How you administer a storage system

Ways to administer a storage system

You can use the following methods of administering a storage system with Data ONTAP:

Command execution through the storage system's command line interface (CLI)
Command execution through the RLM redirection feature (not available on all platforms)
Command execution through Windows network management tools
Configuration file editing
Command execution through the FilerView interface
Command execution through DataFabric Manager software
Programmatic execution through Manage ONTAP Developer SDK software

Command execution through the storage system's CLI

You can use the storage system's CLI to execute all Data ONTAP administrative commands, with the exception of some Windows server administrative commands.

You can access the storage system's command line from

A serial terminal connected to the console port of the storage system
An Ethernet connection to an RLM installed in the storage system (not available for all platforms)
A Telnet session to the storage system
A remote shell program, such as the UNIX rsh utility (provides access for a limited set of commands)
A secure shell application program, such as SSH, OpenSSH for UNIX

Command execution through the RLM

You can use the redirection feature of the RLM to remotely execute all Data ONTAP administrative commands. For more information about this feature, see Chapter 10, Managing Remotely with the RLM.

Command execution through Windows

You can use Windows commands to perform system administrative tasks related to Windows network operations. You can also use a secure shell application program, such as PuTTY.

You can execute Windows commands that affect the storage system using native Windows administration tools such as Server Manager and User Manager.

Configuration file editing

You edit configuration files to supply information that Data ONTAP needs to perform certain tasks.

You can access configuration files by mounting the root directory of the storage system on a UNIX client or by mapping the administrative share (C$) to a drive on a Windows client, then editing the file from the client. For more information about the root volume, /vol/vol0, and the configuration file in its root directory, /etc, see Default directories in the root volume.

Command execution through FilerView

You use FilerView to perform most administrative tasks from a Web-based interface. You can use FilerView whether or not you purchased a license for the HTTP protocol.

DataFabric Manager software

DataFabric Manager is a simple, centralized administration tool that enables comprehensive management of enterprise storage and content delivery infrastructure. This suite of tools, which runs on a management server, consolidates tasks that would otherwise require separate steps and allows for a set of optional modules that provides specific additional functionality.

You must purchase the DataFabric Manager license to use this product. For more information about DataFabric Manager, see the DataFabric Manager Information Library at http://now.netapp.com/NOW/knowledge/docs/DFM_win/dfm_index.shtml/.

Manage ONTAP Developer SDK software

The Manage ONTAP SDK contains resources necessary to develop third-party applications which monitor and manage storage systems. The kit contains libraries, code samples and bindings in Java, C, and Perl for the new ONTAPI^TM programming interface set. A NetApp storage system simulator which runs on Linux or Solaris, that simulates the NetApp storage system to a very low level, is also available as a separate distribution. For more information, read about the Network Appliance Advantage Developer Program at http://www.netapp.com/solutions/dfms/advantage.html.