Learn about NetApp Console agents
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You use a Console agent to connect NetApp Console to your infrastructure and securely orchestrate storage solutions across AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, or on-premises environments, as well as use data protection services.
A Console agent enables you to:
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Orchestrate storage management tasks from the NetApp Console such as provisioning Cloud Volumes ONTAP, setting up storage volumes, using data classification, and more.
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Authenticate using your cloud provider's IAM roles for subscription billing integration
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Use advanced data services (NetApp Backup and Recovery, NetApp Disaster Recovery, NetApp Ransomware Resilience, and NetApp Cloud Tiering)
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Use the Console in restricted mode.
If you don't need advanced orchestration or data protection, you can centrally manage on-premises ONTAP clusters and cloud-native storage services without deploying an agent. Monitoring and data mobility tools are also available.
The following table shows which features and services you can use with and without a Console agent.
| Available with agent | Available without agent | |
|---|---|---|
Supported Storage systems: |
||
Amazon FSx for ONTAP |
Yes (discovery and management features) |
Yes (discovery only) |
Amazon S3 storage |
Yes |
No |
Azure Blob storage |
Yes |
Yes |
Azure NetApp Files |
Yes |
Yes |
Cloud Volumes ONTAP |
Yes |
No |
E-Series systems |
Yes |
No |
Google Cloud NetApp Volumes |
Yes |
Yes |
Google Cloud storage buckets |
Yes |
No |
StorageGRID systems |
Yes |
No |
On-premises ONTAP cluster (advanced management and discovery) |
Yes (advanced management and discovery) |
No (basic discovery only) |
Available storage management services: |
||
Alerts |
Yes |
No |
Automation hub |
Yes |
Yes |
Digital Advisor (Active IQ) |
Yes |
No |
License and subscription management |
Yes |
No |
Economic efficiency |
Yes |
No |
Home page dashboard metrics |
Yes2 |
No |
Lifecycle planning |
Yes |
No1 |
Sustainability |
Yes |
No |
Software updates |
Yes |
Yes |
NetApp Workloads |
Yes |
Yes |
Available data services: |
||
NetApp Backup and Recovery |
Yes |
No |
Data Classification |
Yes |
No |
NetApp Cloud Tiering |
Yes |
No |
NetApp Copy and Sync |
Yes |
No |
NetApp Disaster Recovery |
Yes |
No |
NetApp Ransomware Resilience |
Yes |
No |
NetApp Volume Caching |
Yes |
No |
1 You can view Lifecycle planning without a Console agent, but a Console agent is required to initiate actions.
2 Accurate metrics on the Home page require appropriately sized and configured Console agents.
Console agents must be operational at all times
Console agents are a fundamental part of the NetApp Console. It's your responsibility (the customer) to ensure that relevant agents are up, operational, and accessible at all times. The Console can handle short agent outages, but you must fix infrastructure failures quickly.
This documentation is governed by the EULA. Operating the product outside the documentation may impact its functionality and your EULA rights.
Supported locations
You can install agents in the following locations:
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Amazon Web Services
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Microsoft Azure
Deploy a Console agent in Azure in the same region as the Cloud Volumes ONTAP systems it manages. Alternatively, deploy it in the Azure region pair. This ensures that an Azure Private Link connection is used between Cloud Volumes ONTAP and its associated storage accounts. Learn how Cloud Volumes ONTAP uses an Azure Private Link
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Google Cloud
To use the Console and data services with Google Cloud, deploy your agent in Google Cloud.
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On your premises
Communication with cloud providers
The agent uses TLS 1.3 for all communication to AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
Restricted mode
To use the Console in restricted mode, you install a Console agent and access the Console interface that's running locally on the Console agent.
How to install a Console agent
You can install a Console agent directly from the Console, from your cloud provider's marketplace, or by manually installing the software on your own Linux host or in your VCenter environment.
Cloud provider permissions
You need specific permissions to create the Console agent directly from the NetApp Console and another set of permissions for the Console agent itself. If you create the Console agent in AWS or Azure directly from the Console, then the Console creates the Console agent with the permissions that it needs.
When using the Console in standard mode, how you provide permissions depends on how you plan to create the Console agent.
To learn how to set up permissions, refer to the following:
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Standard mode
To view the exact permissions that the Console agent needs for day-to-day operations, refer to the following pages:
It's your responsibility to update the Console agent policies as new permissions are added in subsequent releases. The release notes list new permissions.
Agent upgrades
NetApp updates agent software monthly to add features and improve stability. Some Console features, like Cloud Volumes ONTAP and on-premises ONTAP cluster management, rely on the Console agent version and settings.
When you install your agent in the cloud, the Console agent updates automatically if it has internet access.
Operating system and VM maintenance
Maintaining the operating system on the Console agent host is your (customer's) responsibility. For example, you (customer) should apply security updates to the operating system on the Console agent host by following your company's standard procedures for operating system distribution.
Note that you (customer) don't need to stop any services on the Console gent host when applying minor security updates.
If you (customer) need to stop and then start the Console agent VM, you should do so from your cloud provider's console or by using the standard procedures for on-premises management.
Multiple systems and agents
An agent can manage multiple systems and support data services in the Console. You can use a single agent to manage multiple systems based on deployment size and the data services you use.
For large-scale deployments, work with your NetApp representative to size your environment. Contact NetApp Support if you experience issues.
Here are a few examples of agent deployments:
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You have a multicloud environment (for example, AWS and Azure) and you prefer to have one agent in AWS and another in Azure. Each manages the Cloud Volumes ONTAP systems running in those environments.
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A service provider might use one Console organization to provide services for their customers, while using another organization to provide disaster recovery for one of their business units. Each organization needs its own agent.