How to Netboot clustered Data ONTAP 8.1x (and later)

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Apr 25, 2025
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Category:: data-ontap-8

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Last Updated:: 4/25/2025, 8:47:24 AM

Applies to

CORE
Clustered Data ONTAP 8.3
Troubleshooting
Setup Configuration
Clustered Data ONTAP 8.2
Clustered Data ONTAP 8.1
non-KCS

Description

This article describes the procedure to install a new bootable image on the Boot Device in Data ONTAP 8.1.x (and later).

Warning: This article is used to Netboot clustered Data ONTAP. This procedure is not used to NetBoot Data ONTAP 7G or Data ONTAP 7-Mode. Specifically, the env setting in step 3 'setenv bootarg.init.boot_clustered true' should not be run on a Data ONTAP 7-Mode system.

Data ONTAP 8.x uses the netboot procedure to boot a version of Data ONTAP that is on a remote web server. The netboot procedure will allow a controller to boot to the Data ONTAP boot menu. From the Data ONTAP boot menu, the install procedure can be used to install new software to the Boot Device (CF card). The controller then requires information to be restored from the root volume to the boot device for normal boot to continue.

After the boot device information has been restored, a normal boot can occur using the new Data ONTAP image that has been installed on the boot device.

Attention: This procedure is disruptive, even when using it with a system in an HA pair, because an immediate giveback and re-takeover will occur during the procedure.

Note: If installing a version of Data ONTAP 8.2.x, reboot the node (with or without takeover) after booting normally to ensure the netboot and installation process has completed.

Procedure

The following are the tool requirements for this procedure:

Access to the RLM/SP or console of the storage controller.
Access to an HTTP server.
Access the NetApp Support site to download the necessary Netboot files for the platform to Netboot.
Access the NetApp Support site to download the necessary install.tgz image file to install the version of Data ONTAP.
The System firmware of the controller must be at the latest supported version.

Perform the following steps:

Download and extract the file used for performing the netboot of your system:
1. Download the appropriate netboot.tgz file for your platform from the NetApp Support site to a Web-accessible directory.
2. Extract the contents of the netboot.tgz file to the target directory by running the following command:
  tar -zxvf netboot.tgz
  Your directory listing should contain the following directory: netboot/
Download and copy the image.tgz and netboot.tgz file from the NetApp Support site to the Web-accessible directory.
Extract only netboot.tgz file so that your directory listing should contain the following file and directory:
image.tgz, netboot.tgz, and netboot/
Collect the output of a 'network interface show' and/or execute a Type ALL Support for the node management interface and port assignment information.

Network interface show:

::> network interface show -role node-mgmt

How to execute a type All Autosupport:

::> autosupport invoke * all

Restart the controller from the service processor or console port.

::> system node reboot -node <node>

Watch the console during the boot process. To enter the LOADER prompt, press Ctrl + C when the message 'Starting AUTOBOOT press Ctrl-C to abort...' is displayed.

Verify the following boot environment variables at the LOADER prompt. The environment variable for bootarg.init.boot_clustered should be set to true, and the variable for bootarg.init.usebootp should be set to false.

To verify the current environment variables configuration:

printenv bootarg.init.boot_clustered printenv bootarg.init.usebootp
To Modify the environment variables configuration to the correct configuration for clustered Data ONTAP:
setenv bootarg.init.boot_clustered true setenv bootarg.init.usebootp false

Depending on your network configuration, run one of the following commands at the LOADER:

If you have DHCP enabled, then run the following command:
ifconfig e0M –auto

If you do not have DHCP, then run the following command:
ifconfig e0M -addr=filer_addr -mask=netmask -gw=gateway -dns=dns_addr - domain=dns_domain

filer_addr is the IP address of the storage system.
netmask is the network mask of the storage system.
gateway is the gateway for the storage system.
dns_addr is the IP address of a name server on your network.
dns_domain is the Domain Name System (DNS) domain name. If you use this optional parameter, you do not need a fully qualified domain name in the netboot server URL; you need only the server’s host name.

Note: To netboot the node when your system is running in Data ONTAP 7-Mode, use an IP address that is not the management IP address for the target. If your system is running in Cluster-Mode, you can use the node management IP address.

Note: If e0M does not have access to the webserver, any onboard port that is not part of an ifgrp can be used.

Note: Other parameters might be necessary for your interface. For details, use the help ifconfig command at the LOADER prompt.

At the LOADER prompt, run the following command:

netboot http://<path_to_the_web-accessible_directory>/netboot/kernel
The system begins to boot, but stops at the Boot menu.

Select the '(7) Install new software first' option from the displayed menu. This menu option downloads and installs the new Data ONTAP image to the boot device.

You will be promoted for the URL to the install image (.tgz file) on the Web server.

What is the URL for the package?

http://<path_to_the_web-accessible_directory>/<image.tgz>

If you are prompted to continue the procedure, enter y when prompted.

Complete the following substeps:
1. Enter n to skip the backup recovery when you see the following prompt, unless there is a need to perform a recovery from an SSH server or a remote server. This procedure expects that the node configuration is safely stored on the boot device or in the root volume of the node.
2. Reboot the node by entering y when you see the following prompt:
  The controller module reboots, but stops at the boot environment prompt.
3. Boot Data ONTAP by entering the following command at the boot environment prompt:
  boot_ontap

The controller module reboots, but stops at the Boot menu because the boot device was reformatted and the configuration data needs to be restored.

The boot device has changed. System configuration information could be lost. Use option (6) to restore the system configuration, or option (4) to initialize all disks and setup a new system. Normal Boot is prohibited.

Please choose one of the following:

(1) Normal Boot.

(2) Boot without /etc/rc.

(3) Change password.

(4) Clean configuration and initialize all disks.

(5) Maintenance mode boot.

(6) Update flash from backup config.

(7) Install new software first.

(8) Reboot node.

Selection (1-8)?

Select the Update flash from backup config option from the displayed menu.

If you are asked to continue with the update, enter y when prompted.

Once 'Waiting For Giveback' is displayed, perform a 'storage failover giveback' from the partner node now. Enter this command on any other active node in the cluster. This will send over the root aggregate to the netbooted node.

The netbooted node will reboot and again be in takeover. It will then again come to the 'Waiting For Giveback'. Perform one more 'storage failover giveback' from the partner node now and the node will be up and running.

Note: If you are installing a version of Data ONTAP 8.2X, reboot the node (with or without takeover) after booting normally to ensure the netboot and installation process has completed.