Using NetApp Disk Shelves as a JBOD

Antonio Soares · June 2013

Anyone knows the procedure to convert a NetApp DS14 into a JBOD using Windows ?

I found this article but it only mentions the procedure for Linux:

http://www.feeny.org/using-netapp-disk-shelves-as-a-jbod/

I'm thinking about building a minimal storage lab: i have one 9124, one 9140 and one QLogic QLE2462 HBA. Now i need one Target. The NetApp DS14 seems a good option. It can be found on ebay at affordable prices.

Antonio Soares · June 2013

Just found someone who did it in a few steps with Ubuntu. He posted a video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGTbIenPxYM

Antonio Soares · June 2013

Just a quick update on this one, since i found this quite interesting. I installed the QLogic HBA on one UCS 200 M2. Since it is not possible to have vHBAs with ESXi, i configured VMDirectPath I/O pass-through. More details about this on this link:

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1010789

And now i have direct access from one Windows Server 2008 R2 Virtual Machine to the HBA.

So basically this means that we don't need a dedicated server just to test/learn Fibre Channel, we can do it a with VM ! The next step will be getting one NetApp DS14 and make it work as a JBOD. I will share my findings here.

timosbg · February 2016

Hi Antonio

this is in relation to an old post of yours, so hope you can give me some insights ?!

I've got a Netapp DS14mk4 disk shelf that I want to use as a JBOD target for a DC lab, and I want to FC attach the netapp to 2 x MDS switches (SAN A+B) which are connected to N5k's and then to FI's and UCS blades in a 5108 chassis. I also have access to C series servers.

For your lab, did you have your Netapp shelf connected to MDS switch(es) or direct ot the C200 M2?

I saw the other post about connecting a linux server to the Netapp and configuring it as a JBOD. The servers I have access to have CNA's, so do I need to get a FC HBA installed in a server before I can setup a linux host to do the JBOD config on the disk shelf?

Best Regs

Tim

Just a quick update on this one, since i found this quite interesting. I installed the QLogic HBA on one UCS 200 M2. Since it is not possible to have vHBAs with ESXi, i configured VMDirectPath I/O pass-through. More details about this on this link:

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1010789

And now i have direct access from one Windows Server 2008 R2 Virtual Machine to the HBA.

So basically this means that we don't need a dedicated server just to test/learn Fibre Channel, we can do it a with VM ! The next step will be getting one NetApp DS14 and make it work as a JBOD. I will share my findings here.

Antonio Soares · March 2016

<!>

This was a long time ago, I don’t have that lab anymore. But I was able to connect the NetApp DS14 to the MDSs. I only had to replace the controller with an ESH2 card (dual FC interfaces). If I remember well, I had to do some kind of software upgrade to the controller before installing the ESH2 card. Basically it was to remove the special formatting the disks had.

Then I had one Windows 2008 Server with a dual HBA card connected to the MDS as well.

Regards,

Antonio Soares, CCIE #18473 (RS/SP/DC)
[email protected]

http://www.ccie18473.net

Antonio Soares · March 2016

<!>