Live Optics, NetApp: Complete a NetApp Storage Array Profile

Overview

Live Optics now supports the profiling of competitive hardware storage arrays, the first one being the NetApp array. Supported releases are for c-mode and 7-mode configurations however v8.2 and below c-mode, and 7-mode have limited samples. If a version is submitted that has not been tested the reports could potentially take longer than normal to process while we detect any anomalies in the raw data.

Using the Live Optics collector, configuration data is captured, analyzed, and compiled into a Project for online viewing. This document outlines the process to produce a NetApp array storage profile.

Quick-Start Instructions

• Download the Live Optics Collector (Windows .NET version)
• Launch Live Optics Collector
• Click Get Started
• Click "Yes, I agree" to accept the End User License Agreement (prompted only on first execution)
• Click "Yes, this is me" after verifying that your identity is correct (prompted only on the first execution)
• Select Storage -> NetApp in the menu
• Enter the NetApp array IP address
• Enter a username to access the array (admin user)
• Enter the password
• For 7-mode - ONTAP only supports an insecure version of SSH you will be asked if you would like to continue
• Click Add Array
• Select the Upload Option, either upload automatically (recommended) or upload later.
• Click Next
• If upload automatically was selected, enter the project name to be created, and click Next.
• After the files are processed and optionally uploaded, an option to create a SIOKIT for backup is provided.
• Click skip or create a file
• Click Quit to exit the application

Detailed Instructions

Download the Live Optics Windows collector software.

• From the Live Optics portal, select Collectors from the left menu, then Download Collector.
• To perform storage array profiles, download the Windows collector. The Windows collector requires .NET 4.5 or greater to be installed on the host running the collector.
• Click the Download button to start the download. A file named LiveOptics.zip is downloaded.
• Once the file download completes, extract the contents of the .zip file on the host where you want to run the software. The Live Optics collector does not install like a typical Windows application. Extracting the .zip file is all that is required to run the collector. 

NOTE: The collector can be run on any host with IP connectivity to the storage arrays intended for profiling.

 Run Live Optics collector software.

• Open a command prompt on the Windows host where you extracted the files. Navigate to the directory where the file lives. Run the command:

LiveOptics.exe /netapp

• Click the "Yes, I agree" button to accept the End User License Agreement
• Confirm your name and company are correct and click "Yes, this is me." If you were invited to run Live Optics, the systems consultant information will also be listed.

Select Storage from the list of Profile Types and choose NetApp.

• Enter the array IP address, username, and password. The username should be the admin or admin equivalent account. Once entered, click Next.

• For 7-mode - ONTAP only supports an insecure version of SSH you will be asked if you would like to continue. Note this is the only available option for establishing a Live Optics connection to these legacy systems.

• The collector connects to the array and captures the configuration data. Note, the performance depends on the size of the array and your network connectivity to the array.

Select the method to upload to the Live Optics website for processing.

• Selecting the default, "Upload my collection data to the Live Optics web portal automatically," is the recommended method. This option will automatically upload the collected data to the Live Optics portal and start processing. Use this option when the host running the collector has Internet access. Once selected, click Next.

• Enter the name of the project for your array profile. Click Next.

• The files are processed and uploaded to the web portal. During the upload, a status bar indicates the progress. As storage array data can be large, the upload may take some time to complete depending on the speed of your Internet connection.
• The collector indicates when the upload has been completed. A choice is provided to back up the projects SIOKIT. You have the choice to skip this option or create the backup file.

• The collector indicates when the upload has been completed. Click Quit to close the collector
• You receive an email from Live Optics when your project is ready for viewing on the web portal.
• Selecting "I upload later…" will process and save your array data to an encrypted file with the name [hostname]_NetApp.siokit. The file is written to the same folder from where the collector was run. Use this option when the host running the collector does not have Internet access.

• After the collection process completes, the file must be uploaded to the web portal for processing using the collector.

Uploading the SIOKIT (applies only if the "upload later" was selected)

• The Live Optics collector software is used to upload the SIOKIT files using the Windows collector. See knowledge base article Uploading SIOKIT file in the Live Optics collector 

View Project Results

• Log in to the Live Optics web portal https://app.liveoptics.com
• Your recent projects are listed on your dashboard. Select your project.
• Click the project page to view the online viewer. From here you can download an Excel file (XLXS) containing all the raw data, print the project, share your project with other Live Optics users such as your systems consultant, or delete your project.