Reliable way to identify NetApp C-mode filer

[SandeepNK]

Our application supports multiple file server targets like Windows server, NetApp and Celerra. We need to identify the file server type while adding a target. Currently we use system-get-version API to identify NetApp C-mode filer. We chose this approach based on the ONTAP API documentation. We set username and password to be blank. In case file server is a NetApp C-mode filer we get EAPIAUTHENTICATION/Error 13002: Authentication failed. In case of Windows server, NetApp 7-mode and Celerra we get EAPITRANSMISSION/Error 13011: URL not found error.

But it has been recently observed that API call returns error 13002 even in case of Window servers. So we wrongly detect Windows Server as a NetApp C-mode filer. Some Windows feature or third party component comes into picture for this behavior and we get error 13002 as result. Has anybody seen this behavior?

We would like to correct this behavior. What is a more reliable way to identify a NetApp C-mode filer?

[GidonMarcus]

that will allow you a full identification from the other vendors as well, and with the default configuration not require you to set another users for that.

[SandeepNK]

GidonMarcus, Thanks for your reply. But I could not understand what you are trying to say. Can you please elaborate?

We have to keep username and password as blank as not all of our  customers use NetApp as a target. They might only use Windows Server or Celerra.

[GidonMarcus]

Hi,

The filers has a default "PUBLIC" (anonymous like) community string that allows you to query the filer. including information about the ontap version.

some examples are available at:

https://library.netapp.com/ecmdocs/ECMP1368834/html/GUID-113EA449-1EBA-46F2-B954-76A9F36C3FD8.html   (7 dot article, but c dot will work as well)

other vendors has similar mechanism. so you could also identify them in a similar way.

Good luck

[SandeepNK]

Thanks for the information. I will look into the possibility to use SNMP.

I am not able to open the link you provided. Does it require any login to access it?