NetApp Cloud Volumes ONTAP is a cloud-based version of NetApp’s signature ONTAP software that provides enterprise-level storage management features and enhancements for mission-critical workloads.
This document will give you step-by-step instructions on how to set up NetApp Cloud Volumes ONTAP for use on Google Cloud.
Jump down below using these links to get started:
Before you can start setting up your Cloud Volumes ONTAP deployment on Google Cloud, there are some key design considerations that you’ll have to have in place first.
If you are deploying BlueXP Console using a web browser, BlueXP Console needs to have network connectivity to all of the endpoints listed here:
NetApp recommends deploying BlueXP Console on a subnet / VPC that has outbound internet access for use with Cloud Volumes ONTAP.
To use BlueXP Console and Cloud Volumes ONTAP, Google Cloud users need to subscribe to Cloud Volumes ONTAP via the GCP Marketplace. This is a one-time signup that is needed in order to confirm the terms of the GCP EULA.
The following instructions detail how to create a GCP account with the necessary Identity and Access Management (IAM) policy. This will make it possible to use BlueXP Console with your GCP environment.
A file named “Setup_As_Service_*version*_GCP.yaml” will be downloaded. This file will be used later in the setup process to create a custom policy for the Connector deployment.
A file named “Policy_for_Cloud_Manager_*version*_GCP.yaml.” will be downloaded. This file will be used later in the set-up process to create a custom policy for the Connector Service Account.
Fill in the account details and click on “CREATE” to proceed.
Next, click on the drop menu under the Role option. Select “NetApp BlueXP Console” as the role and click on “DONE” to proceed.
Deploying the Connector and Cloud Volumes ONTAP in GCP requires a number of Google Cloud APIs to be enabled. This section will show you how to enable the APIs.
Enable these APIs by opening the page for each API and clicking the “Enable” button, as shown below. Repeat this process for all of the relevant projects in your account.
4. Now that the necessary Google Cloud APIs are enabled for your projects, the Connector can be created. This will also allow Cloud Volumes ONTAP instances to be created as well.
Although optional, it is recommended to use Cloud Volumes ONTAP’s data tiering capabilities to automatically move cold data, such as disaster recovery copies, to Google Cloud Storage in order to reduce TCO.
To set up data tiering, Cloud Volumes ONTAP requires a service account granted with a Storage Admin role. This service account will also enable you to also use the Cloud Backup service to back up Cloud Volumes ONTAP and on-premises storage volumes to low-cost object storage if needed.
Go to the IAM & Admin menu in the Google Cloud Console. Find the Service Account tab on the left-hand panel and create a new account by selecting “Create Service Account”.
Fill in the account name, account ID, and the account description details. When you are done, click on “CREATE” to proceed.
In the “Grant service account access to project” step, go to the Role drop down menu and select “Storage Admin.” The permissions granted under this role will give you full control over deploying and managing Google Cloud Storage resources.
Click on “CONTINUE” to proceed.
In the “Grant users access to this service account (optional)” step, add a service account user. Enter the Connector service account name that was created earlier when you set up user permissions and service account for Connector deployment.
Click on “DONE” to finish.
Your service account will now be set up. The service account can be selected later when you create a Cloud Volumes ONTAP instance, in the Details and Credentials screen.
Now that these requirements are all in place, you can begin deploying the BlueXP Console Connector.
In this section we will deploy the Connector in Google Cloud directly from BlueXP Console.
The Connector is part of the BlueXP Console infrastructure that allows secured management of processes and resources within Google Cloud and is required in order to use most of the features and services integrated into BlueXP Console.
For the complete list of Connector capabilities, go to Learn about Connectors in the BlueXP Console documentation center.
The Connector can be deployed in Google Cloud or in your data center. For instructions on installing the connector on-prem, refer to the instructions here.
Once you have logged in, you will be situated in BlueXP Console’s home page, the Canvas tab.
Click on the Connector menu in the top-right corner to open the Connectors pane. To get started with the deployment, click on “Create your first Connector.”
At this point you will see a prompt asking you to log in to your Google account.
Note that the form is wholly controlled by Google Cloud. NetApp will never see your sign-in credentials.
You will now need to supply your Connector name, project name, and your service account name. The service account will be the one with the NetApp BlueXP Console role that was created earlier in the setup process.
When you are done, click “Continue.”
Provide the location information for your Connector. You will need to include a GCP region, zone, a VPC, and a subnet for the Connector instance.
Click “Continue” when you are done.
In the Network step, you will configure connectivity and proxy settings. For Connectivity, you must choose whether or not to enable the use of a public IP address.
Specifying a proxy configuration is optional and will depend on your planned usage.
You will now set up your firewall policy.
You can either use an existing firewall policy or create a new one. In either case the firewall policy must allow inbound access for HTTPS, HTTP, and SSH.
When you are done, click “Create.”
Your Connector deployment will commence. Make sure you do not close the page until the setup is finalized. This process will take about seven minutes.
Once the Connector deployment completes successfully, click on “Continue.”
Now go to the Connectors pane and confirm that your Connector is listed as Active.
With your Connector deployed successfully, you will now be able to deploy a new Cloud Volumes ONTAP working environment.
(Note that Cloud Volumes ONTAP for Google Cloud supports two configurations: Single Node for non-mission critical workloads and HA for mission critical workloads. Click here for additional information on HA.)
When you are done, click “Continue.”
Make sure to choose a Service Account that has been configured with the Storage Admin role (as shown in the section above) so you can enable Data Tiering and Cloud Backup to Google Cloud Storage.
When you are finished, click Continue.
Make sure to mark the checkbox after you have validated connectivity between your VPC and Google Cloud Storage.
Click on “EDIT” to make changes.
Under “Private Google Access” select On for Cloud Volumes ONTAP’s subnet.
Click “SAVE” when you are done.
In this step you can also choose to add a NetApp Support Site (NSS) account that you will use with this Cloud Volumes ONTAP environment. Note: An NSS account is recommended if you are choosing a Pay-As-You-Go license, but it can be added at another time. Use of a NSS account provides users with additional NetApp technical support and software updates. With BYOL, the NSS account allows you to enable your subscription.
When you are done, proceed by clicking “Continue.”
On the Data Tiering in Google Cloud page, if an appropriate Service Account was configured as described above, cold data tiering to Google Cloud Storage will be enabled by default.
The storage classes supported are Standard, Nearline and Coldline. By using data tiering in disaster recovery scenarios, costs can be significantly reduced.
When done, click “Continue.”
In the Create Volume step, you can create your first volume on Cloud Volumes ONTAP. If you want to create that volume later, click “Skip.”
To create a volume, add a name, define a snapshot policy, and select a protocol for it: NFS, CIFS, or iSCSI.
Click “Continue” to proceed, or “Skip.”
In the Review & Approve step, confirm the configuration settings.
Mark the checkbox to approve that BlueXP Console will provision the selected GCP resources on your behalf.
When you are done, click “Go.”
You will be redirected back to the Canvas where Cloud Volumes ONTAP for Google Cloud will be shown:
With all these prerequisites in place and your first Cloud Volumes ONTAP instance up and running in GCP, you’re ready to start using Google Cloud with all the benefits of NetApp Cloud Volumes ONTAP data management.