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NVMe overview

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Overview

The Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) API endpoints and objects provide for configuration, provisioning and management of the NVMe-related objects. NVMe over Fabrics (NVMe-oF) refers to the extensions and changes to the base NVMe command set to support NVMe commands over a fabric interconnect and from multiple hosts simultaneously. ONTAP implements elements of both NVMe and NVMe-oF. Throughout this documentation, NVMe is generally used to refer to both NVMe and NVMe-oF.

Fibre Channel Logins

Fibre Channel logins represent connections, formed by Fibre Channel initiators, that have successfully logged in to ONTAP. This represents the Fibre Channel login on which higher-level protocols such as Fibre Channel Protocol (FCP) and Non-Volatile Memory Express over Fibre Channel (NVMe over FC) rely.

The Fibre Channel logins REST API provides information about active Fibre Channel logins.

NVMe Interfaces

NVMe interfaces are network interfaces configured to support an NVMe over Fabrics protocol. The NVMe interfaces are Fibre Channel interfaces supporting an NVMe-oF data protocol. Regardless of the underlying physical and data protocol, NVMe interfaces are treated equally for the host-side application configuration. This endpoint provides a consolidated view of all NVMe interfaces for the purpose of configuring host-side applications.

The NVMe interfaces REST API provides NVMe-specific information about network interfaces configured to support an NVMe-oF protocol.

Learn More

  • Fibre Channel Interfaces found in the networking section. Fibre Channel interfaces are the logical endpoints for Fibre Channel network connections to an SVM.

NVMe Services

A Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) service defines the properties of the NVMe controller target for an SVM. There can be at most one NVMe service for a given SVM. An SVM's NVMe service must be created before NVMe host initiators can connect to the SVM.

The Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) service REST API allows you to create, update, delete, and discover NVMe services for SVMs.

NVMe Subsystem Controllers

Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) subsystem controllers represent dynamic connections between hosts and a storage solution.

The NVMe subsystem controllers REST API provides information about connected hosts.

NVMe Subsystem Maps

An NVMe subsystem map is an association of an NVMe namespace with an NVMe subsystem. When an NVMe namespace is mapped to an NVMe subsystem, the NVMe subsystem's hosts are granted access to the NVMe namespace. The relationship between an NVMe subsystem and an NVMe namespace is one subsystem to many namespaces.

The NVMe subsystem map REST API allows you to create, delete, and discover NVMe subsystem maps.

NVMe Subsystems

An NVMe subsystem maintains configuration state and namespace access control for a set of NVMe-connected hosts.

The NVMe subsystem REST API allows you to create, update, delete, and discover NVMe subsystems. It also allows you to add and remove NVMe hosts that can access the subsystem and associated namespaces.

NVMe Namespaces

An NVMe namespace is a collection of addressable logical blocks presented to hosts connected to the storage virtual machine using the NVMe over Fabrics protocol.

The NVMe namespace REST API allows you to create, update, delete, and discover NVMe namespaces.