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Element Software
12.5 and 12.7

SolidFire software interfaces

Contributors netapp-pcarriga netapp-dbagwell amgrissino

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

NetApp Element software user interface

Enables you to set up Element 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 that are presented 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 Element 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 using an alternative interface for the Element UI within VMware vSphere.

NetApp Hybrid Cloud Control

Enables you to upgrade Element storage and management services and manage storage assets using the NetApp Hybrid Cloud Control interface.

Management node UIs

The management node contains two UIs: a UI for managing REST-based services and a per-node UI for managing network and cluster settings and operating system tests and utilities. From the REST API UI, you can access a menu of service-related APIs that control service-based system functionality from the management node.

Additional integration utilities and tools

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

Element CLI

Element CLI enables you to control a SolidFire storage system using a command-line interface without having to use the Element API.

Element PowerShell Tools

Element PowerShell Tools enable you to use a collection of Microsoft Windows PowerShell functions that use the Element API to manage a SolidFire storage system.

Element SDKs

Element SDKs enable you to manage your SolidFire cluster using these tools:

  • Element Java SDK: Enables programmers to integrate the Element API with the Java programming language.

  • Element .NET SDK: Enables programmers to integrate the Element API with the .NET programming platform.

  • Element Python SDK: Enables programmers to integrate the Element API with the Python programming language.

SolidFire Postman API testing suite

Enables programmers to use a collection of Postman functions that test Element API calls.

SolidFire Storage Replication Adapter

SolidFire Storage Replication Adapter integrates with the VMware Site Recovery Manager (SRM) to enable communication with replicated SolidFire storage clusters and execute supported workflows.

SolidFire vRO

SolidFire vRO provides a convenient way to use the Element API to administer your SolidFire storage system with VMware vRealize Orchestrator.

SolidFire VSS Provider

SolidFire VSS Provider integrates VSS shadow copies with Element snapshots and clones.