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Add local tiers automatically (create aggregates with auto-provisioning) in ONTAP

Contributors netapp-thomi netapp-ahibbard netapp-aaron-holt netapp-aherbin netapp-dbagwell
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If the best-practice recommendation that ONTAP provides for automatically adding a local tier (creating an aggregate with auto-provisioning) is appropriate in your environment, you can accept the recommendation and let ONTAP add the local tier.

Before you begin

Disks must be owned by a node before they can be used in a local tier (aggregate). If your cluster is not configured to use automatic disk ownership assignment, you must assign ownership manually.

Learn more about the commands described in this procedure in the ONTAP command reference.

System Manager
Steps

  1. In System Manager, click Storage > Tiers.

  2. From the Tiers page, click Add local tier icon to create a new local tier:

    The Add Local Tier page shows the recommended number of local tiers that can be created on the nodes and the usable storage available.

  3. Click Recommended details to view the configuration recommended by System Manager.

    System Manager displays the following information beginning with ONTAP 9.8:

    • Local tier name (you can edit the local tier name beginning with ONTAP 9.10.1)

    • Node name

    • Usable size

    • Type of storage

    Beginning with ONTAP 9.10.1, additional information is displayed:

    • Disks: showing the number, size, and type of the disks

    • Layout: showing the RAID group layout, including which disks are parity or data and which slots are unused.

    • Spare disks: showing the node name, the number and size of spare disks, and the type of storage.

  4. Perform one of the following steps:

    If you want to…

    Then do this…

    Accept the recommendations from System Manager.

    Proceed to the step for configuring the Onboard Key Manager for encryption.

    Manually configure the local tiers and not use the recommendations from System Manager.

    Proceed to Add a local tier (create aggregate) manually:

    • For ONTAP 9.10.1 and earlier, follow the steps to use the CLI.

    • Beginning with ONTAP 9.11.1, follow the steps to use System Manager.

  5. (Optional): If the Onboard Key Manager has been installed, you can configure it for encryption. Check the Configure Onboard Key Manager for encryption check box.

    1. Enter a passphrase.

    2. Enter the passphrase again to confirm it.

    3. Save the passphrase for future use in case the system needs to be recovered.

    4. Back up the key database for future use.

  6. Click Save to create the local tier and add it to your storage solution.

CLI

You run the storage aggregate auto-provision command to generate aggregate layout recommendations. You can then create aggregates after reviewing and approving ONTAP recommendations.

What you'll need

ONTAP 9.2 or later must be running on your cluster.

About this task

The default summary generated with the storage aggregate auto-provision command lists the recommended aggregates to be created, including names and usable size. You can view the list and determine whether you want to create the recommended aggregates when prompted.

You can also display a detailed summary by using the -verbose option, which displays the following reports:

  • Per node summary of new aggregates to create, discovered spares, and remaining spare disks and partitions after aggregate creation

  • New data aggregates to create with counts of disks and partitions to be used

  • RAID group layout showing how spare disks and partitions will be used in new data aggregates to be created

  • Details about spare disks and partitions remaining after aggregate creation

If you are familiar with the auto-provision method and your environment is correctly prepared, you can use the -skip-confirmation option to create the recommended aggregate without display and confirmation. The storage aggregate auto-provision command is not affected by the CLI session -confirmations setting.

Learn more about the storage aggregate auto-provision command in the ONTAP command reference.

Steps

  1. Run the storage aggregate auto-provision command with the desired display options.

    • no options: Display standard summary

    • -verbose option: Display detailed summary

    • -skip-confirmation option: Create recommended aggregates without display or confirmation

  2. Perform one of the following steps:

    If you want to…

    Then do this…

    Accept the recommendations from ONTAP.

    Review the display of recommended aggregates, and then respond to the prompt to create the recommended aggregates.

    myA400-44556677::> storage aggregate auto-provision
Node               New Data Aggregate            Usable Size
------------------ ---------------------------- ------------
myA400-364        myA400_364_SSD_1                    3.29TB
myA400-363        myA400_363_SSD_1                    1.46TB
------------------ ---------------------------- ------------
Total:             2   new data aggregates            4.75TB

Do you want to create recommended aggregates? {y|n}: y

Info: Aggregate auto provision has started. Use the "storage aggregate
      show-auto-provision-progress" command to track the progress.

myA400-44556677::>

    Manually configure the local tiers and not use the recommendations from ONTAP.

    Proceed to Add a local tier (create aggregate) manually.
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