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ONTAP FlexArray

Guidelines for connecting a V-Series system to native disk shelves

Contributors netapp-chikkusu

When planning how to connect your V-Series system to native disk shelves, your port-to-port connectivity plan should address redundancy and other guidelines.

Number of FC initiator ports needed for disks

The number of FC initiator ports required to connect a V-Series system to a disk shelf depends on whether your V-Series system is a stand-alone system or in an HA pair

Configuration Number of FC initiator ports

Stand-alone system

  • If you are using one loop: one FC initiator port.

  • If you are connecting two loops: two FC initiator ports, one for each loop.

In an HA pair

  • If you are using Multipath Storage, two FC initiator ports for each loop.

  • If you are not using Multipath Storage, one FC initiator port for each controller for each loop in the configuration.

Connections between a V-Series system and disks

You follow the same processes to cable a V-Series system to a native disk shelf as you would to cable a FAS system to a native disk shelf. When creating your port-to-port connectivity scheme, this guide and the ONTAP and hardware guides in the following table provide information about setup and management of disks and disk shelves.

For information about…​ See…​

Disk support, including supported disk speeds, and disk capacity

Installing a V-Series system in a rack or system cabinet

On new systems, this task is typically performed by the factory. If you need instructions, see the guide for your cabinet.

Connecting a disk shelf to a stand-alone V-Series system

Connecting an HA pair to a disk shelf

Adding a disk shelf

The appropriate guide for your disk shelf type.

Moving a disk shelf

The appropriate guide for your disk shelf type.

Disk management