June 1, 2017 at 09:37ONTAP 9.2: new functionality
In this article I would like to review the innovations that appeared in the ONTAP 9.2 firmware version, which was released nine months after the release of version 9.0 . As usual, NetApp pleases with a lot of new functionality and features in its data storage systems, let's analyze them.
ONTAP 9.1 Releasesand newer will now come out regularly every 6 months. Previously releases were delayed to accommodate an incredibly large number of new features, now there will be fewer of them in each release, but they will start coming out regularly and will not delay the output of other features. Released with long-term and short-term support. Understand correctly, both releases are fully production-ready, general avalability, tested, debugged, and operational. Since it became possible to buy support for 7 or more years for some new systems in order to be able to extend the support period for ONTAP releases, a compromise was made to release some releases with long support, and some with short ones, as it happens, for example, in Ubuntu.
NetApp was starting to release its systems as simple as a toaster that made sandwiches. Then the sandwich grew and began to fit only into the oven, and now ONTAP is a full-fledged whole kitchen, with many built-in features that are somewhere, sometimes hidden and hard to find. ONTAP once upon a time was a very simple OS, but now it is very sophisticated and has an incredible mass of functionality, so NetApp continues this constant movement towards simplification in order to make it cool and sophisticated also easy to use.
Balance placement (QoS) - when creating a LUN, the system will offer where to place it.
QoS minimum, this functionality is also called Throughput Floors (TP), it can work together with the QoS Maximum (throughput ceilings) functionality that was available earlier. Throughput Floors make sure that IOPS performance does not fall below what you previously set. The cluster must have at least one AFF node in order for the feature to work for iSCSI / FCP protocols.
Minimum QoS appeared in version 9.2, which is set in group performance policies. How much the system can deliver with the current load is dynamically taken from the Headroom monitoring built into the storage system and selected from the optimum. The optimum is the portion of the system load graph according to IOPS / Latensi, while it runs linearly. After the linear section of the graph begins, where with an increase in load, a larger number of IOPS causes a disproportional, geometric growth of latensi with a linear increase in IOPS. Thus Throughput Floors ensures that the moon is given a minimum, if necessary, taking part of the performance from those moons that have not yet reached their minimum. In other words, for all other moons, a “temporary or dynamic maximum” will be set, which will be less than their Throughput Ceilings,
Inline Aggregate - Wide Deduplication on SSD (or Cross Volume Deduplication). The feature is enabled by default for all SSD units in ONTAP 9.2. Yes, of course I wanted a “global cluster of dedup”, but there is no limit to perfection and so far it works only at the aggregate level, but even with it the current ONTAP SSDs are so large that they are larger than the whole systems of some competitors with global dedup. Therefore, the unit-dedup will give enough to compete with other All Flash Array (AFA) systems in terms of efficiency. Maximum aggregate size for All Flash FAS (AFF) systems increased to 800TiB (previously 400)
In version 9.2, a new command “storage aggregate show-efficiency" is available for the command line, which can show the effect of savings on each individual technology, be it clones, compression, dedup, etc.
FabricPool is a technology implemented as part of the DataFabric strategy, which in turn should expand the integration of all NetApp products and expand the capabilities of data mobility. When NetApp makes a new feature, it does not look at others and does not try to add the feature “for the sake of a tick”. Instead, a technology is released that is really well thought out and will be in demand by consumers. This also applies to the new Tiering feature FabricPool. With the growing demand for SSDs, the number of installations and interest in this technology increases, so NetApp has released FabricPool functionality. FabricPool is a technology for shifting cold data from an aggregate SSD (AFF, FAS, ONTAP Cloud systems) to a cold object level - to the Amazon S3 cloud or to the NetApp StorageGRID object storage .
The implementation of FabricPool Data Tiering on Object Storage will consist of two stages. In 9.2, only snapshots will be available. And the next stage will be the ability to shift cold data from the active file system of the volume to a cold level. While FlexFroup, MetroCluster, ONTAP Select, SnapLock and others are not supported with FabricPool. It is
licensed terabyte on FAS / AFF systems with Amzon S3. Adding a license immediately adds 10TB. Then you can add a terabyte.
For FabricPool functionality to work on FAS / AFF storage systems, a license is required only when using Amazon S3. In the case of NetApp StorageGRID, FabricPool does not need a license to operate. For ONTAP Cloud systems living in Amazon, there is also no terabyte licensing by ONTAP to enable FabricPool - you pay only the actual cold-consumed space in AWS S3 directly to Amazon itself .
Volum encryption can now be enabled from the GUI. SnapLock volume can now be encrypted using NetApp Volume Encryption. FlexGroup now also works with NVE encryption (only when creating FG).
Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) - this functionality is used for applications that use TLS encryption, for example, LDAP over TLS. With 9.2, it became possible to set the maximum number of unsuccessful SSH connection attempts to prevent password guessing. iSCSI Endpoint Isolation - allows you to specify the range of IP addresses that are allowed to login to the storage.
ADP for AFF: Ability to stretch an aggregate built on partitions ( RD2 ) onto disks not only in the first shelf (or in the head), but also in the next shelf (up to 48 disks).
ADPRoot-Data Partitioning is now also supported on hybrid systems: FAS80XX / FAS8200 / FAS9000, which will allow a little more rational use of disks due to the ability to do without dedicated disks for root units.
A new item (Option 9) has appeared in the boot menu for working with partitions (Appeared with ONTAP 9):
OnCommand Unified Manager 7.2 now immediately includes OnCommand Performance Manager.
Please send messages about errors in the text to the LAN . Comments, additions and questions on the opposite article, please comment.
ONTAP 9.1 Releasesand newer will now come out regularly every 6 months. Previously releases were delayed to accommodate an incredibly large number of new features, now there will be fewer of them in each release, but they will start coming out regularly and will not delay the output of other features. Released with long-term and short-term support. Understand correctly, both releases are fully production-ready, general avalability, tested, debugged, and operational. Since it became possible to buy support for 7 or more years for some new systems in order to be able to extend the support period for ONTAP releases, a compromise was made to release some releases with long support, and some with short ones, as it happens, for example, in Ubuntu.
Continuous movement towards simplification
NetApp was starting to release its systems as simple as a toaster that made sandwiches. Then the sandwich grew and began to fit only into the oven, and now ONTAP is a full-fledged whole kitchen, with many built-in features that are somewhere, sometimes hidden and hard to find. ONTAP once upon a time was a very simple OS, but now it is very sophisticated and has an incredible mass of functionality, so NetApp continues this constant movement towards simplification in order to make it cool and sophisticated also easy to use.
- Cluster expansion by adding compatible nodes can now be performed from GUI, from there Auto Discovering of new nodes is now available
- automatic switchless-cluster detection - will automatically determine if a cluster consists of two or more nodes, there is no need to switch manually
- The detect-switchless-cluster option is enabled by default on new and updated to 9.2 systems
- OnCommand System Manager Guided Setup (GUI) - At the very beginning, you need to connect to the storage console and set the node-IP address, and further initial cluster configuration can now be performed from the graphical interface
- Updated Dashboard (starting with ONTAP 9.1)
- Export and Import Cluster Configuration for Initial Setup - allows you to unload and load cluster settings from a csv template that can be edited in a regular text editor or Excel
Advanced QoS
Balance placement (QoS) - when creating a LUN, the system will offer where to place it.
QoS minimum, this functionality is also called Throughput Floors (TP), it can work together with the QoS Maximum (throughput ceilings) functionality that was available earlier. Throughput Floors make sure that IOPS performance does not fall below what you previously set. The cluster must have at least one AFF node in order for the feature to work for iSCSI / FCP protocols.
Minimum QoS appeared in version 9.2, which is set in group performance policies. How much the system can deliver with the current load is dynamically taken from the Headroom monitoring built into the storage system and selected from the optimum. The optimum is the portion of the system load graph according to IOPS / Latensi, while it runs linearly. After the linear section of the graph begins, where with an increase in load, a larger number of IOPS causes a disproportional, geometric growth of latensi with a linear increase in IOPS. Thus Throughput Floors ensures that the moon is given a minimum, if necessary, taking part of the performance from those moons that have not yet reached their minimum. In other words, for all other moons, a “temporary or dynamic maximum” will be set, which will be less than their Throughput Ceilings,
Cross Volume Deduplication
Inline Aggregate - Wide Deduplication on SSD (or Cross Volume Deduplication). The feature is enabled by default for all SSD units in ONTAP 9.2. Yes, of course I wanted a “global cluster of dedup”, but there is no limit to perfection and so far it works only at the aggregate level, but even with it the current ONTAP SSDs are so large that they are larger than the whole systems of some competitors with global dedup. Therefore, the unit-dedup will give enough to compete with other All Flash Array (AFA) systems in terms of efficiency. Maximum aggregate size for All Flash FAS (AFF) systems increased to 800TiB (previously 400)
In version 9.2, a new command “storage aggregate show-efficiency" is available for the command line, which can show the effect of savings on each individual technology, be it clones, compression, dedup, etc.
Tiering or FabricPool
FabricPool is a technology implemented as part of the DataFabric strategy, which in turn should expand the integration of all NetApp products and expand the capabilities of data mobility. When NetApp makes a new feature, it does not look at others and does not try to add the feature “for the sake of a tick”. Instead, a technology is released that is really well thought out and will be in demand by consumers. This also applies to the new Tiering feature FabricPool. With the growing demand for SSDs, the number of installations and interest in this technology increases, so NetApp has released FabricPool functionality. FabricPool is a technology for shifting cold data from an aggregate SSD (AFF, FAS, ONTAP Cloud systems) to a cold object level - to the Amazon S3 cloud or to the NetApp StorageGRID object storage .
The implementation of FabricPool Data Tiering on Object Storage will consist of two stages. In 9.2, only snapshots will be available. And the next stage will be the ability to shift cold data from the active file system of the volume to a cold level. While FlexFroup, MetroCluster, ONTAP Select, SnapLock and others are not supported with FabricPool. It is
licensed terabyte on FAS / AFF systems with Amzon S3. Adding a license immediately adds 10TB. Then you can add a terabyte.
For FabricPool functionality to work on FAS / AFF storage systems, a license is required only when using Amazon S3. In the case of NetApp StorageGRID, FabricPool does not need a license to operate. For ONTAP Cloud systems living in Amazon, there is also no terabyte licensing by ONTAP to enable FabricPool - you pay only the actual cold-consumed space in AWS S3 directly to Amazon itself .
Volum encryption can now be enabled from the GUI. SnapLock volume can now be encrypted using NetApp Volume Encryption. FlexGroup now also works with NVE encryption (only when creating FG).
Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) - this functionality is used for applications that use TLS encryption, for example, LDAP over TLS. With 9.2, it became possible to set the maximum number of unsuccessful SSH connection attempts to prevent password guessing. iSCSI Endpoint Isolation - allows you to specify the range of IP addresses that are allowed to login to the storage.
ADP for AFF: Ability to stretch an aggregate built on partitions ( RD2 ) onto disks not only in the first shelf (or in the head), but also in the next shelf (up to 48 disks).
ADPRoot-Data Partitioning is now also supported on hybrid systems: FAS80XX / FAS8200 / FAS9000, which will allow a little more rational use of disks due to the ability to do without dedicated disks for root units.
A new item (Option 9) has appeared in the boot menu for working with partitions (Appeared with ONTAP 9):
- remove disk partitioning and overparting;
- Clear configuration and reinitialize all disks using partitioning;
- clear the configuration and reinitialize all disks with entire disks that are not partitioned.
OnCommand Unified Manager 7.2 now immediately includes OnCommand Performance Manager.
ONTAP Select now supports
- 2-Node HA for ROBO customers
- ONTAP Select now supports FlexGroup
- vNAS is an external storage for vSAN users, they naturally do not have industrial storage and lack NAS.
- inline Dedup for all-falsh ONTAP Select
FAS and All Flash FAS (AFF) Hardware Update
- DS460C Disk Shelf Support in Metro Cluster - Only fully clogged shelves are available. Requires 9.2
- Metrocluster c ONTAP 9.2 now supports up to 8 ISL links
- AFF-based metro cluster with ONTAP 9.2 supports Inline aggregate dedup (Cross Volume Deduplication), Metrocluster with SSD aggregates based on FAS systems (hybrid), as in conventional cluster systems does not support Inline aggregate dedup
- Ability to upgrade 2620 from single-node configuration to two-node
- Ability to turn 2620 into a shelf of DS122C and 2650 into a shelf of DS224C
- Hybrid SSD shelves will appear for Metro Clastar based on 8200/9000 / A300 / A700 where 18 larger SSD disks and 6 small SSDs for root partitions are used (so as not to waste large disks for root partitions).
- Now 2620 support up to 132 drives (previously 120)
Please send messages about errors in the text to the LAN . Comments, additions and questions on the opposite article, please comment.
