Create and Configure a Storage Virtual Machine with Infinite Volume

 Goal

This workflow will automate the creation and setup of Storage Virtual Machine with Infinite Volume. This new Storage Virtual Machine is created with applicable export policies; DNS, NIS, and LDAP settings are applied prior to setup of NFS and CIFS services. A new data LIF is created and setup to use any NFS or CIFS services set under the new Storage Virtual Machine. The workflow also offers the choice to either provision an Infinite Volume with storage classes or allow the user to defer the creation of storage classes to a later point of time using other storage class specific workflows. Finally, the workflow provides an option allowing the delegating of admin rights to a different user.

The following operations are executed (as applicable) by the workflow:

1.       Create a Storage Virtual Machine and set up DNS, NFS and CIFS, if details are provided. FCP and iSCSI are blocked.

2.       Take the existing LDAP client and configure it for the Storage Virtual Machine.

3.       Set up NIS with servers provided.

4.       If selected, set up an NFS server with default values.

5.       If selected, set up a CIFS server with the Storage Virtual Machine name as the CIFS server name.

6.       Create a data logical interface (LIF) to access these protocols.

7.       If selected, delegate Storage Virtual Machine administration to a new user or the existing 'vsadmin' user by unlocking.

8.       Assign aggregates to be used by the Storage Virtual Machine.

9.       If details are provided, create an interface for Storage Virtual Machine management.

10.    Create an efficiency policy that includes a preconfigured schedule.

11.    Create an Infinite Volume of type 'rw' (read-write) or 'dp' (data protection) based on what the user selects.

12.    Create export rules for the default export policy associated with the Infinite Volume.

 

Note: If you create an Infinite Volume with storage classes, the Infinite Volume is created without any data constituents. You must add capacity to this Infinite Volume by using the workflows  'Add or expand capacity storage class to an Infinite Volume' and 'Add or expand performance storage class to an Infinite Volume'.

 

Pre-requisites:

Add the following entry into WFA Credentials (WFA portal -> Execution -> Credentials)

 

1) For AD Domain:

 

Match: select 'Exact'.

Type: select 'Other'.

Name/IP: enter a fully qualified domain name.

User Name: enter the domain Administrator user name.

Password: enter the domain Administrator password.

 

2) To delegate Storage Virtual Machine administration to a new user or to the existing 'vsadmin' user.

This is required only when Auth Method is 'password'.

 

 

 

Match: select 'Exact'.

Type: select 'ONTAP'.

Name/IP: specify the Storage Virtual Machine's management logical interface IP address for Name/IP field.

User Name:  specify the Storage Virtual Machine administration user name. Specify it as 'vsadmin' if the 'vsadmin' user is to be unlocked. Auth Method should be 'password' if user is 'vsadmin'.

Password: enter the password for the new user or the 'vsadmin' user.

 

Input Parameters:        

·         Cluster Name * [Mandatory]: The Clustered ONTAP storage system that hosts the Storage Virtual Machine. Only clusters with “NFS” and “CIFS” license enabled are shown for selection. Note that Infinite Volume feature is available from ONTAP 8.2.0 and above, so only those applicable clusters will be shortlisted and shown in the drop down list. This list would be a tabular resource selection showing Cluster Name, Primary Address and ONTAP version.

 

 

·         Storage Virtual Machine Name *[Mandatory]: Name of the Storage Virtual Machine to be created.

·         Root Volume Aggregate * [Mandatory]: Aggregate where root volume needs to be created. This is a locked query with tabular resource selection showing Disk type, Is Flash Pool, Total Size and Available Size for each Aggregate.

·         Use specific aggregate for the Storage Virtual Machine: Select specific aggregate to be used by Storage Virtual Machine for Infinite Volume creation. Enable this option for making the “Allowed Aggregate List” selection mandatory.

·         Allowed Aggregate List *[Mandatory]: This is a query showing tabular list of allowed aggregate list which can be used by Storage Virtual Machine for Infinite Volume creation. One can select multiple aggregates or leave empty to use all aggregates of the cluster.

·         Language * [Mandatory]: Specifies the language to be used by Storage Virtual Machine. Default is set to “C”.

·         IPSpace Name: Specifies the name of the Storage Virtual Machine’s IPspace. This option is applicable only for clustered Data ONTAP 8.3.0 and later.

·         Configure NFS: Select this option if you want to configure NFS protocol for the Storage Virtual Machine.

·         Configure CIFS: Select this option if you want to configure CIFS protocol for the Storage Virtual Machine.

·         Delegate Storage Virtual Machine administration: Select this option if you want to delegate Storage Virtual Machine administration.

·         LDAP Client: A LDAP client to be configured on the Storage Virtual Machine with Infinite Volume.

·         Name Service switch: Name Server switch configuration for the Storage Virtual Machine. Possible values are :

o    File

o    Nis

o    Ldap

 

Data Logical Interface Details

·         Address * [Mandatory]: IP address of the logical interface. CIFS and NFS Services will share this interface.

·         Default Route Gateway * [Mandatory]: IP of the LIF’s gateway.

·         Netmask: Netmask of that LIF’s gateway.

·         Netmask Length: Netmask length of the LIF’s gateway.

·         Node: Home node of the LIF. One of the chosen cluster nodes.

·         Port: Port of the LIF, selected based on the chosen Node.

 

 

 

Delegation Details Input parameters

The section handles delegation details of the Storage Virtual Machine administration (If applicable):

 

 

·         Reuse data interface for management access: Enable this option to reuse data logical interface for Storage Virtual Machine administration

·         Management Logical Interface Address* [Mandatory]: IP address of the management LIF

·         Default Route Gateway* [Mandatory]: IP address of the Gateway of the Management LIF.

·         Netmask: Netmask of the management LIF.

·         Netmask Length: Netmask length of the LIF’s gateway.

·         Node: Node of the management LIF. One of the chosen cluster nodes.

·         Port: Port of the management LIF, selected based on the chosen Node.

·         Storage Virtual Machine Administrative User Name: User, who would be the Storage Virtual Machine admin.

·         Authentication Method: Authentication method options of authenticating the aforementioned user. If Publickey is selected only application type SSH will be selected and cluster admin should add public key manually to ONTAP against new user.

·         Role : Role of the aforementioned user

 

CIFS Details Input Parameters

The Protocol Details input section identifies enables the relevant protocol upon request:

 

·        Domain Name: The Fully Qualified Domain Name of the Windows Active Directory this CIFS server belongs to. 
Note: Domain Admin User and Password should be added to WFA credentials.

·        Organizational unit: The Organizational Unit (OU) within the Windows Active Directory this CIFS server belongs to. Leave this field blank to use default OU.

·        Site: The default site used by LIFs that do not have a site membership. Leave this field blank to use default Site.

 

DNS Details

 

The DNS Details input section identifies the DNS to be used (If applicable):

·        DNS Domains : The applicable NIS domain (Example: “example.com”)

·        DNS Servers: Comma separated list of DNS server IPs.

NIS Details Input parameters

The NIS Details input section identifies the DNS to be used (If applicable):

·        NIS Domains : The applicable NIS domain (Example: “example.com”)

·        NIS Servers: Comma separated list of NIS servers’ IPs.

Infinite Volume Details

·         Volume Name*[Mandatory]: Name of the Infinite Volume to be created.

·         Volume Type *[Mandatory]: Provide the Volume Type which will be “Primary (rw) “ for primary Infinite Volumes and “Data Protection (dp)” for secondary Infinite Volumes.

·         Create volume with classes of storage: Enable this option to specify the volume creation with/without classes of storage.

·         Volume Size * [Mandatory]: Size of the volume in TB

·         Junction Path *[Mandatory]: Mount path of the Infinite Volume in the Storage Virtual Machine’s namespace.

·         Space Guarantee*[Mandatory]: Space guarantee of the Infinite Volume without classes of storage

·         Export Rules: Rules specification for client access on the Infinite Volume.

·         Enable Deduplication: Enable deduplication on Infinite Volume

·         Compression: Enable compression on the Infinite Volume.

·         Schedule for efficiency operations: Specify the schedule option on Infinite Volume with single class of storage.

Result

The workflow will result in creating and configuring a Storage Virtual Machine with Infinite Volume in the cluster, with its root volume in the selected aggregate. Following that, a multitude of options may be set to enable protocol access, DNS, NIS, LDAP and such if all relevant details are provided. If delegation of the Storage Virtual Machine administration is desired, that may be achieved as well by delegating the admin rights to another user in the management LIF.

Workflow will also create an Infinite Volume of type “rw” or “dp” based on user preference. Will also create export rules for the default policy associated with Infinite Volume.