Scenario
Example values: cluster name LAB-ONTAP, cluster management 192.0.2.20, node management 192.0.2.21 and .22. Replace these documentation IPs with your approved addresses.
Before you change production
Commands and screens can differ by release and platform. Replace example names and documentation IP addresses. Check prerequisites, impact, current health and rollback with your change owner.
1. Collect prerequisites
- Verify supported ONTAP release, platform, licensing, cluster switch topology, node cabling, and management reachability. Record gateway, subnet mask, DNS, NTP, and administrator credential handling.
- Reserve unique cluster and node management addresses. Do not use client data addresses for cluster interconnect. Arrange access to each serial console before starting.
Verify
Two reachable consoles and an approved addressing worksheet.
2. Create and join
- Power on the first node and use System Manager discovery or the cluster setup wizard to create the cluster. Enter cluster name, management address, and administrator details.
- Join the second node to the existing cluster using the platform setup flow. Confirm both nodes appear in the cluster and their management interfaces are reachable.
- Set DNS and time synchronization; configure AutoSupport and management access according to policy. Do not enable client protocols until the cluster is healthy.
Read-only validation
cluster show
network interface show
storage failover show
system health alert show3. Prove readiness
- Check cluster quorum and node eligibility. Check HA takeover readiness, management LIF reachability from the admin network, DNS resolution, and synchronized time.
- Document the configuration and collect a baseline before provisioning SVMs. If one node is missing, investigate interconnect cabling and cluster ports before retrying setup.
Verify
All planned nodes healthy; HA ready; no critical health alert; management reachable from the intended subnet.
If validation fails
- If node discovery fails, test the management network separately from the cluster interconnect. Verify the cabling and switch configuration for the exact platform and topology.
- If the join fails after partial setup, record the exact console error and current cluster membership. Do not repeat initialization or wipe configuration on a node that may contain data.
- If management works but health alerts remain, inspect the alert source and storage failover state before creating production SVMs.
Verify
Re-run the original validation and record the observed result, exact error, time, and corrective action.