SolidFire software interfaces

You can manage a SolidFire storage system by using NetApp Element software interfaces and integration utilities.

NetApp Element software user interface

Enables you to set up SolidFire storage, monitor cluster capacity and performance, and manage storage activity across a multi-tenant infrastructure. Element is the storage operating system at the heart of a SolidFire cluster. Element software runs independently on all nodes in the cluster and enables the nodes of the cluster to combine resources and present as a single storage system to external clients. Element software is responsible for all cluster coordination, scale and management of the system as a whole. The software interface is built upon the Element API.

NetApp Element software API

Enables you to use a set of objects, methods, and routines to manage SolidFire storage. The Element API is based on the JSON-RPC protocol over HTTPS. You can monitor API operations in the Element UI by enabling the API Log; this enables you to see the methods that are being issued to the system. You can enable both requests and responses to see how the system replies to the methods that are issued.

NetApp Element Plug-in for vCenter Server

Enables you to configure and manage storage clusters running Element software. The plug-in provides an alternative interface for the Element UI within VMware vSphere.

Integration utilities and tools

Although you typically manage your storage with the Element UI, Element API, and NetApp Element Plug-in for vCenter Server, you can use additional utilities and tools.

• NetApp SolidFire plug-in for vRealize Orchestrator

  Provides a convenient way to use the SolidFire API to administer your SolidFire storage system with VMware vRealize Orchestrator™.

• SolidFire Command Line Interface

  Enables you to manage your SolidFire cluster using the SolidFire command line.

• SolidFire PowerShell

  Enables programmers to use a collection of Microsoft^® Windows^®  PowerShell^® functions that use the SolidFire API to manage a SolidFire storage system.

• SolidFire SDK Java

  Enables programmers to integrate the SolidFire API with the Java™ programming language.

• SolidFire SDK .NET

  Enables programmers to integrate the SolidFire API with the .NET programming platform.

• SolidFire SDK Python

  Enables programmers to integrate the SolidFire API with the Python™ programming language.

• SolidFire Storage Replication Adapter

  Integrates with the VMware^® Site Recovery Manager™ (SRM) to enable communication with replicated SolidFire storage clusters (arrays) and execute supported workflows.

• SolidFire VSS Hardware Provider

  Integrates VSS shadow copies with SolidFire snapshots and clones. (Requires SolidFire login credentials)