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NetApp ONTAP NVMe

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What is NVMe?

NVM Express (NVMe) is a data storage protocol that delivers the

fastest response times for business-critical enterprise applications.
However, NVMe is more than a storage specification; the broader
NVMe over Fabrics protocol encompasses the entire data path, from

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server to network to storage system.

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NVMe—the NVM Express data storage standard—is emerging as a

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core technology for enterprises that are building new storage
infrastructures or upgrading to modern ones.
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NVMe is both a protocol optimized for solid-state storage devices, and
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a set of open-source architectural standards for NVMEM components
and systems.
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NVMe adds some new names for some common structures.

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An NVMe Qualified Name (NQN) identifies an endpoint and is similar

to an iSCSI Qualified Name (IQN) in both format (domain registration
date, domain registered, and something unique like a serial number). A
namespace is analogous to a LUN (Logical Unit Number, a unique
identifier for a logical or physical device); both represent an array of
blocks presented to an initiator. A subsystem is analogous to an initiator
group (igroup) (subsystems have considerably more functionality but
for our purposes, we are focusing on how to map LUNs/namespaces),
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it is used to mask an initiator so that it can see and mount a LUN or

namespace. Asymmetric Namespace Access (ANA) is a new protocol
feature for monitoring and communicating path states to the host
operating system’s Multipath I/O (MPIO) or multipath stack, which
uses information communicated through ANA to select and manage
multiple paths between the initiator and target.

NVMe will become an essential part of the modern data center, because
it addresses three crucial attributes of data storage performance: IOPS,
throughput, and latency.

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The IOPS and bandwidth improvements are primarily the result of
NVMe’s flexibility and its ability to take advantage of fast transport

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technologies to move NVMe commands and data.

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NVMe accelerates many of today’s most important emergent business
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workloads:
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 Artificial intelligence (AI).

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 Machine learning (ML)/deep learning (DL).

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 Internet of Things (IoT).

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NVMe as a Storage Attachment Architecture

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NVMe is most commonly used today for attaching disks and disk
shelves. Many storage vendors and suppliers have introduced offerings
based on using NVMe as a storage-attachment architecture and
standard. Technically, in most cases, NVMe is the protocol used to
perform I/O, whereas the physical transport is primarily PCIe.
In this scenario, NVMe replaces the SCSI command set with the NVMe
command set and frequently replaces SATA or serial-attached SCSI
(SAS) with PCIe to connect drives to the storage controller. NVMe
relies on a physical attachment and transport. It uses PCIe as the
transport.

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Better performance with NVMe/TCP

NetApp will now be using the TCP protocol for its NVMe over fabrics.
Customers won't need new hardware as the protocol works over
existing network connections. NetApp believes the support of
NVMe/TCP will see broader deployment, as it will lower latency
without incurring new equipment costs.

NVMe/TCP is more efficient and more resilient than internet small

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computer systems interface (iSCSI), a protocol used for
communication between the host and target, for customers looking to

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modernize in that way.

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NVMe Configuration Step-By-Step:
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NVMeOF:
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1. Create a new SVM and enable the NVMe/FC Protocol.

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2. Check and List the fc-nvme supported adapters.

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3. Create NVMe FC LIF using CLI or System Manager.
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4. Create NVMe/FC Subsystem.

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5. Get the host nqn (In linux host server:# cat /etc/nvme/hostnqn)
& add the host nqn to subsystem.
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6. Create a Namespace with the following:

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a. Vserver Name
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b. Volume Path
c. Size
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d. OS type
e. Namespace

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7. Map the Namespace to NVMe subsystem and then discover from

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the host.

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8. Manage using System Manager and ActiveIQ Unified Manager

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NVMe/TCP Configuration:

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1. Create a SVM and enable the access protocol service NVMe/FC
or NVMe/TCP
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2. List the SVM and check the configured protocols.

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3. Create a NVMe/TCP IP LIFs and List it.

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4. List the host (Linux) NQN.

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5. Create a Namespace, subsystem and map the namespace.

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We have created 2 namespaces with 5GB and 20GB size.
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6. Login to Linux Server (Host) and list the nvme modules and
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multipath status.
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7. Host side discover the namespace and connect through nvme LIF
ip address.

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8. Check and list the discovered devices.

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9. Create a file system.

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10. Mount the filesystem.

11. Check the mounted File system and space details.

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http://senthil-it-infrastructure.blogspot.com/2020/05/netapp-ontap-97-
nvme-configuration-and.html

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