Creating cluster peer relationships in Data ONTAP 8.2 or later
You can create a cluster peer relationship to connect clusters so that the clusters in the relationship can communicate with each other. You can use the Create Cluster Peering window to configure intercluster LIFs for one or both of the clusters if the intercluster LIFs are not already configured.
Before you begin
• The source and destination clusters must be running Data ONTAP 8.2 or later.
• The source and the destination clusters must be added to System Manager.
If you added the destination cluster after you opened the source cluster management window, you must close the management window and log in to the source cluster again to view the destination cluster.
• The time on the clusters that you want to connect using an intercluster network must be synchronized within 300 seconds (5 minutes).
Cluster peers can be in different time zones.
• The selected local cluster or remote cluster must not be already in a peer relationship with more than seven clusters.
• Ports with intercluster role must be created if you want to use intercluster ports for hosting the intercluster LIFs.
• Data or intercluster ports must be assigned to a node.
• Data or intercluster ports must be in a healthy state to create intercluster LIFs.
• Each intercluster LIF must have an IP address that is dedicated for intercluster replication.
• The correct maximum transmission unit (MTU) value must be used on the network ports that are used for replication.
The network administrator can identify which MTU value to use in the environment. The MTU value should be set to a value that is supported by the network end point to which it is connected.
The default value of 1500 is correct for most environments.
• All paths on a node that are used for intercluster networking must have equal performance characteristics, such as MTU and speed.
• The intercluster network must be configured to provide connectivity among all the intercluster LIFs on all the nodes in the cluster peers.
• Each intercluster LIF on all the nodes in a cluster must be able to connect to every intercluster LIF on every node in the peer cluster.
Steps
1. From the home page, double-click the appropriate storage system.
2. Expand the Cluster hierarchy in the left navigation pane.
3. Click Configuration > Peers.
4. Click Create.
5. In the Create Cluster Peering window, specify the details for the local cluster.
6. Optional: Click View Details to view detailed information about the intercluster LIFs for all the nodes in the cluster.
You can view detailed information only if the LIFs are already present.
7. In the right pane, select a remote cluster that you want to create a peer relationship with and specify the details for the remote cluster.
The list displays remote clusters that are not already peered with the local clusters.
Note: If System Manager is unable to retrieve the credentials of the selected cluster, use the Authenticate link to enter and save the credentials.
8. Optional: Click Customize to modify the interface name, IP address, network mask, gateway, and port details for the other nodes, and then click Update.
9. Click Create.
Creating cluster peer relationships in Data ONTAP 8.1.x
You can create a cluster peer relationship to connect clusters together so that the clusters in a peer relationship can communicate with each other to share information and to provide access to operations on the peer cluster.
Before you begin
• The time on the clusters that you want to connect using an intercluster network must be synchronized within 300 seconds (5 minutes).
The cluster peers can be in different time zones.
• The correct maximum transmission unit (MTU) value must be used on the network ports that are used for replication.
The network administrator can identify the MTU value to use in the environment. The MTU value should be set to a value that is supported by the network end point to which it is connected.
The default value of 1500 is correct for most environments.
• Ports with intercluster role must be created if you want to use intercluster ports.
• Each intercluster LIF must have an IP address that is dedicated for intercluster replication.
• The intercluster LIFs IP addresses on all nodes must be configured with the same gateway and subnet mask.
• All paths on a node that are used for intercluster networking should have equal performance characteristics.
• The intercluster network must provide connectivity among all the intercluster LIFs on all the nodes in the cluster peers.
Each intercluster LIF on all nodes in a cluster must be able to connect to every intercluster LIF on every node in the peer cluster.
• To use ports with the intercluster role, the intercluster ports must be created before configuring cluster peering.
System Manager automatically creates the intercluster LIFs.
• Both the clusters (local and remote) must be managed by using System Manager.
If you added the destination cluster after you opened the source cluster management window, you must close the window and log in to the source cluster again to view the destination cluster.
About this task
While creating a cluster peer relationship, you have to set the following attributes in the Cluster Peer Create wizard:
• Create an intercluster LIF on each node in the cluster, if it is not already configured.
Intercluster LIFs can be configured on data ports or intercluster ports.
• Specify the name and credentials of the remote cluster.
• Specify the IP address and port number of the LIFs on the remote cluster that are used for intercluster communication.
Note: The Cluster Peer Create wizard does not list any remote cluster running Data ONTAP 8.2 or later.
Steps
1. From the home page, double-click the appropriate storage system.
2. Expand the Cluster hierarchy in the left navigation pane.
3. Click Configuration > Peers.
4. Click Create.
5. Type or select information as prompted by the wizard.
6. Confirm the details and click Finish to complete the wizard.
Editing cluster peer relationships
You can edit a cluster peer relationship to enable new nodes to participate in the intercluster communication.
Steps
1. From the home page, double-click the appropriate storage system.
2. Expand the Cluster hierarchy in the left navigation pane.
3. Click Configuration > Peers.
4. Select the cluster peer and click Edit.
5. In the Edit dialog box to edit the cluster peer relationship, make the necessary changes.
6. Click OK.
7. Verify the changes you made to the selected cluster peer in the Peers window.
After you finish
If you modified the intercluster LIF IP address, you must update the LIF details in all the clusters peered with this cluster by using the CLI. Log in to the remote cluster as a cluster administrator and run the cluster peer modify command with the modified intercluster LIF IP address on all the remote clusters.
Deleting cluster peer relationships
You can delete a cluster peering relationship if the relationship is no longer needed. You must delete the cluster peering relationship from each of the clusters in the relationship.
Steps
1. From the home page, double-click the appropriate storage system.
2. Expand the Cluster hierarchy in the left navigation pane.
3. Click Configuration > Peers.
4. Select the cluster peer that you want to delete, and then click Delete.
5. Select the confirmation check box and click Delete.
After you finish
You must delete the relationship from the peered cluster because the state of the deleted relationship is displayed as unhealthy in the peered cluster.
Window descriptions
Peers window
You can use the Peers window to manage peer relationships, which enable you to move data from one cluster to another.
Command buttons
Create Opens the Create Cluster Peering dialog box, which enables you to establish a relationship with a remote cluster.
Edit Opens the Edit Peer Relationship dialog box, which enables you to edit settings related to a cluster peer.
Delete Opens the Delete Cluster Peer Relationship dialog box, which enables you to delete the selected peer cluster relationship.
Refresh Updates the information in the window.
Peer cluster list
Peer Cluster Specifies the name of the peer cluster in the relationship.
Availability Specifies whether the peer cluster is available for communication.
Details area
The details area displays detailed information about the selected peer cluster relationship, including the active IP addresses discovered by the system to set up the intercluster network.