SNMP Agent / cluster communiction

[blastolotbob]

I understand that my cluster uses snmp as a heart beat check between heads - if I edit / configure both heads (both partners) community string to not use "public", but use something like "PEBAC" - is there a way to check if this would work without failing over a partner?

[aborzenkov]

I wonder what gave you this idea. Filer does not use SNMP for cluster heartbeat. Actually SNMP is disabled by default.

[blastolotbob]

WOW!  That is news to me.  Yes, SNMP is enabled by default and Community string is "public" - and everyone that I have talked to confirmed that clustered partners use snmp as heartbeat between to two.  I guess my questions is = does anyone know a way of testing the change to snmp wthout failing partner?

[aborzenkov]

Here is the state after clean installation. Please notice that SNMP init is 0 (inactive):

simsim> snmp

contact:

location:

authtrap:

0

init:

0

traphosts:

community:

ro public

[blastolotbob]

Now I didn't setup the current cluster FAS 3020 (before my time) - it is enabled - its state after a clean install is not the question here.

(I do have a fresh out of the box FAS3140 7.3.2.RC1)

init [1]

community [ro / public]

traps [0]

auth[0]

If I attempt to disble snmp on the current cluster I receive message to set option snmp enable on partner or next takeover will not work correctly - this is what I would like to test, can I disable both and still have the "takeover" work correctly?  And if so, is there a way to test without performing a failure.

UPDATE: (after nother call to NetApp Support)  Spoke to another Tech early this afternoon - he did confirm that snmp is NOT used for heartbeat and only used for Ops Management - Now I'm comfortable in turning it off at this time.  I will re-enable when Ops Management comes on-line.

JUST AN FYI:  I've upgraded three FAS 3020s to FAS3140s and snmp is enabled "out-of-the-box".

Message was edited by: blastolotbob

[loudymanschwab]

We have modified the SNMP string, and had no issues doing it one head at a time, nor during failovers (even if they didn't match).  I also have not heard of SNMP being used for cluster heartbeat.

[aborzenkov]

FYI:  I've upgraded three FAS 3020s to FAS3140s and snmp is enabled "out-of-the-box".

Upgrading hardware does not change exisiting system settings unless you wiped out root volume and performed clean new instalation. Anything that was enabled stays enabled.