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Execute ONTAP automated pre-upgrade checks before a planned upgrade

Contributors netapp-aherbin netapp-dbagwell netapp-aaron-holt netapp-ahibbard

You don't have to be in the process of upgrading your ONTAP software to execute the ONTAP automated upgrade pre-checks. Executing the pre-upgrade checks independently of the ONTAP automated upgrade process allows you to see which checks are performed against your cluster and gives you a list of any errors or warnings that should be corrected before you begin the actual upgrade. For example, suppose you expect to upgrade your ONTAP software during a maintenance window scheduled to occur in two weeks. While you are waiting for the scheduled date, you can run the automated upgrade pre-checks and take any necessary corrective actions in advance of your maintenance window. This will mitigate risks of unexpected configuration errors after you start your upgrade.

If you are ready to begin your ONTAP software upgrade, you do not need to perform this procedure. You should follow the automated upgrade process, which includes execution of the automated upgrade pre-checks.

Note For MetroCluster configurations, you should first execute these steps on Cluster A, then execute the same steps on Cluster B.
Before you begin

You should download the target ONTAP software image.

To execute the automated upgrade pre-checks for a direct multi-hop upgrade, you only need to download the software package for your target ONTAP version. You won't need to load the intermediate ONTAP version until you begin the actual upgrade. For example, if you are executing automated pre-upgrade checks for an upgrade from 9.7 to 9.11.1, you need to download the software package for ONTAP 9.11.1. You don't need to download the software package for ONTAP 9.8.1.

Example 1. Steps
System Manager
  1. Validate the ONTAP target image:

    Note If you are upgrading a MetroCluster configuration, you should validate Cluster A and then repeat the validation process on Cluster B.
    1. Depending on the ONTAP version that you are running, perform one of the following steps:

      If you are running…​

      Do this…​

      ONTAP 9.8 or later

      Click Cluster > Overview.

      ONTAP 9.5, 9.6, and 9.7

      Click Configuration > Cluster > Update.

      ONTAP 9.4 or earlier

      Click Configuration > Cluster Update.

    2. In the right corner of the Overview pane, click Menu options icon.

    3. Click ONTAP Update.

    4. In the Cluster Update tab, add a new image or select an available image.

      If you want to…​

      Then…​

      Add a new software image from a local folder

      You should have already downloaded the image to the local client.

      1. Under Available Software Images, click Add from Local.

      2. Browse to the location you saved the software image, select the image, and then click Open.

      Add a new software image from an HTTP or FTP server

      1. Click Add from Server.

      2. In the Add a New Software Image dialog box, enter the URL of the HTTP or FTP server to which you downloaded the ONTAP software image from the NetApp Support Site.

        For anonymous FTP, you must specify the URL in the ftp://anonymous@ftpserver format.

      3. Click Add.

      Select an available image

      Choose one of the listed images.

    5. Click Validate to run the pre-upgrade validation checks.

      If any errors or warnings are found during validation, they are displayed along with a list of corrective actions. You must resolve all errors before proceeding with the upgrade. It is best practice to also resolve warnings.

CLI
  1. Load the target ONTAP software image into the cluster package repository:

    cluster image package get -url location
    cluster1::> cluster image package get -url http://www.example.com/software/9.15.1/image.tgz
    
    Package download completed.
    Package processing completed.
  2. Verify that the software package is available in the cluster package repository:

    cluster image package show-repository
    cluster1::> cluster image package show-repository
    Package Version  Package Build Time
    ---------------- ------------------
    9.15.1              MM/DD/YYYY 10:32:15
  3. Execute the automated pre-upgrade checks:

    cluster image validate -version <package_version_number> -show-validation-details true
    cluster1::> cluster image validate -version 9.15.1 -show-validation-details true
    
    It can take several minutes to complete validation...
    Validation checks started successfully.  Run the "cluster image show-update-progress" command to check validation status.
  4. Check the validation status:

    cluster image show-update-progress
    Note If the Status is "in-progress", wait and run the command again until it is completed.
    cluster1::*> cluster image show-update-progress
    
    Update Phase         Status                   Duration        Duration
    -------------------- ----------------- --------------- ---------------
    Pre-update checks    completed                00:10:00        00:01:03
    
    Details:
    
    Pre-update Check     Status            Error-Action
    -------------------- ----------------- --------------------------------------
    AMPQ Router and      OK                N/A
    Broker Config
    Cleanup
    Aggregate online     OK                N/A
    status and parity
    check
    Aggregate plex       OK                N/A
    resync status check
    Application          OK                N/A
    Provisioning Cleanup
    Autoboot Bootargs    OK                N/A
    Status
    Backend              OK                N/A
    ...
    Volume Conversion    OK                N/A
    In Progress Check
    Volume move          OK                N/A
    progress status
    check
    Volume online        OK                N/A
    status check
    iSCSI target portal  OK                N/A
    groups status check
    Overall Status       Warning           Warning
    75 entries were displayed.

    A list of complete automated upgrade pre-checks is displayed along with any errors or warnings that should be addressed before you begin the upgrade process.

Example output

Full example output of upgrade pre-checks
cluster1::*> cluster image validate -version 9.14.1 -show-validation-details true
It can take several minutes to complete validation...

WARNING: There are additional manual upgrade validation checks that must be performed after these automated validation checks have completed successfully.
Refer to the Upgrade Advisor Plan or the "What should I verify before I upgrade with or without Upgrade Advisor" section in the "Upgrade ONTAP" documentation for the remaining manual validation checks that need to be performed before update.
Upgrade ONTAP documentation available at: https://docs.netapp.com/us-en/ontap/upgrade/index.html
The list of checks are available at: https://docs.netapp.com/us-en/ontap/upgrade/task_what_to_check_before_upgrade.html
Failing to do so can result in an update failure or an I/O disruption.
Use the Interoperability Matrix Tool (IMT  http://mysupport.netapp.com/matrix) to verify host system supportability configuration information.

Validation checks started successfully.  Run the "cluster image show-update-progress" command to check validation status.


fas2820-2n-wic-1::*> cluster image show-update-progress

                                             Estimated         Elapsed
Update Phase         Status                   Duration        Duration
-------------------- ----------------- --------------- ---------------
Pre-update checks    in-progress              00:10:00        00:00:42

Details:

Pre-update Check     Status            Error-Action
-------------------- ----------------- --------------------------------------

fas2820-2n-wic-1::*> cluster image show-update-progress

                                             Estimated         Elapsed
Update Phase         Status                   Duration        Duration
-------------------- ----------------- --------------- ---------------
Pre-update checks    completed                00:10:00        00:01:03

Details:

Pre-update Check     Status            Error-Action
-------------------- ----------------- --------------------------------------
AMPQ Router and      OK                N/A
Broker Config
Cleanup
Aggregate online     OK                N/A
status and parity
check
Aggregate plex       OK                N/A
resync status check
Application          OK                N/A
Provisioning Cleanup
Autoboot Bootargs    OK                N/A
Status
Backend              OK                N/A
Configuration Status
Boot Menu Status     Warning           Warning: bootarg.init.bootmenu is
                                       enabled on nodes: fas2820-wic-1a,
                                       fas2820-wic-1b. The boot process of
                                       the nodes will be delayed.
                                       Action: Set the bootarg.init.bootmenu
                                       bootarg to false before proceeding
                                       with the upgrade.
Broadcast Domain     OK                N/A
availability and
uniqueness for HA
pair status
CIFS compatibility   OK                N/A
status check
CLAM quorum online   OK                N/A
status check
CPU Utilization      OK                N/A
Status
Capacity licenses    OK                N/A
install status check
Check For SP/BMC     OK                N/A
Connectivity To
Nodes
Check LDAP fastbind  OK                N/A
users using
unsecure connection.
Check for unsecure   OK                N/A
kex algorithm
configurations.
Check for unsecure   OK                N/A
mac configurations.
Cloud keymanager     OK                N/A
connectivity check
Cluster health and   OK                N/A
eligibility status
Cluster quorum       OK                N/A
status check
Cluster/management   OK                N/A
switch check
Compatible New       OK                N/A
Image Check
Current system       OK                N/A
version check if it
is susceptible to
possible outage
during NDU
Data ONTAP Version   OK                N/A
and Previous
Upgrade Status
Data aggregates HA   OK                N/A
policy check
Disk status check    OK                N/A
for failed, broken
or non-compatibility
Duplicate Initiator  OK                N/A
Check
Encryption key       OK                N/A
migration status
check
External             OK                N/A
key-manager with
legacy KMIP client
check
External keymanager  OK                N/A
key server status
check
Fabricpool Object    OK                N/A
Store Availability
High Availability    OK                N/A
configuration
status check
Infinite Volume      OK                N/A
availibility check
LIF failover         OK                N/A
capability status
check
LIF health check     OK                N/A
LIF load balancing   OK                N/A
status check
LIFs is on home      OK                N/A
node status
Logically over       OK                N/A
allocated DP
volumes check
MetroCluster         OK                N/A
configuration
status check for
compatibility
Minimum number of    OK                N/A
aggregate disks
check
NAE Aggregate and    OK                N/A
NVE Volume
Encryption Check
NDMP sessions check  OK                N/A
NFS mounts status    Warning           Warning: This cluster is serving NFS
check                                  clients. If NFS soft mounts are used,
                                       there is a possibility of frequent
                                       NFS timeouts and race conditions that
                                       can lead to data corruption during
                                       the upgrade.
                                       Action: Use NFS hard mounts, if
                                       possible. To list Vservers running
                                       NFS, run the following command:
                                       vserver nfs show
Name Service         OK                N/A
Configuration DNS
Check
Name Service         OK                N/A
Configuration LDAP
Check
Node to SP/BMC       OK                N/A
connectivity check
OKM/KMIP enabled     OK                N/A
systems - Missing
keys check
ONTAP API to REST    Warning           Warning: NetApp ONTAP API has been
transition warning                     used on this cluster for ONTAP data
                                       storage management within the last 30
                                       days. NetApp ONTAP API is approaching
                                       end of availability.
                                       Action: Transition your automation
                                       tools from ONTAP API to ONTAP REST
                                       API. For more details, refer to
                                       CPC-00410 - End of availability:
                                       ONTAPI
                                       https://mysupport.netapp.com/info/
                                       communications/ECMLP2880232.html
ONTAP Image          OK                N/A
Capability Status
OpenSSL 3.0.x        OK                N/A
upgrade validation
check
Openssh 7.2 upgrade  OK                N/A
validation check
Platform Health      OK                N/A
Monitor check
Pre-Update           OK                N/A
Configuration
Verification
RDB Replica Health   OK                N/A
Check
Replicated database  OK                N/A
schema consistency
check
Running Jobs Status  OK                N/A
SAN LIF association  OK                N/A
status check
SAN compatibility    OK                N/A
for manual
configurability
check
SAN kernel agent     OK                N/A
status check
Secure Purge         OK                N/A
operation Check
Shelves and Sensors  OK                N/A
check
SnapLock Version     OK                N/A
Check
SnapMirror           OK                N/A
Synchronous
relationship status
check
SnapMirror           OK                N/A
compatibility
status check
Supported platform   OK                N/A
check
Target ONTAP         OK                N/A
release support for
FiberBridge 6500N
check
Upgrade Version      OK                N/A
Compatibility Status
Verify all bgp       OK                N/A
peer-groups are in
the up state
Verify if a cluster  OK                N/A
management LIF
exists
Verify that e0M is   OK                N/A
home to no LIFs
with high speed
services.
Volume Conversion    OK                N/A
In Progress Check
Volume move          OK                N/A
progress status
check
Volume online        OK                N/A
status check
iSCSI target portal  OK                N/A
groups status check
Overall Status       Warning           Warning
75 entries were displayed.