Configuring and Monitoring NetApp E-Series and EF-Series Storage Systems

In this course, you learn how to configure a new E-Series or EF-Series storage system and establish connectivity with a SAN. You use the SANtricity® storage management (v11.25) software and CLI to manage the E-Series and EF-Series controllers. You also use SANtricity storage management software features to restore data. Additionally, you learn how to support and monitor E-Series and EF-Series storage systems by performing various troubleshooting tasks, such as evaluating support data and using the built-in tools to identify storage system errors

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• Identify E-Series and EF-Series product hardware
• Cable and connect E-Series or EF-Series systems to a fabric
• Install the SANtricity client on a storage management station
• Configure an E-Series or EF-Series storage system
• Create usable storage space on an E-Series or EF-Series storage system
• Evaluate customers’ needs and suggest storage configurations that meet those needs
• Use SANtricity features to restore lost data
• Check E-Series or EF-Series storage system status
• Upgrade and maintain SANtricity and E-Series or EF-Series code levels
• Use the AutoSupport feature
• View and use support data that provides information about E-Series or EF-Series storage systems
• Diagnose management connection issues
• Resolve storage system host-side issues
• Resolve drive failures
• Use SANtricity tools to service E-Series or EF-Series storage systems

Prerequisites

Basic Windows or Linux administrative experience

Target Audience

• This course is designed for Professional Services workers who are NetApp employees, NetApp partners, or NetApp customers.
• This course is part of the following Certifications:
  • NetApp Certified Implementation Engineer – SAN Specialist, E-Series (NCIE SAN E-SERIES)

Course Content

Module 1: Storage-Management Software

• SANtricity Storage Manager setup instructions
  • Configuration workflow
  • Installation options and packages
  • Management client
  • Event monitor
  • Management agent
  • Utilities
• Managing E-Series and EF-Series storage systems
• SANtricity Storage Manager
  • Ethernet connection (out-of-band) management
  • Ethernet management connections
  • Host I/O connection
  • Access volume
  • SYMbol protocol
  • SANtricity plug-ins, APIs and providers
• Configuring management connectivity
  • IP addresses
  • Adding storage array
• Using the SANtricity UI
  • Navigating
  • SMclient UI
  • Enterprise management window
  • Array management window
  • Adding storage systems
• Using the CLI
  • Script editor
  • SMcli program
  • SMcli interactive mode

Module 2: Multipath Failover

• Functions
• HBA settings
• I_T nexus
• SCSI I_T_L communication nexus
• Redundant paths
• Zoning
• Failover and failback
• Multipath driver failover mechanisms
• ALUA functionality
• Target Port group support
• Load balancing

Module 3: Logical Configuration

• Configuration process
• Application characteristics
• Disk pools or traditional RAID volumes
• Volume groups and disk pools
• Disk considerations
• Volume groups
• SANtricity RAID levels
• SANtricity Performance
• Creating a volume group
• IOPS segment-size guidelines
• Data assurance feature
• Hot spare disks
• Dynamic disk pool
• Disk failure
• Thin volumes
• Host mapping
• I/O processes
• Host groups
• Storage partitions
• LUN masking
• Disk encryption

Module 4: Storage Cache

• Purpose
• E-Series cache settings
• Cache flushing
• Power failure response
• Battery backup unit
• SANtricity SSD read cache
• Best practices

Module 5: Data Protection with SANtricity features

• Data protection key considerations
• E-Series data protection
• Snapshot
  • Considerations
  • Group repository
  • Data recovery
  • Zero downtime backup
• SANtricity volume copy
  • Restrictions
  • Considerations
• SANtricity mirroring
  • Types
  • Connections
  • Features
  • Synchronous mirroring
  • Asynchronous mirroring

Module 6: Monitoring the Storage System

• SANtricity monitoring tools
• Storage system status
• Event monitor
• Alert configuration
• SNMP traps
• Event log
• AutoSupport feature
• Recovery Guru
• Support data
• Media scan
• Performance monitor

Module 7: Upgrading Storage-System Software

• Firmware
• NVSRAM
• Firmware inventory
• Package files
• Storage management client upgrade
• ESM firmware
• Host protocol

Module 8: Troubleshooting Storage Issues

• Troubleshooting methodology
• Host and switches
• Data gathering
• Host and fabric switch logs
• I/O communication path
• I/O host connections
• Unresponsive storage
• Controller IPs
• Partially down status
• Configurations conflicts
• Ethernet management connectivity
• Simplex and duplex configurations
• Cache errors
• Drive-side components
• SAS ports
• Rapid reconstruction
• Disk failure

Labs:

• Installing SANtricity storage manager software
• Exploring the SANtricity management windows
• Configuring management connections
• Using the SANtricity CLI commands
• Determining multipath settings
• Exploring the IMT and hardware universe
• Video: creating volume groups and volumes
• Creating volume groups and volumes
• Creating disk pools and volumes
• Defining hosts and mapping and mounting volumes
• Testing I/O host connectivity
• Testing performance based on volume cache settings
• Testing performance based on cache block size
• Using the SANtricity Snapshot feature
• Using the SANtricity volume copy feature
• Configuring and using the asynchronous mirror feature
• Configuring alerts and viewing event log entries
• Examining information used to troubleshoot the storage system
• Using the CLI to monitor the storage system
• Upgrading system software
• Observing controller status
• Observing cache and battery attributes
• Examining and troubleshooting disk and drive channel conditions
• Completing the final assessment