Netapp Vfiler tutorial

NetApp vFiler Tutorial

What is NetApp Vfiler:

Multi Store enables you to partition the storage and network resources of a single storage

 system so

 that it appears as multiple storage systems on the network.

Multi store is a optional software License its available in NetApp you need to buy this feature.

Benefit of Using Multistore:

1. Virtualization

2. Consolidation

3. Security

4. Disaster recovery and data migration

MultiStore for service providers and enterprises:

Service providers, such as ISPs and SSPs, can partition the resources of a storage 
system to create many vFiler units for client companies. Similarly, the information
 technology (IT) department  of an enterprise can create vFiler units for various departments,
 or customers, within the enterprise.

The administrator for each customer can manage and view files only on the assigned vFiler unit, 
not on other vFiler units that reside on the same storage system.

What is default Vfiler

MultiStore, Data ONTAP automatically creates a default vFiler unit on the hosting storage 
 system.The name of the default vFiler unit is vfiler0.

Initially, vfiler0 owns all the resources on the storage system. After you create additional 

vFiler units,vfiler0 owns the resources that are not owned by the vFiler units you have created.

You cant destroy default vfiler0.

Number of vFiler units allowed

You can have Maximum 65 Vfiler Unit on single storage system.

You can create 64 vfiler,65th is the Default vfiler vfiler0

Supported interfaces and protocols

Ethernet interfaces and the NFS, CIFS, iSCSI, HTTP, RSH, SSH, and FTP protocols are 
supported on vFiler units

To check the vfilers, 

FASSENTHIL> vfiler status

vfiler0 is the default one.

To create a vfiler, first down the network interface.

FASSENTHIL> ifconfig -a

ifconfig ns1 down

What an IPspace is :

An IPspace defines a distinct IP address space in which vFiler units can participate.
IP addresses defined for an IPspace are applicable only within that IPspace. A distinct routing table
 is maintained for each IPspace. No cross-IPspace traffic is routed.

Each IPspace has a unique loopback interface assigned to it. The loopback traffic of each IPspace
 is completely isolated from the other IPspaces.

To create an ipspace,

FASSENTHIL> ipspace create <ipspace name> interface name list

ipspace create vfiler1-ipspace ns1

To create vfiler,

vfiler create <vfilername>  -s <ipspace>  volumename

vfiler create vfiler-senthil -s vfiler1  /vol/vfvol

CIFS setup:

 To check the vfiler status.

FASSENTHIL>vfiler status ............. Now two vfilers are running.

To list ipspaces:

FASSENTHIL>ipspace list

Creating a qtree on a new vfiler.

qtree create /vol/vfvol/test1

Creating CIFS shares.

FASSENTHIL>cifs shares -add myshare /vol/vfvol/test1

To list the cifs shares.

FASSENTHIL> cifs shares

To switch between to vfilers console.

vfiler context <vfiler name>

FASSENTHIL> vfiler context vfiler-senthil

vfiler-senthil@fassenthil>

To access the cifs shares in windows client.

Click run and type \\10.0.0.122

Now you are able to access the two shares. The shares are in vfiler-senthil.

To check the cifs sessions.

FASSENTHIL>cifs sessions

CIFS shares in the vfiler0(Default vfiler0) Base storage system.

Accessing the \\10.0.0.121

Now you are accessing the vfiler0's cifs shares.

To stop the vfiler.

FASSENTHIL> vfiler stop vfiler-senthil


Check the vfiler status. Now the vfiler-senthil is stopped.

To start the vfiler:

FASSENTHIL> vfiler start vfiler-senthil

Check the status of the vfiler. Now it is running.

To remove the vfiler:

FASSENTHIL> vfiler stop vfiler-senthil

FASSENTHIL> ifconfig ns1 down

FASSENTHIL> vfiler destroy vfiler-senthil

Check the status of the vfiler.

The vfiler vfiler-senthil has removed.

Only default vfiler0 alone running.

Source:Remote infra blog