Setting up a NetApp Element software storage system involves configuring a storage node, creating a storage cluster, and adding drives to the cluster. If you use a Fibre Channel network, you can configure a Fibre Channel node.
Steps
Configuring a storage node
You must configure individual nodes before you can add them to a cluster. When you install and cable a node in a rack unit and power it on, the terminal user interface (TUI) displays the fields necessary to configure the node. Ensure that you have the necessary configuration information for the node before proceeding.
Creating a storage cluster
You can create a storage cluster after you have configured all of the individual nodes. When you create a cluster, a cluster administrator user account is automatically created for you. The cluster administrator has permission to manage all cluster attributes and can create other cluster administrator accounts.
Adding drives to a cluster
When you add a node to the cluster or install new drives in an existing node, the drives automatically register as available. You must add the drives to the cluster by using either the Element UI or API before they can participate in the cluster.
Configuring a Fibre Channel node
Fibre Channel nodes enable you to connect the cluster to a Fibre Channel network fabric. Fibre Channel nodes are added in pairs, and operate in active-active mode (all nodes actively process traffic for the cluster). Clusters running Element software version 9.0 and later support up to four nodes; clusters running previous versions support a maximum of two nodes.