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Decide whether to use the aggregate relocation procedure

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This content describes how to upgrade the storage controllers in an HA pair with new controllers while keeping the existing data and disks. This is a complex procedure that should be used only by experienced administrators.

You can use this content under the following circumstances:

  • You are running ONTAP 9.8 or later.

  • You do not want to add the new controllers as a new HA pair to the cluster and migrate the data using volume moves.

  • You are experienced in administering ONTAP and are comfortable with the risks of working in the diagnostic privilege mode.

  • If you are upgrading a MetroCluster configuration, it is a four-node or higher FC configuration, and all nodes are running ONTAP 9.8 or later.

    For upgrading MetroCluster IP configurations, refer to References to link to the MetroCluster Upgrade and Expansion content.

Note You can use NetApp Storage Encryption (NSE), NetApp Volume Encryption (NVE), and NetApp Aggregate Encryption (NAE) with this procedure.

The following table shows the supported model matrix for the controller upgrade.

Old controller Replacement controller

FAS80203, FAS80403, FAS8060, FAS8080

FAS8200, FAS8300, FAS8700, FAS9000

FAS80604, FAS80804

FAS9500

AFF80203, AFF80403, AFF8060, AFF8080

AFF A300, AFF A400, AFF A700, AFF A8001

AFF80604, AFF80804

AFF A900

FAS8200

FAS83002, FAS8700, FAS9000, FAS9500

FAS8300, FAS8700, FAS9000

FAS9500

AFF A300

AFF A4002, AFF A700, AFF A8001, AFF A900

AFF A3204

AFF A400

AFF A400, AFF A700

AFF A900
Note If your controller upgrade model combination is not in the above table, contact technical support.

1For the additional steps needed for AFF A800 systems, go to the step that references A800 in section Check and configure UTA/UTA2 ports on node3, Step 23, or Check and configure UTA/UTA2 ports on node4, Step 23.

2If you are upgrading from an AFF A300 to an AFF A400 or an FAS8200 to an FAS8300 system in a two-node switchless cluster configuration, you must pick temporary cluster ports for the controller upgrade. The AFF A400 and FAS8300 systems come in two configurations, as an Ethernet bundle where the mezzanine card ports are Ethernet type and as an FC bundle where the mezzanine ports are FC type.

  • For an AFF A400 or an FAS8300 with an Ethernet type configuration, you can use any of the two mezzanine ports as temporary cluster ports.

  • For an AFF A400 or an FAS8300 with an FC type configuration, you must add a four-port 10GbE network interface card (part number X1147A) to provide temporary cluster ports.

  • After you complete a controller upgrade by using temporary cluster ports, you can nondisruptively migrate cluster LIFs to e3a and e3b, 100GbE ports on an AFF A400 system, and e0c and e0d, 100GbE ports on an FAS8300 system.

3For FAS8020, FAS8040, AFF8020, and AFF8040 system upgrades to the target replacement controllers listed in the table above, the replacement controllers must be running same ONTAP version as the old controller. Note that FAS8020, FAS8040, AFF8020, and AFF8040 systems do not support ONTAP versions later than ONTAP 9.8.

4The following table shows the minimum and later supported ONTAP versions for these controller upgrade combinations.

Old controller Replacement controller

System

ONTAP version

System

ONTAP version

AFF A320

9.9.1 or later

AFF A400

9.9.1 or later

AFF8060

9.8P13 or later patches

AFF A900

9.10.1 to 9.12.1

AFF8080

9.8P10 or later patches

AFF A900

9.10.1 to 9.12.1

FAS8060

9.8P13 or later patches

FAS9500

9.10.1P3 to 9.12.1

FAS8080

9.8P12 or later patches

FAS9500

9.10.1P3 to 9.12.1
Note

For the upgrade combinations shown in the preceding table:

  • It is not required to use the same ONTAP version on the existing and replacement controllers. The ONTAP software upgrade is performed with the controller upgrade.

  • When upgrading, you must install a replacement controller with a supported ONTAP version and patch level.

  • It is not possible to cancel or back out of a controller upgrade after you start the procedure and upgrade the first node.

If you prefer a different method of upgrading the controller hardware and are willing to do volume moves, refer to References to link to Upgrade by moving volumes or storage.

Refer to References to link to the ONTAP 9 Documentation Center where you can access ONTAP 9 product documentation.