Storage node

If you have not configured your storage system, the Frequent Tasks window provides access to the Storage Configuration wizard. If you have already configured your storage system, you can click the other links such as "Create Volume" to manage the resources of your storage system.

Frequent Tasks

Storage Configuration Wizard

Starts the Storage Configuration wizard.

Note: This is the only link that is displayed in the Frequent Tasks window if you have not configured your storage system.

Create Aggregate

Starts the Create Aggregate wizard.

Create Volume

Opens the Create Volume dialog box.

Create LUN

Starts the Create LUN wizard.

Create Export

Opens the Create Export dialog box.

Provision Storage for VMware

Starts the Create NFS Datastore for VMware wizard.

Data ONTAP storage architecture overview

Storage architecture refers to how Data ONTAP provides data storage resources to host or client systems and applications. Data ONTAP distinguishes between the physical layer of data storage resources and the logical layer.

Storage units for managing disk space

To properly provision storage, it is important to define and distinguish between the different units of storage.

Storage limits

There are limits for aggregates, FlexVol volumes, traditional volumes, FlexCache volumes, FlexClone volumes, files, and LUNs, qtrees and RAID groups that you should consider when planning your storage architecture.

Configuring a storage system

You can use the Storage Configuration wizard to configure your storage system or an HA configuration. You must separately configure each storage system when you configure an HA configuration.

Data ONTAP Cluster-Mode conceptual information

System Manager Help provides basic Data ONTAP Cluster-Mode conceptual information that is relevant to the tasks that you can perform using System Manager. For more in-depth conceptual information that you might require for configuration, monitoring, and management of storage objects and storage systems, you can see the Data ONTAP documentation available on the NOW site.

Creating an NFS datastore for VMware

You can use the Create NFS Datastore for VMware® wizard to create an NFS datastore for VMware.

Viewing storage system details

You can use the Home tab to view the details of a storage system, such as name, IP address, status of a storage system, and version of Data ONTAP that the storage system is running.

Levels of storage system monitoring

You can use System Manager to monitor storage system health at three levels: for an individual storage system, for a pair of storage systems in an HA configuration, and for all storage systems managed by the application.

Severity levels, health status alerts

You can determine how serious an alert is based on its severity level. There are five system status levels displayed by the Systems window, the Dashboard window, and the notification area icon. The status alerts differ between individual storage systems and high availability pairs.

Monitoring health status with the Systems window

You can quickly view health status for any managed storage system in the Home tab of System Manager.