Simulator for 9.9.1, ESXi, and upgrades

[Tas]

As a  proponent of ONTAP systems, I am finding it more and more difficult to stay current with new developments.  Altough the current site I manage is not as large as in previous employments, it is still considerable and very important to our users.  This soapbox will concentrate on the virtual Simulator, and only from an end-user perspective.  I do not work for NetApp, nor am I a VAR or other affiliate, and cannot speak to the tools they may have available to them.

I have seen a gradual decrease in the quantity and quality of tools made available to power-users.  I keep a lab, with VMware and associated tools and virtual servers of all kinds to learn and test with and perform general R&D.

ONTAP vSIM is a staple in my lab, as is VMWare, vCenter, etc...  Whether on purpose or not, NetApp made it more difficult to maintain my lab by restricting the vSim to VMWorkstation.  

ONTAP tools such as the Unified Manager Appliance, run on ESXi.  Yes I could run it on as a non-appliance, but in my case  vApps are easily approved and implemented.  And for a lab, it is easier as well, since I don't have to worry about configuring it.

ONTAP 9.9.1.RC1 is out, with improvements since 9.8, which I would like to see and prepare for implementation.  Since there is no ESXi version, and since I lost my SSD with my previous lab, I can't install 9.8 and then attempt an upgrade.  I have been looking around the web, and in fact I do not see any mention of the ability to upgrade a 9.8 vSim to 9.9.1.

If it wouldn't be too out of NetApp's way, I ask that they maintain the ESXi versions of the tools,  and allow the upgrades.  After all, upgrading ONTAP is part of the test process.

[AlexandruVasile85078]

The upgrade from 9.8 sim ( that is actually very unstable ) works well .

I did the upgrade from network using a centos server with vsfptpd sharing the ontap image.

The only note is that you need more space on the vol0  in my case 6.57GB.

Sim at this level 9.91RC1 is stable ( does not crash often like 9.8 ).

OntapSIM98-n1::> vol show
Vserver Volume Aggregate State Type Size Available Used%
--------- ------------ ------------ ---------- ---- ---------- ---------- -----
OntapSIM98-n1-01
vol0 aggr0 online RW 6.57GB 4.37GB 30%

OntapSIM98-n1::> aggr show
Aggregate Size Available Used% State #Vols Nodes RAID Status
--------- -------- --------- ----- ------- ------ ---------------- ------------
aggr0 6.68GB 74.86MB 99% online 1 OntapSIM98-n1-01 raid_dp,
normal

OntapSIM98-n1::> cluster image show
Node Current Version Installation Date
-------------------- ----------------------- -------------------
OntapSIM98-n1-01 9.9.1RC1 5/11/2021 13:06:50
OntapSIM98-n1::>

[subinhameed]

I wasted much time trying to setup clustered ontap simulator 9.8 on ESXi, before I came to know that it is not supported.

Request Netapp to make newer version of simulator available on at least ESXi.

Thanks.

[Fabian1993]

Just download the 9.8 Simulator modify the RAM to 8GB and expand the vol0. It works fine.

For ESX is the workaroud to download the 9.5 Simulator and start upgrades to the Version  you prefer...

[SeanHatfield]

The only real difference between the two was the default ram size (8gb instead of 5.1) and the default sim disk sizes (4GB instead of 1).  The default serial number was also different, but that was about it.  You can easily make these changes yourself to the workstation version.  If you have the resources, I'd do that even on workstation.  The defaults will yield a sim that is very short-lived.

[wesprather]

I agree on this method.  vol0 filling up will cause instability in 9.8 sim.  Also, I disabled ASUP and debug logging, snap schedules, etc.  Added 2 disk shelves to the config, and added enough disks to root aggregate to get vol0 to 15GB, with 23TB usable in a "production" aggregate.  9.9.1RC1 went fine - reverted the VM and now doing it with 9.9.1 (GA!).  Taking a few screenshots of both GUI/CLI to share.

[cesceptm]

Hi.

I've got 9.9.1 installed on ESXi 6.7. Couldn't get it to run on 6.5 but I'm not sure if it's related to the ESX version or the Host hardware itself. It's running with 6GB of Ram and 2VCPUs which I think it's the default from the OVA.

The only struggle now is getting the Snapmirror-Sync licensed. It should be available with the Snapmirror key provided but it's not.

[Fabian1993]

Try to modify the RAM to 8 GB.

What I know of Snapmirror Sync is that for FAS/AFF exists an an addional  License Key:

https://mysupport.netapp.com/NOW/knowledge/docs/olio/guides/master_lickey/