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E-Series Systems

Upgrade considerations

Contributors netapp-driley netapp-jsnyder netapp-echurch netapp-jolieg NetAppZacharyWambold
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Before you upgrade controllers, review the following considerations.

Note Refer to the E-Series hardware overview for specific information on supported configurations for each E-Series controller.

Hardware and firmware requirements

  • Duplex and simplex controller upgrades

    For duplex controller-drive trays, you replace both controllers. For simplex controller-drive trays, you replace the one controller. In both cases, you must power off the controller-drive tray. As a result, you cannot access data on the storage array until you successfully complete the replacement.

  • Trays and shelves

    Storage arrays with an E-Series controller shelf are typically managed with the SANtricity System Manager user interface.

  • Controller batteries

    A new controller is shipped without a battery installed. When possible, you should remove the battery from your old controller and then install that battery in the new controller. However, for some controller upgrades, the battery from the old controller is not compatible with the new controller. In those cases, you must order a battery along with your new controller, and have that battery available before you begin these tasks.

  • Synchronous Mirroring and Asynchronous Mirroring

    If your storage array participates in Synchronous Mirroring, only iSCSI or Fibre Channel connections are supported between the primary site and the remote site. If the host interface card (HIC) configuration in your new controllers does not include iSCSI or Fibre Channel connections, Synchronous Mirroring will not be supported.

    For Asynchronous Mirroring, the local storage array and remote storage array can run different versions of firmware. The minimum firmware version supported is SANtricity firmware version 7.84.

Note For E4000 controllers, mirroring is only supported on Fibre Channel connections.

  • Storage object limits

    If you change your controllers from midrange to entry-level models (for example, 5x00 models to 2x00 models), your new storage array configuration will support lower numbers of some storage objects (for example, volumes) in the storage management software than your old configuration. You must make sure that your old configuration does not exceed the storage object limits.

    See Hardware Universe for more information.

  • Upgrade to newer models

    If you are replacing the controllers to upgrade to a new model, keep in mind that your current storage array might have premium features installed that the new model cannot support.

    When upgrading your E-Series controller, you should disable any premium features used on your storage array that are not supported on the new controllers.

Upgrade compatibility

Review the supported upgrade paths for each storage array model.

E4000 controller upgrade compatibility
Upgrade path Battery Feature Support SAS-3 shelves

From E2800 to E4000

Order a new battery.

  • E4000 does not support ARVM iSCSI

  • E4000 baseboard port is iSCSI only and cannot be changed to FC

  • E4000 can only support 300 drives

  • E4000 can only support 512 volumes

  • E4000 does not support SAS configurations

  • E4000 does not support Remote Storage Volumes

E4000 controllers must use SAS-3 shelves.

From E5700 to E4000

Order a new battery.

  • E4000 does not support ARVM iSCSI

  • E4000 baseboard port is iSCSI only and cannot be changed to FC

  • E4000 can only support 300 drives

    • E5700 can support up to 480 drives

  • E4000 can only support 512 volumes

    • E5700 can support up to 2048 volumes

  • Infiniband Host interface card support is not available

  • E4000 does not support SAS configurations

E4000 controllers must use SAS-3 shelves.
EF600 and EF300 controller upgrade compatibility
Upgrade path Battery Feature Support SAS-3 shelves

From EF600 to EF600 with a different Host Interface Card

Reuse the old battery.

  • No support for thin provisioned volumes

  • No support Synchronous mirroring

EF600 controllers must use SAS-3 shelves.

From EF300 to EF600

Reuse the old battery.

  • No support for thin provisioned volumes

  • No support Synchronous mirroring

EF600 controllers must use SAS-3 shelves.
Legacy controller upgrade compatibility
Upgrade path Battery Vendor ID Feature Support SAS-3 shelves

From E2x00 to E2x00

Reuse the old battery.

Additional steps required.

Legacy snapshots are not supported on the E2700.

E2800 controllers must not be placed into SAS-2 shelves.

From E2x00 to E5x00

Order a new battery.

Additional steps are required when upgrading from E2600 to E5500 or E5600, or when upgrading from E2700 to E5400.

  • Legacy snapshots are not supported on the E5500 or E5600.

  • Legacy remote volume mirroring (RVM) is not supported on the E5500 or E5600 with iSCSI HICs.

  • Data Assurance is not supported on the E5500 or E5600 with iSCSI HICs.

  • E5700 controllers must not be placed into SAS-2 shelves.

E5400, E5500, and E5600 controllers must not be placed into SAS-3 shelves.

From E5x00 to E2x00

Order a new battery.

Additional steps are required when upgrading from E5500 or E5600 to E2600, or when upgrading from E5400 to E2700.

Legacy snapshots are not supported on the E2700.

5400, E5500, and E5600 controllers must not be placed into SAS-3 shelves.

From E5x00 to E5x00

Reuse the old battery.

Additional steps required when upgrading from E5400 to E5500 or E5600.

  • Legacy snapshots are not supported on the E5500 or E5600.

  • Legacy remote volume mirroring (RVM) is not supported on the E5400 or E5500 with iSCSI HICs.

  • Data Assurance is not supported on the E5400 or E5500 with iSCSI HICs.

  • E5700 controllers must not be placed into SAS-2 shelves.

E5400, E5500, and E5600 controllers must not be placed into SAS-3 shelves.

From EF5x0 to EF5x0

Reuse the old battery.

Additional steps required when upgrading from EF540 to EF550 or EF560.

  • No Legacy Snapshots for EF550/EF560.

  • No Data Assurance for EF550/EF560 with iSCSI.

  • EF570 controllers must not be placed into SAS-3 shelves.

EF540, EF550, and EF560 controllers must not be placed into SAS-3 shelves.

SAS enclosures

The E5700 supports DE5600 and DE6600 SAS-2 enclosures via head upgrade. When a E5700 controller is installed in SAS-2 enclosures, support for base host ports is disabled.

SAS-2 shelves SAS-3 shelves

SAS-2 shelves include the following models:

  • DE1600, DE5600, and DE6600 drive trays

  • E5400, E5500, and E5600 controller-drive trays

  • EF540, EF550 and EF560 flash arrays

  • E2600 and E2700 controller-drive trays

SAS-3 shelves include the following models:

  • E4000 controller shelves

  • EF600 controller shelves 1

  • EF300 controller shelves 1

  • E2800 controller shelves

  • E5700 controller shelves

  • DE212C, DE224C, DE460C drive shelves

Notes:

  1. EF600 and EF300 controllers can only use SAS-3 shelves as expansion.

SAS-2 to SAS-3 investment protection

You can reconfigure your SAS-2 system to be used behind a new SAS-3 controller shelf (E57XX/EF570/E28XX).

Note This procedure requires a Feature Product Variance Request (FPVR). To file an FPVR, contact your sales team.