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VCP

Manage clusters

Contributors netapp-pcarriga netapp-dbagwell amgrissino
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You can edit a cluster running Element software, manage SSH configuration, set protection domain monitoring, and shut down a cluster.

What you'll need
Options

View cluster details

You can view cluster details from the vCenter Plug-in extension point.

Steps

  1. In your vSphere Web Client, open the Clusters tab:

    • Beginning with Element vCenter plug-in 5.0, select NetApp Element Remote Plugin > Configuration > Clusters.

    • For Element vCenter plug-in 4.10 and earlier, select NetApp Element Configuration > Clusters.

  2. Check the cluster you want to edit.

  3. Select Actions.

  4. Select Details.

  5. Review the following information for all clusters:

    • Cluster Name: The name for the cluster.

    • vCenter IP Address: The IP address or FQDN of the vCenter Server to which the cluster is assigned.

    • Unique ID: Unique ID for the cluster.

    • Management Virtual IP: The management virtual IP address (MVIP).

    • Storage Virtual: The storage virtual IP address (SVIP).

    • Status: The status of the cluster.

    • VVols: The status of the VVols functionality on the cluster.

  6. Review additional details for an individual cluster:

    • MVIP Node ID: The node that holds the master MVIP address.

    • SVIP Node ID: The node holding the master SVIP address.

    • Element Version: The version of NetApp Element software that the cluster is running.

    • VASA 2 Status: The status of the VASA Provider on Element cluster.

    • VASA Provider URL: The URL of the VASA Provider enabled on the Element cluster, when applicable.

    • Encryption At Rest Status: Possible values:

      • Enabling: Encryption at Rest is being enabled.

      • Enabled: Encryption at Rest is enabled.

      • Disabling: Encryption at Rest is being disabled.

      • Disabled: Encryption at Rest is disabled.

    • Ensemble Nodes: IPs of the nodes that are part of the database ensemble.

    • Paired With: The names of additional clusters that are paired with the local cluster.

    • SSH Status: The status of the secure shell. If enabled, the time remaining is displayed.

Edit a cluster profile

You can change the cluster User ID and password from the plug-in extension point.

Note This procedure describes how to change the cluster admin user name and password used by the plug-in. You cannot change the cluster admin credentials from the plug-in. See managing cluster administrator user accounts for instructions on changing credentials for a cluster administrator account.
Steps

  1. In your vSphere Web Client, open the Clusters tab:

    • Beginning with Element vCenter plug-in 5.0, select NetApp Element Remote Plugin > Configuration > Clusters.

    • For Element vCenter plug-in 4.10 and earlier, select NetApp Element Configuration > Clusters.

  2. Check the cluster.

  3. Select Actions.

  4. Select Edit.

  5. Change any of the following:

    • User ID: The cluster administrator name.

    • Password: The cluster administrator password.

      Note You cannot change the IP address or FQDN of a cluster after a cluster is added. You also cannot change the assigned Linked Mode vCenter Server for an added cluster. To change the cluster address or associated vCenter Server, you must remove the cluster and add it again.

  6. Select OK.

Remove a cluster profile

You can remove the profile of a cluster that you no longer want to manage from the vCenter Plug-in using the plug-in extension point.

If you set up a Linked Mode group and want to reassign a cluster to another vCenter Server, you can remove the cluster profile and add it again with a different linked vCenter Server IP.

Note

  • Beginning with Element vCenter plug-in 5.0, to use vCenter Linked Mode, you register the Element Plug-in from a separate management node for each vCenter Server that manages NetApp SolidFire storage clusters.

  • Using Element vCenter plug-in 4.10 and earlier to manage cluster resources from other vCenter Servers using vCenter Linked Mode is limited to local storage clusters only.
Steps

  1. In your vSphere Web Client, open the Clusters tab:

    • Beginning with Element vCenter plug-in 5.0, select NetApp Element Remote Plugin > Configuration > Clusters.

    • For Element vCenter plug-in 4.10 and earlier, select NetApp Element Configuration > Clusters.

  2. Check the cluster you want to remove.

  3. Select Actions.

  4. Select Remove.

  5. Confirm the action.

Enable Encryption at Rest

You can manually enable encryption at rest (EAR) functionality using the plug-in extension point.

Note This feature is unavailable in SolidFire Enterprise SDS clusters.
Steps

  1. In your vSphere Web Client, open the Clusters tab:

    • Beginning with Element vCenter plug-in 5.0, select NetApp Element Remote Plugin > Configuration > Clusters.

    • For Element vCenter plug-in 4.10 and earlier, select NetApp Element Configuration > Clusters.

  2. Select the cluster on which you want to enable encryption at rest.

  3. Select Actions.

  4. In the resulting menu, select Enable EAR.

  5. Confirm the action.

Disable Encryption at Rest

You can manually disable encryption at rest (EAR) functionality using the plug-in extension point.

Steps

  1. In your vSphere Web Client, open the Clusters tabb:

    • Beginning with Element vCenter plug-in 5.0, select NetApp Element Remote Plugin > Configuration > Clusters.

    • For Element vCenter plug-in 4.10 and earlier, select NetApp Element Configuration > Clusters.

  2. Select the check box for the cluster.

  3. Select Actions.

  4. In the resulting menu, select Disable EAR.

  5. Confirm the action.

Enable SSH

You can manually enable a Secure Shell (SSH) session using the plug-in extension point. Enabling SSH allows NetApp technical support engineers access to storage nodes for troubleshooting for the duration you determine.

Note This feature is unavailable in SolidFire Enterprise SDS clusters.
Steps

  1. In your vSphere Web Client, open the Clusters tab:

    • Beginning with Element vCenter plug-in 5.0, select NetApp Element Remote Plugin > Configuration > Clusters.

    • For Element vCenter plug-in 4.10 and earlier, select NetApp Element Configuration > Clusters.

  2. Check the cluster.

  3. Select Actions.

  4. Select Enable SSH.

  5. Enter a duration for the SSH session to be enabled in hours up to a maximum of 720.

    Note To continue, you need to enter a value.

  6. Select Yes.

Change the SSH time limit

You can enter a new duration for an SSH session.

Note This feature is unavailable in SolidFire Enterprise SDS clusters.
Steps

  1. In your vSphere Web Client, open the Clusters tab:

    • Beginning with Element vCenter plug-in 5.0, select NetApp Element Remote Plugin > Configuration > Clusters.

    • For Element vCenter plug-in 4.10 and earlier, select NetApp Element Configuration > Clusters.

  2. Check the cluster.

  3. Select Actions.

  4. Select Change SSH.

    The dialog box displays the remaining time for the SSH session.

  5. Enter a new duration for the SSH session in hours up to a maximum of 720.

    Note To continue, you need to enter a value.

  6. Select Yes.

Disable SSH

You can manually disable Secure Shell (SSH) access to nodes in the storage cluster using the plug-in extension point.

Note This feature is unavailable in SolidFire Enterprise SDS clusters.
Steps

  1. In your vSphere Web Client, open the Clusters tab:

    • Beginning with Element vCenter plug-in 5.0, select NetApp Element Remote Plugin > Configuration > Clusters.

    • For Element vCenter plug-in 4.10 and earlier, select NetApp Element Configuration > Clusters.

  2. Check the cluster.

  3. Select Actions.

  4. Select Disable SSH.

  5. Select Yes.

Set protection domain monitoring

You can manually enable protection domain monitoring using the plug-in extension point. You can select a protection domain threshold based on node or chassis domains.

What you'll need

  • The selected cluster must be monitored by Element 11.0 or later to use protection domain monitoring; otherwise, protection domain functions are not available.

  • Your cluster must have more than two nodes to use the protection domains feature. Compatibility with two-node clusters is not available.

Steps

  1. In your vSphere Web Client, open the Clusters tab:

    • Beginning with Element vCenter plug-in 5.0, select NetApp Element Remote Plugin > Configuration > Clusters.

    • For Element vCenter plug-in 4.10 and earlier, select NetApp Element Configuration > Clusters.

  2. Check the cluster.

  3. Select Actions.

  4. Select Set Protection Domain Monitoring.

  5. Select a failure threshold:

    • Node: The threshold beyond which a cluster can no longer provide uninterrupted data during hardware failures at the node level. The node threshold is the system default.

    • Chassis: The threshold beyond which a cluster can no longer provide uninterrupted data during hardware failures at the chassis level.

  6. Select OK.

After you have set monitoring preferences, you can monitor protection domains from the Reporting tab of the NetApp Element Management extension point.

Shut down a cluster

You can manually shut down all active nodes in a storage cluster using the plug-in extension point.

If you want to restart rather than shut down the cluster, you can select all nodes from the Cluster page in the NetApp Element Management extension point and perform a restart.

Note This feature is unavailable in SolidFire Enterprise SDS clusters.
What you'll need

You have stopped I/O and disconnected all iSCSI sessions.

Steps

  1. In your vSphere Web Client, open the Clusters tab:

    • Beginning with Element vCenter plug-in 5.0, select NetApp Element Remote Plugin > Configuration > Clusters.

    • For Element vCenter plug-in 4.10 and earlier, select NetApp Element Configuration > Clusters.

  2. Check the cluster.

  3. Select Actions.

  4. Select Shutdown.

  5. Confirm the action.

Expand your NetApp HCI infrastructure

You can manually expand your NetApp HCI infrastructure by adding nodes using NetApp HCI. A link to a NetApp HCI UI for scaling your system is provided from the plug-in extension point.

Additional links are provided from the Getting Started and Cluster pages:

  • Beginning with Element vCenter plug-in 5.0, select NetApp Element Remote Plugin > Management.

  • For Element vCenter plug-in 4.10 and earlier, select the NetApp Element Management extension point.

Note This feature is unavailable in SolidFire Enterprise SDS clusters.
Steps

  1. In your vSphere Web Client, open the Clusters tab:

    • Beginning with Element vCenter plug-in 5.0, select NetApp Element Remote Plugin > Configuration > Clusters.

    • For Element vCenter plug-in 4.10 and earlier, select NetApp Element Configuration > Clusters.

  2. Check the cluster.

  3. Select Actions.

  4. Select Expand your NetApp HCI.

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