NetApp Global Services

NetApp Support Owners Manual

Your Guide to Our Support Best Practices

A MESSAGE FROM DENISE COX

Thank you for choosing NetApp as your storage provider. We have a global team comprised of the best support professionals in the world, all focused on helping you get value and business success from your NetApp deployments. As part of our commitment to your success, weve created this Owners Manual to help simplify and improve your support experience. Use this guide to answer your questions about the support features of your equipment and how to work with NetApp Global Support during the life of your storage systems. As you review this guide, you will find our Support Best Practices are noted in highlighted boxes within each section. We also offer you a convenient checklist at the end of this guide to help you track your compliance with these best practices. In addition, youll find tips, tricks, and suggestions throughout this guide to help you to quickly acquire the information you need, and engage the resources that are available to ensure a smoothrunning storage infrastructure. Our commitment to your business success is absolute, and there are literally hundreds of people in all disciplines of Global Support standing by to help wherever and whenever you need us. Thank you for trusting us with your critical business data.

Denise Cox Vice President NetApp Global Support

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Meet the Support Features of Your New NetApp Equipment
Support Offerings Overview NOW Overview AutoSupport Overview Service Processor Overview Technical Support Center NetApp University

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4 4 5 5 5 5

How to Get Started on the NOW Site

How to Conduct a Knowledge Search How to Subscribe to Support Communications How to Download Software How to Manage Your Support Case How to Manage Your Installed Base How to Administer Your NOW Accounts How to Complete a New Install Using the NOW Site

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6 6 6 6 7 7 7

How You Can Improve System Uptime with AutoSupport

The Basics of AutoSupport and Premium AutoSupport How to Turn On AutoSupport and Configure for Best Results Premium AutoSupport How to Manage NetApp Systems with Premium AutoSupport

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8 8 9 9

How to Improve the Resolution Time of Cases with the Service Processor
The Basics of the Service Processor How to Setup and Configure the Service Processor

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10 10

How to Engage the Support Center

When to Call and How How to Prepare for Your Support Call NetApp Technical Support Contacts How to Engage Your Technical Global Advisor or Proactive Support Advisor How to Escalate a Case

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11 11 11 12 12

How to Manage Storage Controller System Changes

How to Prepare for a Storage Controller Upgrade How to Manage Upgrade Execution How To Complete Your Upgrade

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13 14 14

Meet the Support Features of Your New NetApp Equipment

SUPPORT OFFERINGS OVERVIEW
NetApp provides cost-effective support designed and priced for your needs, whether you work with a large enterprise, classified government installation, or small business. Our SupportEdge offerings provide simple, effective, and affordable ways to get the most out of your storage investment. NetApp offers SupportEdge Premium for mission-critical systems that require optimal performance, availability, and expedited support. It combines innovative remote troubleshooting and resolution capabilities with expert onsite resources, when needed, to deliver support for the most demanding IT operations. For non critical systems for which you feel comfortable performing your own hands-on support, NetApp offers SupportEdge Standard. For systems that have high security demands from worldwide classified and non classified government users with specialized processes, sanitizing software and capabilities that provide storage support rarely found in the storage industry, NetApp offers SupportEdge Secure for Government. NOTE: SupportEdge Secure for Governments is only offered in specific markets and may not be available in your location. For a proactive and preventive approach we offer our two optional Advisor Services, which can be combined with a SupportEdge Premium or Standard Service contract. A technical advisor will have an intimate understanding of your operations and business goals and combines personalized attention with insider access to NetApp knowledge, tools, and resources. To learn about all of NetApps Support offerings, please visit: http://now.netapp.com/NOW/products/support/ BEST PRACTICE: Contact your NetApp sales representative or NetApp reseller to ensure you have the appropriate support level for your high availability environments.

NOW OVERVIEW
For real time, self-service needs, NetApp offers NOW (NetApp on the Web), our world-class support Web site that features an array of self-service tools that deliver the information you need to help manage your storage solution effectively. You can visit the NOW site to: Access online technical assistance Download the latest software releases and patches Use our comprehensive KnowledgeBase Manage your service contracts Access technical resources Log and monitor problem reports Schedule parts returns Register for online or instructor-led training Share information through interactive community sessions

Visit NOW at https://now.netapp.com/eservice/SupportHome.jsp BEST PRACTICE: Consult the NOW Best Practice Reference Guide for step-by-step instructions and best practice tips.

AUTOSUPPORT OVERVIEW
AutoSupport is a call-home feature of our Data ONTAP operating software for all NetApp systems. AutoSupport is an integrated and efficient monitoring and reporting feature that constantly checks the health of your system. Its one of the most important troubleshooting tools you have as a customer from NetApp support. When enabled on your system, AutoSupport: Provides you with detailed configuration and health knowledge of your NetApp environment Is utilized by authorized NetApp Technical Support Center personnel for preventive support Provides useful information to Technical Support to identify and troubleshoot problems Sends weekly logs back to NetApp, where they are analyzed for system stability and performance issues Sends you the results of the above analyses via the Premium AutoSupport Dashboard on the NOW site Allows you to subscribe to a short version of urgent AutoSupport messages via alphanumeric pages, or customized email alerts.

BEST PRACTICE: Enabling AutoSupport for your systems is a key component in having the best NetApp support experience. In this guide, you will learn how to configure AutoSupport for best performance.

SERVICE PROCESSOR OVERVIEW

A Service Processor is a physical device that is incorporated into some NetApp storage controllers to provide secure access from alternate locations and limited management capabilities, including remote access, monitoring, troubleshooting, logging, and alerting features.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT CENTER

Your operations never sleep, and neither does NetApp. The NetApp Technical Support Center is available 24x7 365 days every year to ensure that you receive the best support possible. The Technical Support Center coordinates all support activity around the globe, including email, Web, phone, remote and on-site actions. Phone support is available in French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin and Spanish during local office hours of business workdays for the specific location. Phone support is offered in English at all times.

NETAPP UNIVERSITY
NetApp University programs prepare you to fully leverage Netapp solutions for the enterprise, while meeting your specific business and technical needs. The Learning Center is the primary training source for all your NetApp learning and training needs, providing access to technology information that is essential to successfully support your NetApp products. BEST PRACTICE: Take advantage of the NetApp Learning Center to increase your expertise with NetApp products and solutions.

How to Get Started on the NOW Site

HOW TO CONDUCT A KNOWLEDGE SEARCH
Use the NOW knowledge search feature as a fast way to start diagnosing a problem, to find an answer to a configuration question or an error message, or for general technical information. Our powerful search engine allows you to search a variety of knowledge repositories: Product Manuals NOW Forums Bugs Online Tools/Documentation KnowledgeBase Solutions Partner KnowledgeBase

Access our Knowledge Search at: https://now.netapp.com/eservice/SupportHome.jsp BEST PRACTICE: Prior to opening a case, execute a NetApp KnowledgeBase search. A welldocumented answer to your question may be available.

HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO SUPPORT COMMUNICATIONS

The Support Communications program is a subscription service where important product announcements are delivered to you via e-mail. You can subscribe to notifications regarding Support Bulletins (CSB) and Product Communiqus (CPC). Subscribe to NetApps Support Communications at:
https://now.netapp.com/eservice/personal/loadSubscription.do?moduleName=MYPROFILE

BEST PRACTICE: After installation, subscribe to the Support Communications related to your products so that NetApp can provide important information as it becomes available.

HOW TO DOWNLOAD SOFTWARE

The NOW sites Software Download section gives you access to the latest software products and productivity tools. Access the Software Download link for: NetApps latest software products and patches The latest disk drive, disk shelf, RLM, and system firmware The Release Metrics information which helps you determine the right Data ONTAP release to install The Release Advisor tool, to help you determine the right release to upgrade to, in order to avoid a particular bug The ToolChest which contains an array of tools that help you administer your NetApp products

Download software from http://now.netapp.com/NOW/main/software.shtml

HOW TO MANAGE YOUR SUPPORT CASE

If you search the KnowledgeBase or the ToolChest but you cant resolve your issue, its time to contact NetApp support. Without leaving the NOW site you can: Submit a new case View your case list Check the status of an existing case Update an existing case Submit an RMA/Return request Check the status of an RMA

Manage your cases at: http://now.netapp.com/NOW/main/tatools.shtml BEST PRACTICE: Open new cases through the NOW site. The case creation process offers real-time solutions and collects information so our engineers can resolve your case quickly and efficiently. 6

HOW TO MANAGE YOUR INSTALLED BASE

Use the My NetApp Products section on the NOW site to manage your NetApp installed base. Keeping your installed base information up to date will help you better manage your NetApp systems and help our Technical Support personnel provide you with fast, reliable service. The My NetApp Products link allows you to: View and track the status of your orders Register your new NetApp products View your installed product details Update configuration and location details Keep your Site Profile up to date with your hours of operation (Important: RMAs will
ship to systems location)

Verify AutoSupport details View and print software license codes Check service contract details and expiration dates Request purchase or renewal of service contracts online

Access My NetApp Products at: http://now.netapp.com/NOW/main/myntapprod.cgi BEST PRACTICE: Maintaining your contact information, hours of operation, equipment moves and configuration changes ensures NetApp Support delivers parts and services on-time to the right location.

HOW TO ADMINISTER YOUR NOW ACCOUNTS

Keep your NOW account up to date by using the My Profile feature. This feature allows you to: Update your contact information Change your password Update subscriptions View users at your company Register new users at your company Remove users who have left your company

Access My Profile at https://now.netapp.com/eservice/personal/myProfile.do?moduleName=MYPROFILE BEST PRACTICE: Designate a team member to manage your NOW user profiles. Review user access at least once every quarter to ensure appropriate access.

HOW TO COMPLETE A NEW INSTALL USING THE NOW SITE

If you are a new customer, create a NOW account. Log onto NOW and go to My NetApp Products. Register your new NetApp Equipment at Register My Products If you have 2- or 4-hour service level for parts delivery or replacement, ensure that your Site Profile on NOW contains your companys current hours of operation for receiving parts and on-site engineers. The Site Profile can be accessed at My Installed Products. Enter the Serial # then select Manage Product Location and Details. The Site Profile link is next to the Site Name. 5. Update any configuration and environment details at My Installed Products. Enter the Serial # then select Configuration and Environment Details. 6. Upload any documentation regarding this system that you want NetApp to know about at My Installed Products. Enter the Serial # then select /View/Add Attachments. 7. If your new NetApp equipment replaces an older NetApp system, dont forget to decommission the old system at My Installed Products. Enter the Serial # then select Decommission This System. BEST PRACTICE: Register your new NetApp equipment immediately after installation. Setup Service Processor For setup and configuration information for the Service Processor, see the Service Processor section of this guide. Setup AutoSupport For setup and configuration information for AutoSupport, see the AutoSupport section of this guide. Get Familiar with Premium AutoSupport See the Premium AutoSupport section for more details. 7 1. 2. 3. 4.

How You Can Improve System Uptime with AutoSupport

THE BASICS OF AUTOSUPPORT AND PREMIUM AUTOSUPPORT
AutoSupport allows your NetApp system to send messages directly to your Systems Administrators, Operations Center and NetApp Technical Support. NetApp support systems automatically analyze AutoSupport messages, and our Technical Support team is immediately notified of critical alerts. Instead of you having to report an issue, NetApp Technical Support will initiate the investigation. Some messages provide enough information for us to take corrective action immediately. For example, when we receive a Failed Disk event, we will automatically ship a replacement drive based on the level of support you have purchased. In some cases, NetApp will send an email to the system owner with a description of the issue, as well as a link to a KnowledgeBase article on the NOW site with resolution details. Not all AutoSupport messages may lead to immediate actions. Warning messages in Data ONTAPs message log can point to suspect components. This often leads to corrective action that can prevent unplanned disruption. Our AutoSupport analysis tools also monitor the messages for known configuration issues. A configuration alert will notify our support team of a configuration that may lead to system instability. Being connected via AutoSupport means NetApp is aware of your system configuration when you need us.

HOW TO TURN ON AUTOSUPPORT AND CONFIGURE FOR BEST RESULTS

Before setting up AutoSupport on your storage controller you need to set up a DNS server if you use host names instead of IP addresses. You also need an email server name or IP address that is able to route messages from the storage controller if you use SMTP as the transport protocol. AutoSupport is enabled and configured using the AutoSupport options. These options control how the automatic status messages are sent. The options are set using the command line or FilerView. Leaving most of these options at their default value will guarantee that AutoSupport is enabled and messages are sent to NetApp. The highlighted options might need to be changed to send AutoSupport messages successfully.
Option autosupport.enable autosupport.support.enable autosupport.support.transport autosupport.support.proxy autosupport.content autosupport.mailhost autosupport.to autosupport.from autosupport.noteto Complete Mailhost Default On On https Recommended On On User-defined http, https or smtp User-defined complete User-defined User-defined User-defined User-defined

For detailed information on the AutoSupport configuration options consult your Data ONTAP System Administration Guide.
HOW TO SEND A TEST MESSAGE

After you configure the AutoSupport options, NetApp recommends that you send a test message from your Storage Controller to confirm that the configuration was successful. 1. Configure AutoSupport using the options listed above. 2. Run the following command on the controller console: options autosupport.doit test 3. A console message should state System Notification Sent 4. Using the keyword, test, will also trigger an automated response to the configured recipient addresses, indicating that a test AutoSupport message was received. Should the above test fail consult the AutoSupport Troubleshooting section in your Data ONTAP System Administration Guide. 8

HOW TO CONFIGURE AUTOSUPPORT ON NEARSTORE VTL SYSTEMS AND STORAGE CONTROLLERS RUNNING GX

For Nearstore VTL systems consult the Setting Up AutoSupport section in your NearStore VTL System Administration Guide. For storage controllers running ONTAP GX consult the Managing AutoSupport section in your ONTAP GX System Administration Guide.

PREMIUM AUTOSUPPORT
Premium AutoSupport is a suite of Web-based applications hosted on the NOW site and accessible via your Web browser. Access to Premium AutoSupport depends on the level of support you have purchased. The following table highlights which features are accessible to customers on Premium support versus Standard support.
Standard AutoSupport Systems tab-summary of all systems Graph tabgraph of all system within the company, site or group History tabview of all AutoSupport over last 7, 14, 60 days Device event chart over 60 days Device proactive health check summary Customize AutoSupport e-mail notification View content of a raw AutoSupport Device visualization (system, disk, RAID, qtree, capacity) Upgrade Advisor Configuration comparisons and golden templates AutoSupport with SupportEdge Premium

To get the most current information about how Premium AutoSupport can help you as NetApp continues to innovate with this technology, please visit http://now.netapp.com/NOW/knowledge/docs/olio/autosupport/#premium

HOW TO MANAGE NETAPP SYSTEMS WITH PREMIUM AUTOSUPPORT

Premium AutoSupport enables you to: Visualize NetApp systems at the company or device level View a timeline history of AutoSupport events and alerts Compare the differences between two configurations Generate an upgrade plan for different versions of Data ONTAP releases View proactive recommendations for your system View the AutoSupport data content Customize AutoSupport e-mail notification

To access Premium AutoSupport click on My AutoSupport at: https://now.netapp.com/eservice/SupportHome.jsp Note: VTL or GX System AutoSupport data is currently not available via Premium AutoSupport. BEST PRACTICE: Simplify storage administration and take advantage of manageability features available with Premium AutoSupport - view system trends, compare configurations, create reporting and simplify upgrade planning.

How to Improve the Resolution Time of Cases with the Service Processor
THE BASICS OF THE SERVICE PROCESSOR
Most NetApp Storage controllers ship with a Service Processor (known as a RLM on FAS3xxx and 6xxx series and referred to as a BMC on the FAS2xxx). The Service Processor provides: SSH connection for administration of the The ability to initiate a storage system core Storage Controller dump SSH connection for access to the Storage The ability to power-cycle the storage system Controller to diagnose error conditions if the The ability to reset the storage system storage system has failed The ability to reboot the storage system BEST PRACTICE: Connect the Service Processor to your management LAN, so that your Storage Controller can be securely administered from any location for faster problem resolution.

HOW TO SETUP AND CONFIGURE THE SERVICE PROCESSOR

The setup of the Service Processor is platform dependent. Select the appropriate link for instructions for the platform you want to set up for instructions: Baseband Management Controller (BMC) for FAS2020:
http://now.netapp.com/NOW/knowledge/docs/hardware/filer/210-03961+A0.pdf

Baseband Management Controller (BMC) for FAS2050:

http://now.netapp.com/NOW/knowledge/docs/hardware/filer/210-03951+A0.pdf

Remote LAN Management Controller (RLM) for FAS3000 Series:

http://now.netapp.com/NOW/knowledge/docs/hardware/filer/rep_rlm_ro.pdf

Remote LAN Management Controller (RLM) for FAS6000 Series:

http://now.netapp.com/NOW/knowledge/docs/hardware/filer/rep_rlm_ex.pdf

Run the bmc setup or rlm setup command from the ONTAP CLI, as appropriate for your service processor type. Detailed instructions on how to configure and manage your Service Processor can be found in the System Administration Guide as well as in the Commands: Manual Page Reference for your installed Data ONTAP release.

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How to Engage the Support Center

WHEN TO CALL AND HOW
Although there are several ways to open a support case, most often this is done via the NOW site. When you enter a symptom on the Submit Cases page, the NOW suggests a search for potential solutions. If a solution resolves your problem, you can close the case. Otherwise, you can submit the case for a NetApp support engineer to begin troubleshooting. While any kind of case can be opened by using the NOW site or by calling the Technical Support Center, NetApp recommends the following approach: Use the NOW Site Call the Technical Support Center

Issue
NetApp system is down and unable to serve data NetApp system is in a state of degraded performance that impacts normal business operations NetApp system is experiencing an issue with little or no business impact Request for information regarding installation, configuration, use and maintenance Failed Disk RMA request (check open cases on NOW case may already have been created by AutoSupport) Other RMA request (check for open case)

HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR SUPPORT CALL

The case resolution time can be significantly shortened if you have the following information available when you initiate a support call: Test AutoSupport triggered before you call Serial Number* of the Storage Controller required to open the call Your contact information, in case the call gets dropped Problem description with error messages Business Impact, System Status, Priority Description of environment, OS versions of hosts, clients and switches Actions taken so far Changes on Storage Controller, hosts, clients or network that could have triggered the issue Error messages on hosts/clients, switches OS version of hosts, clients, switches Error log files from NetApp system, hosts, clients and switches Contact info for other groups within your IT organization, application and network groups, that can assist with case resolution

*The Storage Controllers serial number can be found in one of two ways: 1. Using the CLI run sysconfig a.The serial number is listed towards the top of the output 2. Physically locate the serial number on the Storage Controller. Most models have a sticker on the back listing the serial number. Some models, like the FAS3000, list the serial number on the front underneath the bezel. BEST PRACTICE: Have essential information prepared and your organizations personnel available if a call to the Technical Support Center is required. This will shorten case resolution time.

NETAPP TECHNICAL SUPPORT CONTACTS

US and Canada: 888.4.NETAPP (888.463.8277) EMEA/Europe: 00.800.44.NETAPP (00.800.44.638.277) Asia/Pacific: +800.800.80.800

For a complete list of worldwide support numbers, visit http://www.netapp.com/us/support/ngs-contacts.html 11

HOW TO ENGAGE YOUR TECHNICAL GLOBAL ADVISOR OR PROACTIVE SUPPORT ADVISOR

If you have a TGA or PSA, he or she will monitor all service-based activity relative to your NetApp Products. The assigned advisor works directly with you to deliver proactive (TGA and PSA) and reactive services (TGA only). Engage your TGA/PSA early when planning upgrades Engage your TGA/PSA early when planning installations/deployments/relocations Identify key systems to your TGA/PSA Inform your TGA/PSA of your maintenance windows Follow the Best Practice recommendations from your TGA/PSA TGA receives notification if a case is opened TGA will respond to all priority 1 cases 24x7 TGA works with the Support Center to ensure all required resources are brought in as needed TGA monitors any priority 2 through 4 case for satisfactory progress

BEST PRACTICE: To ensure the best upgrade path and execution plan, engage your support advisor early during upgrade planning for your systems.

HOW TO ESCALATE A CASE

NetApp has established a standard methodology for case management. Cases can be initiated automatically by onsite NetApp systems through our AutoSupport technology or they can be created by our customers, our partners, or other NetApp employees. All cases are assigned case owners who are typically based in our Technical Support Center. Below are the definitions of Priority 1 and Priority 2 cases. A customer can request an increase in priority level at any time based on these definitions. If you wish to escalate your case, please call the TSC Hotline number (listed under NetApp Global Service Contacts) and ask to speak to the Duty Manager. Additional information can be found at: http://now.netapp.com/NOW/public/gscsla.shtml
PRIORITY DEFINITIONS

Priority
P1

Description
NetApp node, system or cluster is down, unable to serve data, is in a state of frequent or repeating panic or hang or is in a state of degraded performance sufficient to prevent normal business operations. At this priority, both NetApp and the customer must commit to around-the-clock action and involvement by all necessary and appropriate personnel and systems until a mutually agreeable workaround is provided and normal business operations are restored. NetApp node, system or cluster is experiencing an infrequent isolated or intermittent panic or hang or is in a state of degraded performance that allows business operations to continue, but at an inconsistent or less than optimal rate. At this priority, NetApp is committed to a commercially reasonable best effort to provide a workaround and/or to restore normal operations as quickly as possible.

P2

Upon notification, a customer issue is escalated to a level of NetApp management that meets the notification guidelines in the table below. Our objective is to ensure that the most appropriate support resources are utilized to quickly correct the problem that is affecting you.
P1 NOTIFICATION MATRIX Elapsed Time Who is Notified at NetApp 0 30 minutes
TSC Duty Manager

1 hour
TSC Group Manager TSC Duty Manager

2 hours
TSC Group Manager TSC Duty Manager TSC Regional Director

4 hours
TSC Group Manager TSC Duty Manager TSC Regional Director TSC Site VP

8 hours
Sr. VP, Global Support NetApp Executives

Note: When a Priority 2 case is raised to a Priority 1, the time triggers for Priority 1 cases are activated. 12

How to Manage Storage Controller System Changes

HOW TO PREPARE FOR A STORAGE CONTROLLER UPGRADE
New features, improved performance, and bug fixes are all good reasons for you to routinely upgrade your Storage Controller to the latest Data ONTAP and/or firmware releases. Make sure you receive our Support Communications (see How to Subscribe to Support Communications) because they may recommend that you upgrade your Storage Controller to a particular firmware or Data ONTAP release to ensure best performance and stability.
ENGAGE YOUR TGA OR PSA

If you have a Technical Global Advisor or a Proactive Support Advisor, contact him or her for assistance with your upgrade plans.
FIRMWARE UPGRADES

The Health Check section of Premium AutoSupport is an excellent place to check for out-of-date system, shelf, or disk firmware. To prevent potential system issues in the future, the best practice is to keep firmware up to date. BEST PRACTICE: Manage out-of-date firmware by upgrading to the current firmware on a regular basis. Premium AutoSupports Health Check feature can make this task easier. The following firmware can be updated while the system continues to serve data: ESH, ESH2, ESH4 shelf controller firmware RLM firmware Disk Firmware if you are running Data ONTAP 7.0.1 or later and the disks are members of aggregates of the following types: o RAID-DP o Mirrored RAID-DP (RAID-DP with SyncMirror software) o Mirrored RAID4 (RAID4 with SyncMirror software) Additional information on non-disruptive Disk Firmware upgrades can be found in the Upgrade Guide of your Data ONTAP Release. The following firmware updates can be disruptive and should be performed during a maintenance window: AT-FC, AT-FC2, AT-FCX firmware Data on the disk shelf cannot be accessed and will disrupt client services until the firmware update is complete. Disk firmware if you are running Data ONTAP 7.0.0.1 or earlier or if you are on a newer ONTAP release, but the disks are not members of aggregates in a RAID-DP or Mirrored RAID4 configuration as stated above An upgrade involves spinning down the drivesall drives of the same drive types are upgraded in parallel. If a volume is upgrading two or more drives in the same RAID group, this volume can go offline. System firmware upgrades require a system downtime unless your Storage Controller is in a supported NDU (NonDisruptive Upgrade) configuration. For more information on NDU supported configurations and upgrades see:
http://media.netapp.com/documents/wp_3450.pdf

BEST PRACTICE: Always read the Release Notes and Must-Read Notifications posted on the Software Download pages to fully understand the impact of an upgrade.
DATA ONTAP UPGRADE - WHICH RELEASE IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

Use our online Release Advisor and Release Comparison tools to help you determine the best release to resolve any bug issues. Our Release Metrics tool provides information on which software releases are installed on NetApp customer systems. In addition, consult our Interoperability Matrices which help you determine the right release when interoperability might be an issue. BEST PRACTICE: Plan on upgrading your storage Controller at least once a year with the latest ONTAP General Deployment (GD) release. 13

RUN UPGRADE ADVISOR FOR A STEP-BY-STEP UPGRADE PLAN

The Upgrade Advisor provides you with a step-by-step plan for getting from your current version of Data ONTAP to a new target version. It will also provide you with recommendations for system, shelf, disk, and RLM firmware.

HOW TO MANAGE UPGRADE EXECUTION

AUTOSUPPORT SETTINGS DURING MAINTENANCE WINDOWS

When performing upgrades or other maintenance on your storage system, unwanted AutoSupport messages might be sent to Technical Support. To prevent unnecessary technical support cases, use one of the following solutions: Manually trigger an AutoSupport message with the subject line Upgrade or Maintenance Work Turn off AutoSupport messages during the upgrade/maintenance period

NetApp recommends the first method. Since you do not turn AutoSupport off, you do not need to remember to turn it back on again. Technical support engineers will understand why the cases are being opened and can take appropriate actions. Should a real problem occur, notify Technical Support. Since AutoSupport was not turned off, the engineers will have access to the latest AutoSupport data.
SYSTEM BACKUP

Before performing an upgrade, backup your Storage Controllers /etc directory to a temporary location. BEST PRACTICE: Always backup up your storage controllers /etc directory before an upgrade.
DOWNLOAD LINKS

System firmware and diagnostics: http://now.netapp.com/NOW/cgi-bin/fw Disk drive firmware: http://now.netapp.com/NOW/download/tools/diskfw/ Disk shelf firmware: http://now.netapp.com/NOW/download/tools/diskshelf/ RLM firmware: http://now.netapp.com/NOW/download/tools/rlm_fw/ Data ONTAP and other NetApp software: http://now.netapp.com/NOW/cgi-bin/software/

HOW TO COMPLETE YOUR UPGRADE

Anytime you make changes to your NetApp environment, we recommend that you update your storage systems configuration and environment information on the NOW site. 1. Visit My Installed Products under My NetApp Products a. Enter the serial number of the product you just upgraded or made changes to b. Select Configuration and Environmental Details from the Product Tool Set column c. Make changes to the environment information as necessary 2. Upload any Change Management documentation you created and that you want NetApp to know about as follows: a. On the Installed Products page select View/Add Attachments from the Product Tool Set column b. Upload the document BEST PRACTICE: Always update your Installed Products information on NOW whenever there is a change in your environment.

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www.netapp.com

2009 NetApp. All rights reserved. Specifications are subject to change without notice. NetApp, the NetApp logo, Go further, faster, Data ONTAP, FilerView, NearStore, and Now are trademarks or registered trademarks of NetApp, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other brands or products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and should be treated as such. DS-2817-0309

NetApp Support Best Practices Checklist

Print and post a copy of this worksheet near your NetApp equipment and track the dates when you have completed these Support Best Practices.

Date Completed
Best Practice
Check Premium AutoSupport for systems not sending AutoSupport to NetApp Check for out-of-date NOW user accounts Check for out-of-date firmware Upgrade out-of-date firmware Engage your Support Advisor to assist you with your Firmware upgrade planning Always read Firmware Release Notes and Must-Read Notifications during upgrade planning Always backup your storage controllers /etc directory before a Firmware upgrade Check for new ONTAP releases and plan upgrades Engage your Support Advisor to assist you with your ONTAP upgrade planning Always read ONTAP Release Notes and Must-Read Notifications during upgrade planning Always backup your storage controllers /etc directory before an ONTAP upgrade Update the Installed Products information on NOW when your environment changes Enable AutoSupport for all your systems Enable the Service Processor if available Subscribe to Support Communications Register your new NetApp Equipment Contact your NetApp Sales Rep or NetApp reseller about NetApp support offerings Use the NetApp Learning Center to increase your expertise with NetApp products Prior to opening a case, conduct a NetApp KnowledgeBase search Open new cases through the NOW site Have essential information and technical resources available to work with NetApp Support

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Quarterly

Annual

Upon Install

As Needed

www.netapp.com

2009 NetApp. All rights reserved. Specifications are subject to change without notice. NetApp, the NetApp logo, Go further, faster, Data ONTAP, FilerView, NearStore, and Now are trademarks or registered trademarks of NetApp, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other brands or products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and should be treated as such.

Version 03/09