Creating cluster peer relationships

You can create an authenticated cluster peer relationship to connect clusters so that the clusters in the peer relationship can communicate securely with each other.

Before you begin

You must have reviewed and completed the requirements for performing this task.
Prerequisites for cluster peering
You must have created intercluster logical interfaces (LIFs).

About this task

If you want to create a peer relationship with a cluster running Data ONTAP 8.2.2 or earlier, you must use the command-line interface (CLI).
In a MetroCluster configuration, when you create a peer relationship between the primary cluster and an external cluster, it is a best practice to create a peer relationship between the surviving site cluster and the external cluster as well.
You can create a custom passphrase or you can use the system-generated passphrase to authenticate the cluster peer relationship.

Steps

Click Configuration > Advanced Cluster Setup.
In the Target Cluster Intercluster LIF IP addresses filed, enter the IP addresses of the remote cluster's intercluster LIFs.
In the Passphrase field, specify a passphrase for the cluster peer relationship.
If you specify a custom passphrase, the passphrase that you specify will be validated against the passphrase of the peered cluster to ensure an authenticated cluster peer relationship.
If the names of the local cluster and remote cluster are identical, and if you are using a custom passphrase, an alias is created for the remote cluster.
Optional: To generate a passphrase from the remote cluster, enter the management IP address of the remote cluster.

Initiate cluster peering.

If you want to...	Do this...
Initiate cluster peering from the initiator cluster	Click Initiate Cluster Peering.
Initiate cluster peering from the remote cluster (Applicable if you have created a custom passphrase)	Enter the management address of the remote cluster. Click the Management URL link to access the remote cluster. Click Create Cluster Peering. Specify the intercluster LIF IP addresses and passphrase of the initiator cluster. Click Initiate Peering. Access the initiator cluster, and then click Validate Peering.

After you finish

You should specify the SVM details in the SVM Peering window to continue with the peering process.