You can install the system image to the replacement boot media using a USB flash drive with the image installed on it. However, you must restore the var file system during this procedure.
Before you begin
You must have a USB flash drive, formatted to FAT32, with the following items:
A copy of the same image version of ONTAP as what the degraded controller was running.
You can download the appropriate image from the Downloads section on the Lenovo Data Center Support Site.
If your system is an HA pair, you must have a network connection.
Align the end of the controller module with the opening in the chassis, and then gently push the controller module halfway into the system.
Reinstall the cable management device and recable the system, as needed.
When recabling, remember to reinstall the media converters (SFPs) if they were removed.
Insert the USB flash drive into the USB slot on the controller module.
Make sure that you install the USB flash drive in the slot labeled for USB devices, and not in the USB console port.
Push the controller module all the way into the system, making sure that the cam handle clears the USB flash drive, firmly push the cam handle to finish seating the controller module, push the cam handle to the closed position, and then tighten the thumbscrew.
For systems with one controller in the chassis, reconnect the power and turn on the power supplies.
The system begins to boot and stops at the LOADER prompt.
Verify that the environment variables are set as expected: printenv
If you are running ONTAP 9.4 or later, the environment variables are persistent and should be set correctly. However, it is a best practice to verify the settings.
If your system...
Then...
Uses Storage Encryption (NSE)
Make sure that bootarg.storageencryption.support is set to true. Reset it, if needed, with the setenv command.
If you are using KMIP servers, make sure that the kmip.int.* variables are properly set, usually during boot.
Check the card settings with the ucadmin command and make any necessary changes using the ucadmin modify command.
If necessary, reset any environment variables: setenv environment_variable_name changed_value
Save any changes you made: saveenv
Boot the recovery image: boot_recovery image.tgz
Note
If the image.tgz file is named something other than image.tgz, such as boot_recovery 9_4.tgz, you need to include the different file name in the boot_recovery command.
The system boots to the boot menu and prompts you for the boot image name.
Enter the boot image name that is on the USB flash drive: image_name.tgz
After image_name.tgz is installed, the system prompts you to restore the backup configuration (the var file system) from the healthy controller.
Restore the var file system:
If your system has...
Then...
A network connection
Press y when prompted to restore the backup configuration.
Set the healthy controller to advanced privilege level: set -privilege advanced
Run the restore backup command: system node restore-backup -node local -target-address impaired_node_IP_address
Return the controller to admin level: set -privilege admin
Press y when prompted to use the restored configuration.
Press y when prompted to reboot the controller.
No network connection
Press n when prompted to restore the backup configuration.
Reboot the system when prompted by the system.
Select the Update flash from backup config (sync flash) option from the displayed menu.
If you are prompted to continue with the update, press y.
Your next step depends on your system configuration:
If your system is in...
Then...
An HA pair
After the degraded controller is displaying the Waiting for Giveback... message, perform a giveback from the healthy controller:
Perform a giveback from the healthy controller: storage failover giveback -ofnode partner_node_name
This initiates the process of returning ownership of the degraded controller's aggregates and volumes from the healthy controller back to the degraded controller.
Note
If the giveback is vetoed, you can consider overriding the vetoes.
Monitor the progress of the giveback operation by using the storage failover show-giveback command.
After the giveback operation is complete, confirm that the HA pair is healthy and that takeover is possible by using the storage failover show command.
Restore automatic giveback if you disabled it using the storage failover modify command.
A two-controller MetroCluster configuration
Proceed to the next step.
The MetroCluster healing and switchback procedures are done in the next task in the replacement process.