine to repurpose additional switch ports for the ONTAP cluster's environment, as needed.
   See: https://kb.netapp.com/Advice_and_Troubleshooting/Data_Storage_Systems/FAS_Systems/How_to_modify_RCF_1.X_Breakout_on_Cisco_NX3232C_cluster_switch_for_s...
   
   
2. ONTAP cluster switch health monitoring support for SNMPv3 is coming in a future ONTAP release.  You are free to use SNMPv3 for switch monitoring with your tools, but you'll need to keep SNMPv2 community string support for ONTAP's communication with the switches, for now.
   See: Bug 1358228 - Only SNMPv2 with default SHM community string is supported in ONTAP SHM