Clustered Data ONTAP® 8.

3
Cluster Peering Express Guide

NetApp, Inc. Telephone: +1 (408) 822-6000 Part number: 215-09062_A0

495 East Java Drive Fax: +1 (408) 822-4501 November 2014
Sunnyvale, CA 94089 Support telephone: +1 (888) 463-8277
U.S. Web: www.netapp.com
Feedback: [email protected]
 Table of Contents | 3

Contents
Deciding whether to use this guide ............................................................. 4
Prerequisites for cluster peering ................................................................. 5
Cluster peering workflow ............................................................................ 7
Preparing for cluster peering ....................................................................................... 7
Creating intercluster interfaces on all nodes ............................................................... 9
Creating peer relationships among three clusters ...................................................... 11
Where to find additional information ...................................................... 14
Copyright information ............................................................................... 15
Trademark information ............................................................................. 16
How to send your comments ...................................................................... 17
Index ............................................................................................................. 18
4 | Cluster Peering Express Guide

Deciding whether to use this guide

This guide describes how cluster administrators create authenticated peer relationships among
clusters to enable the clusters to communicate with each other so that you can replicate data between
volumes in different clusters.
By following this guide, you will create three peer relationships among three clusters named Cluster
A, Cluster B, and Cluster C. If you want only a single peer relationship between two clusters, you
can use this guide and stop after creating the first cluster peer relationship. If you want a different
intercluster configuration, you can adjust the workflow as required.
You should use this guide if you want to create cluster peer relationships in the following way:

• You are working with clusters running Data ONTAP 8.3 or later.

• You want cluster peering relationships that are authenticated.

• You want to use best practices, not explore every available option.

• You do not want to read a lot of conceptual background.

• You want to use OnCommand System Manager, not the command-line interface or an automated
scripting tool.

If these assumptions are not correct for your situation, you should see the following resources:

• Clustered Data ONTAP 8.3 System Administration Guide for Cluster Administrators
Describes how to use the command-line interface to set up various types of cluster peering
relationships, such as unauthenticated relationships and relationships with clusters running earlier
versions of Data ONTAP.

• Clustered Data ONTAP 8.3 Network Management Guide

Describes how to use the command-line interface to configure subnets, intercluster LIFs, routes,
firewall policies, and other networking components.

• NetApp Documentation: OnCommand Workflow Automation (current releases)

OnCommand Workflow Automation enables you to run prepackaged workflows that automate
management tasks such as the workflows described in Express Guides.
 5

Prerequisites for cluster peering

Before you set up cluster peering, you should confirm that the IPspace, connectivity, port, IP address,
subnet, firewall, and cluster-naming requirements are met.

Connectivity requirements
The subnet used in each cluster for intercluster communication must meet the following
requirements:

• The subnet must belong to the Default IPspace.

• The subnet must belong to the broadcast domain that contains the ports used for intercluster
communication.

• The subnet must contain all of the IP addresses used for intercluster LIFs.

• You must have considered whether the subnet will be dedicated to intercluster communication or
shared with data communication.

• The subnet must have enough IP addresses available to allocate to one intercluster LIF per node.
For example, in a six-node cluster, the subnet used for intercluster communication must have six
available IP addresses.

The intercluster network must be configured so that cluster peers have pair-wise full-mesh
connectivity, which means that each pair of clusters in a cluster peer relationship have connectivity
among all of their intercluster LIFs.
A cluster's intercluster LIFs must use the same IP address version: all IPv4 addresses or all IPv6
addresses. Similarly, all the intercluster LIFs of the peered clusters must use the same IP addressing
version.

Port requirements
The ports that will be used for intercluster communication must meet the following requirements:

• All the ports must be in the Default IPspace.

• The broadcast domain that is used for intercluster communication must include at least two ports
per node so that intercluster communication can fail over from one port to another.
The ports added to a broadcast domain can be physical network ports, VLANs, or interface
groups (ifgrps).

• All the ports must be cabled.

• All the ports must be in a healthy state.

6 | Cluster Peering Express Guide

• You must have considered whether the ports used for intercluster communication will be shared
with data communication.
If you want to dedicate ports to intercluster communication, you can create a broadcast domain
specifically for intercluster communication.

Firewall requirements
Firewalls and the intercluster firewall policy must allow the following:

• ICMP service
• TCP to the IP addresses of all of the intercluster LIFs over all of the following ports: 10000,
11104, and 11105

• HTTPS
Although HTTPS is not required when you set up cluster peering, HTTPS is required later if you
use OnCommand System Manager to configure data protection. However, if you use the
command-line interface to configure data protection, HTTPS is not required to configure cluster
peering or data protection.

The default intercluster firewall policy allows access through the HTTPS protocol and from all
IP addresses (0.0.0.0/0), but the policy can be altered or replaced.

Cluster requirements
Clusters must meet the following requirements:

• Each cluster must have a unique name.

You cannot create a cluster peering relationship with any cluster that has the same name or is in a
peer relationship with a cluster of the same name.

• The time on the clusters in a cluster peering relationship must be synchronized within 300
seconds (5 minutes).
Cluster peers can be in different time zones.

• Each cluster cannot be in a peer relationship with more than 255 clusters.

Related information
Clustered Data ONTAP 8.3 Data Protection Guide
 7

Cluster peering workflow

Setting up cluster peering typically involves at least three clusters and therefore three peer
relationships. After you prepare each cluster and create intercluster logical interfaces (LIFs) on each
node, you can set up each peer relationship.

Preparing for cluster peering

Before setting up cluster peering, you must verify that each cluster's time is synchronized with an
external Network Time Protocol (NTP) server and you must plan subnets, ports, and passphrases.

Before you begin

The clusters must be running Data ONTAP 8.3 or later.

Steps

1. Decide on the passphrase you will use for each cluster peer relationship.
The passphrase must be at least eight characters and cannot contain spaces. You should use a
unique passphrase for each relationship.
8 | Cluster Peering Express Guide

For the relationship between... The passphrase will be...

Cluster A and Cluster B
Cluster B and Cluster C
Cluster A and Cluster C

2. On each cluster, verify that the time is synchronized to an external NTP server to ensure that the
time on all of the cluster peers is within five minutes of each other:

a. Enter the URL https://IP-address-of-cluster-management-LIF in a web browser

and log in to System Manager using your cluster administrator credential.

b. Expand the Cluster hierarchy in the left navigation pane.

c. In the navigation pane, click Configuration > System Tools > DateTime.

d. Confirm that the Time servers area contains at least one IP address of an external NTP server.

e. If the Time servers area is blank, click Edit and add an NTP server.

3. Gather information about which subnet and ports you will use for intercluster LIFs, and
optionally which IP address you will use.
By default, the IP address is automatically selected from the subnet. If you want to specify the IP
address manually, you must ensure that either the IP address is already in the subnet or that it can
be added to the subnet later. Information about subnets is available at Configuration > Network.
The following table assumes each cluster has four nodes. If a cluster has more than four nodes,
you can record the ports on a separate piece of paper.

Cluster A Cluster B Cluster C

Subnet
IP address (optional)
Node 1 port
Node 2 port
Node 3 port
Node 4 port
 Cluster peering workflow | 9

Creating intercluster interfaces on all nodes

Clusters communicate with each other through logical interfaces (LIFs) that are dedicated to
intercluster communication. You must create an intercluster LIF on each node in each cluster that
will be in a cluster peer relationship.

Before you begin

You should know which subnet and ports, and optionally which IP addresses, that you plan to use for
the intercluster LIFs.

About this task

This procedure assumes you are creating peer relationships among three clusters named A, B, and C.

Steps

1. On Cluster A, navigate to the Network Interfaces window:

a. Expand the Cluster hierarchy in the left navigation pane.

b. Click Configuration > Network.

c. In the Network window, select the Network Interfaces tab.

2. Create an intercluster LIF on one node in the cluster:

a. Click Create.

b. In the Create Network Interface dialog box, specify a name for the intercluster LIF.

Example
You can use “icl01” for the intercluster LIF on the first node and “icl02” for the intercluster
LIF on the second node.

c. Select Intercluster Connectivity as the interface role.

d. Select the subnet that will be used for intercluster communication on this cluster.
By default, an available IP address in that subnet is automatically selected after you click
Create.

e. If you want to control which IP address the node uses for intercluster communication, select
Use this IP Address and type the address.

f. In the Ports area, expand the specific node you are configuring, and select the port that you
decided earlier to use for this node.
10 | Cluster Peering Express Guide

g. If you decided earlier not to share ports with data communication, confirm that the selected
port displays “0” in the Hosted Interface Count column.

h. Click Create.

3. Repeat the previous step for each node in the cluster.

Each node in Cluster A has an intercluster LIF.

4. Record the IP addresses of the intercluster LIFs so that you can use them later when you create
peer relationships with other clusters:

a. On the Network Interfaces tab, in the Role column, click , clear All, and select
Intercluster.
The window displays only intercluster LIFs.

b. Record the IP addresses listed in the IP Addresses column, or leave the display open so that
you can locate the IP addresses later.
 Cluster peering workflow | 11

You can click the column display icon ( ) to hide columns that you do not want to display.

5. Repeat the entire procedure for Cluster B.

Each node in Cluster B has an intercluster LIF.

6. Repeat the entire procedure for Cluster C.

Each node in Cluster C has an intercluster LIF.

Result
All nodes in Cluster A, Cluster B, and Cluster C have intercluster LIFs that can all communicate with
each other.

Creating peer relationships among three clusters

You can create a cluster peer relationship between two clusters by entering an agreed-upon
passphrase and the IP addresses of the other cluster's intercluster LIFs, and then verifying that the
relationship was created successfully. You must perform this procedure on each of the three clusters.

Before you begin

• You must know the IP addresses of all the clusters' intercluster LIFs.

• You must know the passphrase that you will use for each peer relationship.

About this task

This procedure assumes you are creating peer relationships among three clusters named A, B, and C.

Steps

1. On Cluster A, create a cluster peer relationship with Cluster B.

a. Expand the Cluster hierarchy in the left navigation pane.

b. Click Configuration > Peers.

12 | Cluster Peering Express Guide

c. Click Create.
The Create Cluster Peer dialog box is displayed.

d. In the Details of the remote cluster to be peered area, specify the passphrase that both peers
will use to ensure an authenticated cluster peer relationship.

e. Enter the IP addresses of all of Cluster B's intercluster LIFs—one per node—separated by
commas.

f. Click Create.
The authentication status is pending because only one cluster has been configured.

2. Switch to Cluster B and create a cluster peer relationship with Cluster A:

a. Expand the Cluster hierarchy in the left navigation pane.

b. Click Configuration > Peers.

c. Click Create.

d. In the Create Cluster Peer dialog box, specify the same passphrase and the IP addresses of
Cluster A's intercluster LIFs, and click Create.
 Cluster peering workflow | 13

3. In the Peers window of Cluster B, confirm that Cluster A is available and its Authentication
Status is ok.

You might need to click Refresh to see updated information.

4. Switch to Cluster A, and confirm that Cluster B is available and its Authentication Status is
ok.

You might need to click Refresh to see updated information.

Cluster A and Cluster B are in a peer relationship.

5. Create a peer relationship between Cluster B and Cluster C:

a. On Cluster B, create a cluster peer relationship with Cluster C by entering a passphrase and
the IP addresses of Cluster C's intercluster LIFs in the Create Cluster Peer dialog box.

b. On Cluster C, create a cluster peer relationship with Cluster B by entering the same
passphrase and the IP addresses of Cluster B's intercluster LIFs in the Create Cluster Peer
dialog box.

c. On Cluster C, confirm that Cluster B is available and its Authentication Status is ok.

d. On Cluster B, confirm that Cluster C is available and its Authentication Status is ok.

Cluster B and Cluster C are in a peer relationship.

6. Create a peer relationship between Cluster A and Cluster C:

a. On Cluster A, create a cluster peer relationship with Cluster C by entering a passphrase and
the IP addresses of Cluster C's intercluster LIFs in the Create Cluster Peer dialog box.

b. On Cluster C, create a cluster peer relationship with Cluster A by entering the same
passphrase and the IP addresses of Cluster A's intercluster LIFs in the Create Cluster Peer
dialog box.

c. On Cluster C, confirm that Cluster A is available and its Authentication Status is ok.

d. On Cluster A, confirm that Cluster C is available and its Authentication Status is ok.

Cluster A and Cluster C are in a peer relationship.

14 | Cluster Peering Express Guide

Where to find additional information

After you successfully create a cluster peering relationship, you are ready to protect the availability
of your data. There are express guides to help you configure data protection, as well as additional
guides to do advanced configuration of cluster peering.

Express guides
You can protect your data by using the following express guides:

• Clustered Data ONTAP 8.3 Volume Disaster Recovery Preparation Express Guide
Describes how to quickly configure and monitor the SnapMirror relationships between volumes
in different clusters. Includes instructions for creating Storage Virtual Machine (SVM) peer
relationships.

• Clustered Data ONTAP 8.3 Volume Backup Using SnapVault Express Guide
Describes how to quickly configure an intercluster SnapVault relationship. Includes instructions
for creating SVM peer relationships.

Other guides
More information is available in the following guides:

• Clustered Data ONTAP 8.3 System Administration Guide for Cluster Administrators
Provides detailed conceptual and task information about modifying or removing the cluster
peering configuration.

• NetApp Technical Report 4015: SnapMirror Configuration and Best Practices Guide for
Clustered Data ONTAP
Describes information and best practices about configuring replication, including cluster peering.
 15

Copyright information
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16 | Cluster Peering Express Guide

Trademark information
NetApp, the NetApp logo, Go Further, Faster, ASUP, AutoSupport, Campaign Express, Cloud
ONTAP, clustered Data ONTAP, Customer Fitness, Data ONTAP, DataMotion, Fitness, Flash
Accel, Flash Cache, Flash Pool, FlashRay, FlexArray, FlexCache, FlexClone, FlexPod, FlexScale,
FlexShare, FlexVol, FPolicy, GetSuccessful, LockVault, Manage ONTAP, Mars, MetroCluster,
MultiStore, NetApp Insight, OnCommand, ONTAP, ONTAPI, RAID DP, SANtricity, SecureShare,
Simplicity, Simulate ONTAP, Snap Creator, SnapCopy, SnapDrive, SnapIntegrator, SnapLock,
SnapManager, SnapMirror, SnapMover, SnapProtect, SnapRestore, Snapshot, SnapValidator,
SnapVault, StorageGRID, Tech OnTap, Unbound Cloud, and WAFL are trademarks or registered
trademarks of NetApp, Inc., in the United States, and/or other countries. A current list of NetApp
trademarks is available on the web at http://www.netapp.com/us/legal/netapptmlist.aspx.
Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks of Cisco in the U.S. and other countries. All other brands or
products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and should be treated as
such.
 17

How to send your comments

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If you have suggestions for improving this document, send us your comments by email to
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• Telephone: +1 (408) 822-6000

• Fax: +1 (408) 822-4501

• Support telephone: +1 (888) 463-8277

 18 | Cluster Peering Express Guide

Index

B F
backup vaults fan-out configurations
where to get additional information about 14 networking requirements for cluster peering 5
feedback
how to send comments about documentation 17
C firewalls
cascade configurations requirements for cluster peering 5
networking requirements for cluster peering 5 flowcharts
cluster peer relationships cluster peering workflow 7
creating 11 full-mesh connectivity
preparing for 7 description 5
requirements for 5
requirements for using the Express Guide to G
configure 4
where to get additional information about 14 gathering
workflow for configuring 7 network information 7
clusters passphrases 7
creating peer relationships 11
naming requirements for cluster peering 5
peering workflow flowchart 7
I
requirements for using the Express Guide to information
configure peering 4 how to send feedback about improving
comments documentation 17
how to send feedback about documentation 17 intercluster
communication communication, creating interfaces 9
intercluster, creating interfaces for 9 LIFs, creating 9
configurations interfaces
cascade, for cluster peering 5 See LIFs
fan-out, for cluster peering 5 IP addresses
creating requirements for cluster peering 5
cluster peer relationships 11 specifying for intercluster LIFs 9
LIFs 9 IPspaces
requirements for cluster peering 5
D
data protection
L
where to get additional information about 14 LIFs
documentation creating 9
how to send feedback about 17

N
E
network
express guides full-mesh connectivity described 5
requirements for using the cluster peering guide 4 requirements for cluster peering 5
 Index | 19

network interfaces network for cluster peering 5

See LIFs ports for cluster peering 5
subnets for cluster peering 5
P
S
passphrases
planning 7 subnets
peer relationships planning 7
cluster, workflow flowchart 7 requirements for cluster peering 5
creating cluster 11 specifying for intercluster communication 9
preparing for cluster 7 suggestions
requirements for clusters 5 how to send feedback about documentation 17
requirements for using the Express Guide to SVM peer relationships
configure for clusters 4 where to get additional information about 14
where to get additional information about cluster and
SVM 14
ports
T
intercluster communication, specifying 9 time synchronization
requirements for cluster peering 5 synchronizing across clusters 7
preparing
cluster peer relationships 7
protection V
where to get additional information about data 14
vaults
where to get additional information about backup 14
R
requirements W
cluster naming when peering 5
workflows
firewall for cluster peering 5
cluster peering, flowchart 7
IP addresses for cluster peering 5
IPspaces for cluster peering 5