Setup requirements and restrictions for standard HA pairs

You must follow certain requirements and restrictions when setting up a new standard HA pair. These requirements help provide the data availability benefits of the HA pair design.

The following list specifies the requirements and restrictions you should be aware of when setting up a new standard HA pair:

• Architecture compatibility

  Both nodes must have the same system model and be running the same ONTAP software and system firmware versions.

• Nonvolatile memory (NVRAM or NVMEM) size and version compatibility

  The size and version of the system's nonvolatile memory must be identical on both nodes in an HA pair.

• Storage capacity

  • The number of disks must not exceed the maximum configuration capacity.

  • The total storage attached to each node must not exceed the capacity for a single node.

  • If your system uses native disks, the combined total of disks cannot exceed the maximum configuration capacity.

  • The total storage attached to each node must not exceed the capacity for a single node.

  • To determine the maximum capacity for a system using disks or both, see Lenovo Press

  Note

  After a failover, the takeover node temporarily serves data from all of the storage in the HA pair.
• Disks and disk shelf compatibility

  • SAS (FSAS, NL-SAS) storage are supported in standard HA pairs.

  • AFA platforms support only SSD storage.

    No other hard disk drives (HDDs) are supported on these HA pairs.

  • Different connection types cannot be combined in the same stack.

  • Different types of storage can be used on separate stacks on the same node.

    You can also dedicate a node to one type of storage and the partner node to a different type, if needed.

    Lenovo Press

    Disk and Aggregate Management Guide

  • Multipath HA connection is required on all HA pairs.
• Mailbox disks on the root volume

  • Two disks are required if the root volume is on a disk shelf.

• Interconnect adapters and cables

  The HA interconnect adapters (if applicable) and cables must be installed unless the system has two controllers in the chassis and an internal interconnect.

• Network connectivity

  Both nodes must be attached to the same network and the Network Interface Cards (NICs) or onboard Ethernet ports must be configured correctly.

• System software

  The same system software, such as SyncMirror, Server Message Block (SMB) or Common Internet File System (CIFS), or Network File System (NFS), must be licensed and enabled on both nodes.

  Note

  If a takeover occurs, the takeover node can provide only the functionality for the licenses installed on it. If the takeover node does not have a license that was being used by the partner node to serve data, your HA pair loses functionality after a takeover.