What a cluster is
A cluster consists of one or more nodes grouped together as (HA pairs) to form a scalable cluster. Creating a cluster enables the nodes to pool their resources and distribute work across the cluster, while presenting administrators with a single entity to manage. Clustering also enables continuous service to end users if individual nodes go offline.
Understanding quorum and epsilon
Quorum and epsilon are important measures of cluster health and function that together indicate how clusters address potential communications and connectivity challenges.
What a node in the cluster is
A node is a controller in a cluster. It is connected to other nodes in the cluster over a private management cluster network. It is also connected to the disk shelves that provide physical storage for the Data ONTAP system or to third-party storage arrays that provide array LUNs for Data ONTAP use.
Dashboard window
The Dashboard window contains multiple panels that provide cumulative at-a-glance information about your system and its performance.
Applications
Applications are predefined templates which can be used to create new configurations based on existing application templates, and then use these descriptions to provision instances of the application on ONTAP. You can create basic and enhanced applications.
Configuration update
You can use System Manager to configure the administration details of Storage Virtual Machines (SVMs).
Service Processors
You can use a Services Processor to monitor and manage your storage system parameters such as temperature, voltage, current, and fan speeds through System Manager.
Cluster peers
You can use System Manager to peer two clusters so that the peered clusters can coordinate and share resources between them.
High availability
You can use System Manager to create high availability (HA) pairs that provide hardware redundancy that is required for nondisruptive operations and fault tolerance.
Licenses
You can use System Manager to view, manage, or delete any software licenses installed on a cluster or node.
Cluster Expansion
You can use System Manager to increase the size and capabilities of your storage by adding compatible nodes to the cluster and configuring the node network details. You can also view the summary of the nodes.
Cluster update
You can use System Manager to update a cluster or individual nodes in HA pairs.
Date and time
You can use System Manager to manage the cluster time.
SNMP
You can use System Manager to configure SNMP to monitor SVMs in your cluster.
LDAP
You can use System Manager to configure an LDAP server that centrally maintains user information.
Users
You can use System Manager to add, edit, and manage a cluster user account, and specify a login user method to access the storage system.
Roles
You can use System Manager to create access-controlled user roles.