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Configuring the MetroCluster software in ONTAP

You must set up each node in the MetroCluster configuration in ONTAP, including the node-level configurations and the configuration of the nodes into two sites. You must also implement the MetroCluster relationship between the two sites.



  1. Gathering required information
    You need to gather the required IP addresses for the controller modules before you begin the configuration process.
  2. Similarities and differences between standard cluster and MetroCluster configurations
    The configuration of the nodes in each cluster in a MetroCluster configuration is similar to that of nodes in a standard cluster.
  3. Restoring system defaults and configuring the HBA type on a previously used controller module
    If your controller modules have been used previously, you must reset them for a successful MetroCluster configuration.
  4. Verifying disk assignment in Maintenance mode in an eight-node or a four-node configuration
    Before fully booting the system to ONTAP, you can optionally boot to Maintenance mode and verify the disk assignment on the nodes. The disks should be assigned to create a fully symmetric active-active configuration, where each pool has an equal number of disks assigned to them.
  5. Verifying and configuring the HA state of components in Maintenance mode
    When configuring a storage system in a MetroCluster configuration, you must make sure that the high-availability (HA) state of the controller module and chassis components is mcc or mcc-2n so that these components boot properly.
  6. Setting up ONTAP
    You must set up ONTAP on each controller module.
  7. Configuring the clusters into a MetroCluster configuration
    You must peer the clusters, mirror the root aggregates, create a mirrored data aggregate, and then issue the command to implement the MetroCluster operations.
  8. Mirroring the root aggregates
    You must mirror the root aggregates to provide data protection.
  9. Creating a mirrored data aggregate on each node
    You must create a mirrored data aggregate on each node in the DR group.
  10. Creating unmirrored data aggregates
    You can optionally create unmirrored data aggregates for data that does not require the redundant mirroring provided by MetroCluster configurations.
  11. Implementing the MetroCluster configuration
    You must run the metrocluster configure command to start data protection in a MetroCluster configuration.
  12. Configuring in-order delivery or out-of-order delivery of frames on ONTAP software
    You must configure either in-order delivery (IOD) or out-of-order delivery (OOD) of frames according to the fibre channel (FC) switch configuration. If the FC switch is configured for IOD, then the ONTAP software must be configured for IOD. Similarly, if the FC switch is configured for OOD, then ONTAP must be configured for OOD.
  13. Configuring SNMPv3 in a MetroCluster configuration
  14. Configuring MetroCluster components for health monitoring
    You must perform some special configuration steps before monitoring the components in a MetroCluster configuration.
  15. Checking the MetroCluster configuration
    You can check that the components and relationships in the MetroCluster configuration are working correctly. You should do a check after initial configuration and after making any changes to the MetroCluster configuration. You should also do a check before a negotiated (planned) switchover or a switchback operation.